Cigarettes Will Kill You

"Cigarettes Will Kill You" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee from his third studio album, Breathing Tornados (1998). Produced by Ed Buller, the song became a breakout success for Lee. It was voted number two on the 1998 Triple J Hottest 100[1] and reached number 46 on the Australian Singles Chart in 1999.

"Cigarettes Will Kill You"
Single by Ben Lee
from the album Breathing Tornados
B-side"Girls Talk"
Released8 March 1999 (1999-03-08)
Length3:48
LabelModular
Songwriter(s)Ben Lee
Producer(s)Ed Buller
Ben Lee singles chronology
"Career Choice"
(1997)		 "Cigarettes Will Kill You"
(1999)		 "Ship My Body Home"
(1998)

The song was featured in the 2002 Australian comedy Crackerjack. It has also been referenced in the Axis of Awesome's song medley "Four Chord Song", a reference to the fact that the chord progression in "Cigarettes Will Kill You" is similar to that of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and Toto's "Africa".

Background

During his 24 April 2006 concert at Irving Plaza in New York City, Lee described how he came up with the title for the track, recalling that he'd been listening to the Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work" and was so impressed with its title that he decided to name his own song with a similarly catchy title.

The title of "Cigarettes Will Kill You" as well as many of the lyrics refer to cigarette smoking as a metaphor for continuing to go back to a bad relationship even though one knows it will end terribly and cause pain. Lee recounted how one often badly needs short-term comfort to get through an otherwise sad, frustrating life even though everyone knows that smoking can cause health problems. The single's cover even resembles a pack of cigarettes.

In August of 2021, Lee confirmed on his official TikTok account that the lyric "I want a TV embrace" was a mondegreen based on a misheard Fiona Apple lyric. In Apple's song "Sleep to Dream", Lee had thought Apple had sung "This mind this body and this voice cannot be stifled by your TV embrace"—the real lyric being "This mind this body and this voice cannot be stifled by your deviant ways". It was years later Lee realised his mistake but still used the lyric anyway.

Track listings

All songs were written by Ben Lee unless otherwise stated.

Australian CD single[2]

  1. "Cigarettes Will Kill You" – 3:50
  2. "Girls Talk" (Elvis Costello) – 2:35
  3. "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" (Bob Dylan) – 3:16

UK CD single[3]

  1. "Cigarettes Will Kill You" – 3:48
  2. "Girls Talk" (Costello) – 2:37
  3. "How to Survive a Broken Heart" – 2:49

UK 7-inch single[4]

A. "Cigarettes Will Kill You" – 3:48
B. "Girls Talk" (Costello) – 2:37

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[2] 46
Scotland (OCC)[5] 97
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 92
UK Indie (OCC)[7] 21

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia 8 March 1999 CD Modular [2]
United Kingdom 29 March 1999
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Grand Royal [8]
United States 12 October 1999 Alternative radio [9]

See also

References
  1. "Hottest 100 1998". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. "Ben Lee – Cigarettes Will Kill You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  3. Cigarettes Will Kill You (UK CD single liner notes). Ben Lee. Grand Royal. 1999. GRI5000CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. Cigarettes Will Kill You (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Ben Lee. Grand Royal. 1999. GRI5000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  7. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  8. "New Releases – For Week Starting 29 March, 1999: Singles". Music Week. 27 March 1999. p. 23.
  9. "Alternative: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1320. 8 October 1999. p. 114.
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