Was Deep Purple’s famous riff a rip-off?

Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” riff has been compared with earlier music, prompting questions about whether guitarist Ritchie Blackmore borrowed it. The similarities are intriguing, but the article argues that the riff’s rhythm, phrasing and arrangement give it a distinct identity.

Released in 1973 on *Machine Head*, the song became famous for its four-note guitar figure and its account of the 1971 fire at Montreux Casino, which disrupted the band’s recording plans. Blackmore said the riff was based on an inversion of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, though the article notes that the rhythm and note order differ substantially. It also points to a melodic resemblance to Carlos Lyra’s 1964 song “Maria Moita”, while stressing that the two recordings come from very different musical settings.