Able to have fun 4/20? And even simply 4:20 PM or AM? Should you’re feeling the spirit correctly, you’re in all probability in no form to make a playlist your self. So we’ve taken the freedom of choosing one of the best songs about weed in music historical past – some explicitly in honor of marijuana, others clearly simply impressed by the inexperienced stuff. We’re hoping it supplies a soundtrack for indulgers and a contact buzz for everyone else.
53: Eric Church: Smoke a Little Smoke
Nation music has lengthy had a (not-so) secret love affair with weed, with Willie Nelson main the way in which. It’s change into much more pronounced in recent times. Eric Church’s “Smoke a Little Smoke” typifies this celebration of ganja, with him singing that folk ought to “just kick back and let the feelin’ flow.”
52: Redman: How To Roll A Blunt
An anarchic slice of funky, party-friendly hip-hop from Redman’s 1992 debut Whut? Thee Album, “How To Roll A Blunt” accommodates all the academic materials the devoted spliff head may probably want. Certainly, the U.S. rapper will get fairly animated as he implores the would-be toker to “Roll it in a motion then the top piece you lick/Seal it, dry it wit’ ya lighter if ya gotta” for the outcomes can be “Mmm…proper!”
51: Dr. Dre: Let’s Get Excessive
Lengthy since hailed as a landmark launch, Dr. Dre’s second studio album 2001 options songs with basic gangsta rap themes reminiscent of crime, intercourse, promiscuity and drug use. One among its key tracks, the funky but slick “Let’s Get High” accommodates parts of all of the above, with the narrator arriving at a celebration with “weed by the barrels in my G’d up apparel” and clearly eager to get stoned immaculate.
50: Jhene Aiko: Tryna Smoke
Jhene Aiko’s Grammy-nominated third album, Chilombo, was recorded as a freestyle in Hawaii and impressed by the pure panorama. Bearing that in thoughts, it’s no shock that the document’s pro-marijuana ode, Tryna Smoke, is without doubt one of the most chilled and dreamy picks on this record, with Aiko’s vocal sounding prefer it’s floating within the clouds.
49: Tradition: The Worldwide Herb
Opening with the road “I took a spliff this morning of the international herb/It make I feel so groovy man,” the titular music from Jamaican roots reggae icons Tradition’s sixth album was (and stays) unapologetically pro-marijuana in its stance. Nonetheless, this bouncy, brass-enhanced slice of soulful pop-reggae additionally sounds so cheerful and life-affirming that it stays a favourite of each stoners and straights.
48: Grasp P: Move Me The Inexperienced
Launched in 1997, New Orleans rapper Grasp P’s sixth album Ghetto D options a number of pro-weed songs, although “Pass Me The Green” is unquestionably its stoners’ apogee, with Grasp P freestyling over a sluggish, brooding backdrop and relating his love of marijuana (“Fix these palm trees wit’ some green leaves.”) His rhyme additionally notes its suitability with the whiskey of his alternative, but in addition cautions how extreme weed use can simply over-stimulate the urge for food (“Green got me hungry, fendin’ for them munchies”) if the toker’s too extreme.
47: Elegant: Let’s Go Get Stoned
Influential Californian ska-punks Elegant made their love of weed plain from the off, titling their 1992 debut 40oz To Freedom. One thing of a smoker’s delight on the whole, the document yielded the roots reggae-flavored “Smoke Two Joints” (additionally included on this record), whereas the loping, insistent “Let’s Go Get Stoned” mirrored the band’s everlasting love of dub.
46: Large Sean: Excessive
When it comes to weed consumption, there are those that repeatedly indulge after which there’s famous person rapper Large Sean, who on his 2011 basic “High” has gotten so blitzed that every part’s “irrelevant” and that “I’m so high I won’t remember it.” A maybe barely cautionary story of the professionals (and cons) of enthusiastic toking, “High” additionally options cameos from Wiz Khalifa and Chiddy Bang and it nonetheless sounds mighty perky for a tune about making a advantage of getting out of it.
