Songfacts®:

• "Holy Smokes" is a smoldering ballad that dives deep into faith, sin, and a forbidden teenage love story. Bailey Zimmerman candidly confesses his transgressions, chasing a love deemed off-limits and engaging in activities frowned upon by society.
  
  "This song takes me back to the first time I fell in love at 17," said Zimmerman.
• Zimmerman describes the secrecy and thrill of the relationship as it unfolds in a church parking lot. He sings of sneaking around, defying societal expectations, and grappling with the contrasting feelings of religious devotion and youthful passion. The song evokes a sense of innocence lost and blurred lines between devotion and desire.
• Zimmerman teamed up with his producer Austin Shawn and songwriters Ben Stennis, Lauren Hungate, and Michael Tyler to craft this fiery anthem. The writers use religious imagery to illustrate the intensity of the emotions at play. They compare the girl's touch to the cross on the rearview mirror; their shared moments become a "hallelujah at 17." The two are falling in love while lighting up their holy smokes.
• The phrase "holy smoke," typically used to express surprise or amazement, takes on a new layer of meaning in this context. Here, the songwriters repurpose the phrase, transforming it into a symbol of teenage rebellion. Instead of conveying astonishment, it alludes to the act of smoking cigarettes on sacred ground, highlighting the forbidden nature.
• Zimmerman wasn't the first to repurpose the phrase "holy smoke" to create a contrasting image. The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden do so in their 1990 song "Holy Smoke," using it to describe shady televangelists burning to death. Said their vocalist Bruce Dickinson: "I had this big image of all those ovens in the death camps with preachers' feet sticking out and holy smoke going up."
• The song weaves together familiar themes found in Bailey Zimmerman's repertoire: nostalgic reflections on past love ("Fall In Love"), the use of religious imagery ("Religiously") and the recurring motif of smoke. ("You Don't Want That Smoke").
• Austin Shawn played the drums and piano and sang the backing vocals with Andrew Peebles. The other musicians are:
  
  Dave Cohen: piano
  Justin Schipper: pedal steel guitar
  Tim Galloway: acoustic, electric and slide guitar
  Michael Rinne: bass
  Scotty Sanders: dobro
• Zimmerman released "Holy Smokes" as a single via Warner Nashville on February 23, 2024, after garnering interest for it with his teaser clips on social media.