A Soft-Rock Confession That Still Echoes Through Time
In the golden haze of the mid-1970s—when rock was growing louder, glam shimmered across European stages, and radio waves pulsed with confident anthems—Smokie chose, for a brief and unforgettable moment, to whisper.
Released in 1976 as part of their third studio album Midnight Café, “What Can I Do” was not designed to shake arenas or dominate dance floors. Instead, it unfolded like a private confession set to melody—tender, reflective, and quietly devastating. Issued under the RAK Records label, the song revealed a different dimension of the band: more vulnerable, more introspective, and perhaps more human than ever before.
Nearly five decades later, its simple question still lingers in the air.
The Song That Broke the Formula
By 1976, Smokie were already riding high on a wave of international recognition, thanks largely to the songwriting and production partnership of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. The duo had crafted many of the band’s biggest hits, giving Smokie their polished, radio-friendly sound.
But “What Can I Do” was different.
This time, the creative reins were handed to the band’s own lead guitarist, Alan Silson. Not only did Silson write the song entirely on his own, he also stepped forward to deliver the lead vocal—an unusual and deeply personal choice. The result? A track that feels less like a commercial product and more like a page torn from someone’s diary.
Silson’s voice lacks the theatrical grandeur of arena rock. Instead, it carries something far rarer: sincerity. There’s a tremor beneath the melody, an almost hesitant vulnerability that perfectly matches the song’s central plea.
“What can I do?”
It is not asked dramatically. It is asked softly, as though the singer already knows the answer may not bring comfort.
A Story of Change, Loss, and Quiet Realization
At its core, “What Can I Do” is about dislocation—the moment when the world you once knew subtly shifts beneath your feet.
The lyrics trace a gentle yet aching narrative: laughter that fades into silence, love that feels distant, dreams drifting away like clouds at dusk. There is no explosive heartbreak here, no dramatic betrayal. Instead, the pain comes from recognition. Things have changed. Life has rearranged itself. And no amount of wishing seems capable of reversing it.
That understated storytelling is precisely what gives the song its enduring power. It captures a universal experience—the slow awareness that something precious is slipping away.
The imagery is haunting in its simplicity: voices heard when no one is there, the echo of a former life replaying in memory. These are not grand metaphors; they are small, intimate details that listeners recognize instantly. Who hasn’t walked into a room and felt the ghost of an earlier happiness? Who hasn’t replayed old conversations in the silence of night?
“What Can I Do” becomes less a song about romantic loss and more a meditation on time itself.
An Arrangement Built on Restraint
Musically, the track is a masterclass in subtlety.
The gentle acoustic guitar lines create a soft foundation, layered with understated harmonies that never overpower the lyric. There are no dramatic crescendos, no soaring instrumental breaks demanding applause. Instead, the arrangement respects the emotional fragility of the song.
The production allows space—space for the words to breathe, space for the listener to reflect.
In an era when many bands competed to be louder and more flamboyant, Smokie demonstrated that quietness can carry its own authority. The power here lies not in volume, but in vulnerability.
Unexpected Popularity Beyond the West
While “What Can I Do” did not dominate charts in the UK or the United States the way some of Smokie’s more upbeat singles did, its legacy took a fascinating turn elsewhere.
Across parts of continental Europe—and notably within the Soviet bloc—the song gained remarkable popularity. In regions where Western music often traveled through unofficial channels, Smokie developed a near-cult following. Their melodic style and emotional sincerity resonated deeply with audiences who connected to the song’s introspective tone.
There’s something poetic about that trajectory. A song that questions change and longing found its most passionate listeners in places undergoing their own profound transformations.
In those countries, “What Can I Do” became more than a soft-rock ballad; it became a companion piece for listeners navigating personal and societal shifts alike.
Why It Still Matters
Nearly half a century later, the question at the heart of the song remains startlingly relevant.
Life continues to rearrange itself. Relationships evolve. Certainties dissolve. The passage of time reshapes our landscapes, both internal and external. And often, in quiet moments—perhaps at dusk, perhaps when a familiar melody drifts from a speaker—we find ourselves asking that same simple question.
What can I do?
The strength of Smokie’s ballad lies in its refusal to offer easy answers. There is no triumphant resolution, no declaration that love conquers all. Instead, the song acknowledges that some tides cannot be turned back. Some seasons simply end.
Yet within that acceptance, there is dignity.
“What Can I Do” teaches us that vulnerability is not weakness. It is an honest confrontation with reality. It is the courage to admit confusion and longing without masking them in bravado.
A Song for the Twilight Hours
Imagine an evening where daylight gently fades into blue-grey shadows. Perhaps you’re sitting by a window, watching the world slow down. The noise of the day has quieted. Memory becomes louder.
This is the hour for “What Can I Do.”
The track does not demand your attention—it invites it. Its three to four minutes feel less like a performance and more like shared contemplation. The gentle guitar, the earnest vocal, the simple question repeated like a refrain of reflection—it all feels intimate, almost sacred.
For those who first heard it on vinyl decades ago, the song may evoke more than nostalgia. It may stir recognition. The realization that life, with all its rearrangements, has asked you the same question many times before.
And perhaps you, too, have answered not with certainty—but with quiet acceptance.
Final Thoughts
In the grand landscape of 1970s rock, “What Can I Do” may not be the loudest landmark. It does not boast explosive hooks or dramatic showmanship. But its quiet emotional clarity gives it something more lasting.
It is a reminder that music does not need grandeur to endure. Sometimes, a simple melody and an honest question are enough.
Smokie’s tender ballad stands today as a subtle testament to change, longing, and the human ability to face unanswered questions with grace. And long after the final chord fades, that gentle inquiry still lingers in the air—soft, unresolved, and deeply familiar.