45: Toby Keith – Weed with Willie
After Toby Keith and songwriter Scotty Emerick first frolicked with nation legend ({and professional} toker) Willie Nelson, they had been impressed to put in writing this 2003 music. The tune celebrates (and bemoans) Nelson’s notoriously robust herb – and the results that it has on even essentially the most seasoned people who smoke. As Keith recollects within the tune, “I’ll never smoke weed with Willie again/In the fetal position with drool on my chin/We broke down and smoked weed with Willie again.” – Sophie Smith
44: Ray Charles – Let’s Go Get Stoned
Written by the best-selling songwriting group of Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Joshie “Jo” Armstead, “Let’s Go Get Stoned” was first recorded by vocal group the Coasters in 1965, adopted by nation star Ronnie Milsap. But it surely was Ray Charles who made it a nationwide hit, regardless of the subject material. Launched in 1966, the music went to No.1 on the R&B charts and landed within the Billboard Scorching 100’s Prime 40. – Sophie Smith
43: Commander Cody and the Misplaced Planet Airmen – Seeds and Stems Once more
Life can’t get a lot worse for the topic of this 1971 music by nation rockers Commander Cody and the Misplaced Planet Airmen. The person in query bemoans being broke and alone after his girlfriend leaves him for one more man and his canine dies. To make issues worse, his weed stash is down to simply ineffective seeds and stems – so he can’t even get stoned. – Sophie Smith
42: Jefferson Airplane – Mexico
Launched as a single in 1970, “Mexico” was Jefferson Airplane’s lyrical protest in opposition to President Nixon and his efforts to curtail the entry of marijuana on the southern border (Operation Intercept). Regardless of being banned by many radio stations throughout the nation, the music nonetheless managed to seek out success on the Billboard charts. – Sophie Smith
41: Cab Calloway – Reefer Man
Songs about weed actually aren’t a contemporary phenomenon. This 1932 jazz tune, first recorded by legendary bandleader Cab Calloway, was launched a mere 5 years earlier than the US made marijuana unlawful. Formally titled, “Have You Ever Met That Funny Reefer Man,” this J. Russel Robinson/Andy Razaf music was later recorded by punk band Murphys Regulation and swing revivalists Large Unhealthy Voodoo Daddy. – Sophie Smith
40: Tone Loc – Cheeba Cheeba
Whereas Tone Loc’s chart-topping 1989 debut, Lōc-ed After Darkish, was greatest identified for hits like “Funky Cold Medina” and “Wild Thing,” this West Coast hip-hop basic additionally consists of gems like “Cheeba Cheeba.” Backed by a hypnotic beat, Tone Loc confidently delivers a laid-back ode to the herb. – Sophie Smith
39: Steppenwolf – Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam
1968’s “Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam,” a observe off Steppenwolf’s aptly-titled sophomore album, The Second, discovered the psych rock band delivering pointed commentary on the US authorities’s stance on marijuana (particularly, making it unlawful and cracking down closely on those that disobeyed these legal guidelines). – Sophie Smith
38: Paul McCartney and Wings – Hello, Hello, Hello
Launched in 1972 as a double A-side (paired with “C-Moon”), “Hi, Hi, Hi” introduced the vibes of a chilled-out trip, the urgency of a brand new romance, and the hazy fog of a top quality joint. It’s no shock that Paul and Linda McCartney had been impressed to put in writing the music whereas in sunny Spain…it’s additionally not a shock that the one was banned within the UK for its double whammy of sexual innuendos and drug-related content material. – Sophie Smith
37: Cheech & Chong – Up in Smoke
Comedy duo Cheech & Chong (Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong) rose to fame within the 70s via a collection of best-selling albums, with a lot of their materials centering round their love of Mary Jane. But it surely was their 1978 debut function movie, Up in Smoke, that was Cheech & Chong’s pièce de résistance and established the style of the stoner movie. The title observe, sung by the comedy duo, stays a basic from the soundtrack. – Sophie Smith
36: Little Feat – Don’t Bogart that Joint
In 1968, blues rockers Fraternity of Man wrote “Don’t Bogart Me” (identified extra famously as “Don’t Bogart That Joint”). Whereas the music gained preliminary fame from its look within the 1969 Straightforward Rider soundtrack, it grew to become much more well-liked a decade later when Little Feat (that includes Fraternity of Man drummer Richie Hayward) lined it on their best-selling 1978 dwell album, Ready for Columbus. Because the title signifies, the music is an ode to people who smoke who take just a bit too lengthy to cross the joint alongside. – Sophie Smith
35: Child Cudi – Marijuana
We’ve identified Child Cudi was into ganja from his very first mixtape, A Child Named Cudi, the place he devoted a music to a pressure of weed on “Maui Wowie,” however with “Marijuana,” he solidified his ardour. The observe, from Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, is Cudi at his most intelligent, singing and rapping about his favourite inexperienced buddy. – Sam Armstrong
34: Damian Marley – Treatment
Weed is a part of the Marley household story. From Bob to Damian and Stephen, the male musicians descending from the legendary reggae star have lengthy advocated marijuana as an natural treatment with therapeutic qualities. The world is lastly catching up, however Damian was on this wave from the start, solidifying his bonafides with 2017’s weed-inspired jam “Medication.” – Sam Armstrong
33: Lil Wayne – Kush
“Kush” was deserted as part of the Carter III after it leaked, however fortunately for weed people who smoke in every single place, the music made its method onto Wayne’s now-legendary The Leak EP. The music got here on the peak of Wayne’s energy, as he used weed as a place to begin to free affiliate on plenty of entertaining subjects. – Sam Armstrong
32: Ludacris – Blueberry Yum Yum
