Track Listing

1. What You Gonna Do?
2. Buck's Hot Rod
3. Hey, Good Lookin'
4. We're Having a Party
5. Beast of Burden
6. Be Good or Be Gone
7. Maybe I Will
8. Pour Tout Quelque'un
9. Where There's Smoke There's Fire
10. Route 66
11. It's Getting Late

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14370 in Music
• Released on: 1990-05-18
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com essential recording
When Chris Blackwell signed Buckwheat Zydeco to Island Records in the mid-1980s, he may have been hoping that zydeco would break out internationally the way reggae did in the 1970s. It never happened, though Buck gave it his best shot with a series of crossover-friendly projects featuring high-profile guests. Where There's Smoke is as good as any of them. The album was produced by Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and featured Dwight Yoakam sitting in on a cover of Hank Williams's "Hey, Good Lookin'." There's also a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" and a version of "Route 66" featuring Hidalgo on vocals and guitar. But the best tracks are the old-fashioned accordion rave-ups, like "Buck's Hot Rod" and "Pour Tout Quelqu'un." --Rick Mitchell

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD
Los Lobos guitarist (and zydeco fan) David Hidalgo signs on as producer and helps create a fun, intelligent 'Creole blues" album. Dancing is encouraged: "What You Gonna Do?" is urged along by Dural's playful vocals and accordion; the traditional stomp "Pour Tout Quelque'un" has Wilbert Willis's corrugated washboard at the eye of its storm; and a heartfelt version of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" inspires close swaying. Eight more too; most smoke and fire. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

One of his very best
Buckwheat zydeco has been bringing zydeco music to the massess for at least 20 years now and "where There's Smoke There's Fire" is truly one of his best CDs that is not a compilation. The production is perfect. all of the instruments jump out at your ears and the band is in top form. The songs flow beautifully from one to the next. The disc starts off with "What You Gonna Do" and just when you think your heart can't pump any faster they blast into "Buck's Hot rod", a sort of jump blues instrumental with one of the most blistering sax solos I've ever heard. The duette with dwight Yoakam on "Hey Good Lookin'" is excellent and their voices harmonize very well together. One of the highlight tracks is buckwheat's cover of 'Beast of burden." they slow down the tempo and add in some nice acoustic guitar. shoot me if you want to, but I think it's much better than the Stones version even though they are the ones who wrote the song. If you don't own any Buckweat zydeco CDs start with the "Zydeco Party" compilation to get a representative picture of his 80's sound and pick up "where There's smoke There's Fire" to hear some of his best music to date and be ready to shake it up!

Soooooooooo good!
I have had this CD for a couple of years, and I just got it out the other night. Had to listen to it again as I wait for his new CD to arrive. Man oh man, this is good. I dare you to put this CD on and NOT get moving. This could be his best, but I reserve judgment until the new one ("Jackpot") arrives.

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
He has a combination of styles that I like - energetic zydeco with blues and old r & b - and he still does the best rendition of Get Your Kicks on Route 66 ever