Tracks:
Rocky Mountain Way
Book Ends
Wolf
Midnight Moodies
Happy Ways
Meadows
Dreams
Days Gone By
(Day Dream) Prayer

Performer Notes:

• Personnel: Joe Walsh (vocals, guitar); Joe Vitale (flute, keyboards, drums); Rocke Grace (keyboards, background vocals); Kenny Passarelli (bass instrument, background vocals); Clydie King, Venetta Fields (background vocals).
• "Rocky Mountain Way," the tune that opens Joe Walsh's sophomore release (and remains one of his best-known songs), is a textbook example of Walsh's strengths. The song is driven by a slinky hard rock groove that boasts crunchy, distorted guitars, barrelhouse piano, wiry solos, and a catchy, singalong chorus--proving Walsh's penchant for mixing rock elements and radio-ready accessibility with a sense of wit and fun. The rest of SMOKER YOU DRINK, PLAYER YOU GET follows suit, with the mid-tempo rock ballad "Bookends," the bouncy, Latin-tinged "Happy Ways," and the airy, wistful "Dreams" keeping the stylistic mix lively.
• Walsh is flanked here by Kenny Pasarelli on bass and Joe Vitale on drums, keyboards, and flute. Production help from Bill Szymczyk helps give the record its signature sound--simultaneously chunky and slick--and brings the effects-heavy sound of Walsh's guitar to the fore. But this is ultimately Walsh's show: he knows how to rock, lilt, and craft a pop hook, all the while maintaining levity with his off-hand vocal delivery and playful lyrics. SMOKER YOU DRINK, PLAYER YOU GET is a solid slice of FM rock fare, and is still one of the standouts in Walsh's solo discography.

Producer: Joe Walsh, Bill Szymcyzk

Format: CD (1 Disc); Stereo

Country: USA

Studio/Live: Studio

Release Date: 26 October, 1987

Label: WALSH,JOE

Dimensions: 12.1 x 1 x 14.2 centimeters (0.04 kg)