For My Sunday Song #377, We explore another of Deke’s Choices with the song “Smoke & Ashes” by the Canadian band 13 Engines. The song was a single off their Canadian breakthrough album ‘Perpetual Motion Machine’. It was the band’s fourth album and released in 1993, but it isn’t grunge…more alternative rock. Billboard magazine called the song “the perfect two-minute rock song.” We will see if that is the case.

The song is about the consequences of doing drugs and leading a life that is nothing but destructive. The ticking of the watch is symbolic of all the time wasted and missed while doing drugs while you are kneeling down throwing up in the porcelain God. The comet burns and crashes is exactly what happens to you due to the addiction. You crash & burn. You end up alone in the world as everyone has been driven away. It is a sad commentary, but it is pretty accurate.

The song rocks out with a distorted guitar sound and John Critchley on vocals. The band has a sound that is reminiscent of the Gin Blossoms, but maybe a little heavier. At only around 2:30 minutes long, it has no time to waste and compacts a lot of sound in that brief window. A powerful song that packs a punch.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. They never made any traction here in the States sadly, so why is that? It is a great song that gets in and gets out but leaves an impression in that short window. Thanks Deke for another great choice. Go check out The Distortion Den on Youtube or go to Superdekes.com and support Deke. And thank you all for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

Smoke & Ashes

[Verse]
Tick tock went the watch on your wrist
Telling you softly of the minutes you’ve missed
Kneeling down with your head in a bowl
Telling yourself there should never be days like this

Just when you thought that you had it down
You woke up dreaming of cocaine and clowns
Everybody knew that you sang the blues
No-one could guess that you would sing it like this

[Chorus]
Smoke and ashes
Smoke and ashes
A comet burns and then it crashes
Smoke and ashes

[Verse]
You spilled the beans last Friday night
Now Monday’s here and therе’s no-one in sight
Well that’s the pricе that you’ve got to pay
For letting yourself get your own way

[Chorus]
Smoke and ashes
Smoke and ashes
A comet burns and then it crashes
Smoke and ashes

[Bridge]
Smoke and ashes
Smoke and ashes
Smoke and ashes