[3] This, along with the song's position as the first to be locally produced and recorded, has caused "Blue Smoke" to develop a strong legacy in the years since its release, with its creators inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2019.

[4] Ruru Karaitiana first wrote "Blue Smoke" in 1940 while on board the RMS Aquitania, which was being used as a troop transport to carry New Zealand soldiers to World War Two.

[2][5] "Blue Smoke" steadily gained popularity in New Zealand throughout the second half of the war and the years immediately after, owing in part to Karaitiana's performances of the song at dance halls and marae across the lower North Island.

[5] Williams' emotional vocals have been cited as a key contributor to this success, resonating with the postwar attitude of the nation who still associated the song with soldiers returning from the war.

[6][13] The song also attracted overseas success, being performed by a variety of British and American artists including Webster Booth and Anne Ziegler, Al Morgan, and Dean Martin.

[8] In 1951, "Blue Smoke" was rated amongst the fastest selling music in the United States, and in 1952 Karaitiana became the first New Zealander to be awarded by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) for sales figures, a sum of £25 at the time.

[14] In 2011, RIANZ certified "Blue Smoke" with a triple-platinum award for its sales, while in 2019 Karaitiana, Williams, and Carter were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

[15][16] Beyond the induction, 2019 also saw a range of events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the song's release, including a commemoration at the National Library and the production of a documentary about Pixie Williams.