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The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get is the second album by Joe Walsh and his band Barnstorm, released in 1973 (see 1973 in music), although the album's front cover (right) credits only Walsh. It proved to be his commercial breakthrough, largely on the strength of the Top 40 hit single, "Rocky Mountain Way", which helped propel the album into the Top 10.

On this album, Walsh shares the vocals and songwriting with the other three members of Barnstorm, drummer/multi-instrumentalist Joe Vitale, bassist Kenny Passarelli, and the new member, keyboardist Rocke Grace . As a result, a variety of styles are explored on this album. There are elements of blues, jazz, folk, pop, and even Caribbean music.

After the success of this album, Barnstorm disbanded, and Walsh continued as a solo artist.

The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, Walsh's second solo studio album, continues the heavy and light rock mix of tracks found on his previous release Barnstorm. Indeed, the opening two tracks bear this out. The first, perhaps Joe Walsh's most recognized track, "Rocky Mountain Way", comes replete with overly distorted guitars and the obligatory solo. The next song, "Bookends", is a tuneful ode to happy memories. Walsh's ability to swing wildly from one end of the rock scale to the other is unparalleled and makes for an album to suit many tastes.

Joe Vitale (drums, flute, backing vocals, keyboards, and synthesisers – a talented man) and Kenny Passarelli (bass and backing vocals) are once again employed, and once again prove themselves adept at handling Walsh's various styles. The album sees an addition to the backing band in the form of Rocke Grace on keyboards and vocals. The legendary Bill Szymczyk works along with Walsh to handle the production, and takes care of the mixing.

Szymczyk's work on this area is as always astounding. The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get features some of the most remembered Joe Walsh tracks, but it's not just these that made the album the success it was. Each of the nine tracks is a song to be proud of. This is a superb album by anyone's standards.

01."Rocky Mountain Way" (Rocke Grace, Kenny Passarelli, Joe Vitale, Joe Walsh) – 5:15
02."Book Ends" (Vitale) – 2:45
03."Wolf" – 3:09
04."Midnight Moodies" (Grace) – 3:39
05."Happy Ways" (Passarelli, Zoloth) – 2:40
06."Meadows" – 4:36
07."Dreams" – 5:50
08."Days Gone By" (Vitale) – 5:54
09."(Day Dream) Prayer" – 1:56