parody, the duo works the then-popular
Camel cigarettes campaign, asking
listeners whether theywere
“smokingmore
now but enjoying it less.”
Turning that ad
line into a metaphor about sexual
promiscuitydeserves a songwriting award.
Some of these songs reveal a strong
moralistic streak, directed squarely at
women. It’s one thing for a guy to smoke,
but Lord, please, spare us from the sight
of a woman with a cigarette in her face!
The sentiment is nowhere more obvious
than in the over-the-top sermonbyRev. J.
M.Gates. It’s hardnot tohear this glimpse
of religiosityas a comedy routineby today’s
standards, but in1939, itwas no laughing
matter. And the Reverend’s words are not
that far (minus a few
“amen’s”
) fromwhat
JoeMaphis, the Sons of the Pioneers and
BillMack are singing about.The sight of a
woman smokingon the street (or in a bar)
was all the proof you needed that she had
hit rockbottom. AndGodhelpyou if that
was your wife or daughter. Obviously
Dorothy Lamour and Lauren Bacall had
their work cut out for themwhen they lit
up in public.
So sit back and journey with us to a
time several generations ago when
innocence and naiveté swirled around us
as thickly as cigarette smoke. Here is the
soundtrack for that journey. And, as they
used to say in those tough-guywarmovies
half a century ago,
“Smoke if you got ‘em.”
HankDavis
August 2009
13
