Holy Smokes

Album

Single

Label

10K Projects

Genre

Country pop

Entered Chart

Mar 9, 2024

Peak Date

Mar 9, 2024

Released

June 10, 2024

"Holy Smokes" is a smoldering ballad that dives deep into faith, sin, and a forbidden teenage love story. Bailey Zimmerman candidly confesses his transgressions, chasing a love deemed off-limits and engaging in activities frowned upon by society. "This song takes me back to the first time I fell in love at 17," said Zimmerman. Zimmerman describes the secrecy and thrill of the relationship as it unfolds in a church parking lot. He sings of sneaking around, defying societal expectations, and grappling with the contrasting feelings of religious devotion and youthful passion. The song evokes a sense of innocence lost and blurred lines between devotion and desire. Zimmerman teamed up with his producer Austin Shawn and songwriters Ben Stennis, Lauren Hungate, and Michael Tyler to craft this fiery anthem. The writers use religious imagery to illustrate the intensity of the emotions at play. They compare the girl's touch to the cross on the rearview mirror; their shared moments become a "hallelujah at 17." The two are falling in love while lighting up their holy smokes. The phrase "holy smoke," typically used to express surprise or amazement, takes on a new layer of meaning in this context. Here, the songwriters repurpose the phrase, transforming it into a symbol of teenage rebellion. Instead of conveying astonishment, it alludes to the act of smoking cigarettes on sacred ground, highlighting the forbidden nature. Zimmerman wasn't the first to repurpose the phrase "holy smoke" to create a contrasting image. The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden do so in their 1990 song "Holy Smoke," using it to describe shady televangelists burning to death. Said their vocalist Bruce Dickinson: "I had this big image of all those ovens in the death camps with preachers' feet sticking out and holy smoke going up." Report this ad The song weaves together familiar themes found in Bailey Zimmerman's repertoire: nostalgic reflections on past love ("Fall In Love"), the use of religious imagery ("Religiously") and the recurring motif of smoke. ("You Don't Want That Smoke"). Austin Shawn played the drums and piano and sang the backing vocals with Andrew Peebles. The other musicians are: Dave Cohen: piano Justin Schipper: pedal steel guitar Tim Galloway: acoustic, electric and slide guitar Michael Rinne: bass Scotty Sanders: dobro Zimmerman released "Holy Smokes" as a single via Warner Nashville on February 23, 2024, after garnering interest for it with his teaser clips on social media.

Well I was only scared of the devil and her dad
So we parked somewhere we knew they'd never look
Naw, I've never seen nothing like her
Playin' with the flame of her momma's lighter
Naw, it wasn't very long 'fore I was hooked

Heaven was a preachers spot
In that first church parkin' lotFeb. 23, 2024
Her hangin' onto me like the cross on the rearview does
Her eyes were blue, the words were red
On that half pack of cigarettes
At seventeen, that's what Hallelujah was
Life wasn't heavy in the back of that Chevy
Me and her and the holy ghost
Something about us, hell of a rush
Fallin' in love out of nothing, holy smokes

They'd run us off and we'd come runnin' back
Then we'd pick up where we left off the night before
She said [?] would your momma be
If walked in there and you married me
Even if we never made it through, they [?]

Heaven was a preachers spot
In that first church parkin' lot
Her hangin' onto me like the cross on the rearview does
Her eyes were blue, the words were red
On that half pack of cigarettes
At seventeen, that's what Hallelujah was
Life wasn't heavy in the back of that Chevy
Me and her and the holy ghost
Something about us, hell of a rush
Fallin' in love out of nothing, holy smokes

Nothin' about those nights felt like sinnin'
Jesus forgives but I can't forget when

Heaven was a preachers spot
In that first church parkin' lot
Her hangin' onto me like the cross on the rearview does
Her eyes were blue, the words were red
On that half pack of cigarettes
At seventeen, that's what Hallelujah was
Life wasn't heavy in the back of that Chevy
Me and her and the holy ghost
Something about us, hell of a rush
Fallin' in love out of nothing, holy smokes