Luda is aware of what he likes. On 2004’s Crimson Mild District, he outlines his favourite kind of weed (Blueberry Yum Yum), which is at its greatest when it’s accented by a blueberry blunt wrap. Luda could make drying paint appear thrilling, however when he will get going in regards to the joys of weed, few have extra enjoyable on the mic than he does. – Sam Armstrong
31: Logic – Indica Badu
Logic’s “Indica Badu” is a weed-heavy music that pays tribute to the euphoric and stress-free properties of the indica pressure of marijuana, whereas additionally nodding to the godmother of neo-soul, Erykah Badu. It’s laborious to think about a stronger combo. – Sam Armstrong
30: Tom Petty – You Don’t Know How It Feels
When Tom Petty first launched “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” censors tried desperately to obscure what he was speaking about. Some stations and channels would play “joint” backward when he sung, “let’s roll another joint,” whereas others would eradicate the phrase “roll.” NO matter their efforts, although, it was laborious to distract from what Petty meant. – Sam Armstrong
29: Kottonmouth Kings – 4-2-0
Should you didn’t know precisely what Kottonmouth Kings had been discussing on “4-2-0,” then you’ll have been born below a rock. If not, although, a take heed to the basic weed music’s first traces spell it out clear as day: “You know I got two states of mind – stoned and asleep/First I hit the sweet leaf, and then I have nice dreams.” Should be good. – Sam Armstrong
28: Wiz Khalifa ― Nonetheless Blazin
“Still Blazin” is a music about weed from Wiz Khalifa’s most overtly weed-centric album, Kush and Orange Juice. The music finds Wiz – now a ganja entrepreneur – waxing poetic on the wonders of grass. He spits, “Still blazin, still blazin, still blazin/Cause ganja power it’s so amazin/give me the strength and protection, keep praisin.” Maintain praisin’, certainly. – Sam Armstrong
27: The Beatles – Obtained to Get You Into My Life
Although many LSD devotees of the 60s had been satisfied that “Got to Get You Into My Life” from Revolver was a music a few psychedelic expertise, Paul McCartney confirmed that the music was nothing greater than a cheeky ode to weed. It simply goes to indicate: The Beatles had been generations forward of their time from the very starting. – Sam Armstrong
26: Neil Younger: Homegrown
Neil Younger has two stoner anthems to his credit score, “Roll Another Number For The Road” and this tune, probably the one good-time songs to emerge throughout his “dark” period of Tonight’s The Night time and On The Seaside. We went with “Homegrown” as a result of it’s nonetheless catchy in spite of everything these years.
25: Weezer: Hash Pipe
So long as Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo has his hash pipe, there’ll all the time be killer pop hooks and dry humor in retailer. The story goes that Cuomo isn’t really a lot of a stoner, and actually wrote the music below the affect of Ritalin and tequila. However the music does nail a sure scenario, the place the proper provides are a should for attracting the other intercourse.
24: Technique Man and Redman: How Excessive
There aren’t any outright weed references on this music, however the toking sounds (and the opening Hendrix quote) inform the story. In addition to, what number of not-stoned folks would give you the thought of sampling Silver Conference’s disco nugget “Fly, Robin, Fly.”
23: Dr. Dre: The Subsequent Episode
As this record bears out, the canon of songs about marijuana is loaded with sunny sentiments and good-natured novelties. What Dr Dre and his associates (together with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, who visitor on the observe) managed was to place it in a harder, extra threatening context. For all of the hot-button lyrics on this observe, the closing “smoke marijuana every day” nonetheless managed to get censored for the radio edit.
22: Fat Waller: If You’re A Viper
Maybe the earliest, coolest (and most well-known) reefer music in jazz, this was originated by gypsy-jazz violinist Stuff Smith in 1937 and was later minimize by a number of others, most famously Fat Waller (although a feminine singer, Rosetta Howard, did it earlier than him). Everyone shared the dream of “a reefer five feet long,” however solely The Manhattan Switch model (on their very first album, Jukin’) saved Smith’s wording of the title: “If you’se A Viper.”
21: NRBQ: Wacky Tobacky
Probably the most feelgood bands in historical past, NRBQ can zero in on essentially the most enjoyable facets of any matter, and their marijuana music (an album opener, no much less, on 1980’s Kick Me Arduous) was no exception. Opening with a blast of get together horns and containing some sublimely goofy rhymes, it successfully appears like all people – the band, the engineers, in all probability the neighbors, and the supply man – had been off their gourds.
20: Jim Stafford: Wildwood Marijuana
After busting one taboo with “My Girl Bill,” Stafford managed a follow-up hit with this equally cheeky tune, maybe the primary Prime 10 hit that was pro-pot with no ambiguity in any respect. Stafford was a genial sufficient persona to tug it off – and even received a community TV present quickly after.
19: John Prine: Unlawful Smile
John Prine by no means wasted a minute of dry wit, and although that is one thing of a celebration music, it additionally captured the paranoia of being a marijuana fanatic within the early 70s, when a little bit of indulgence may nonetheless land you in jail.
18: Neil Diamond: The Pot Smoker’s Music
It’s solely truthful that we embrace one anti-marijuana music on this record. Neil Diamond’s tune (from his most odd album, 1968’s Velvet Gloves And Spit) is nothing lower than the Reefer Insanity of music, alternating a chipper “Gimme some pot” refrain with spoken testimonials about numerous nightmares that befell addicts.
17: Afroman: As a result of I Obtained Excessive
If this one had been extra severe, we may additionally record it as an anti-pot music; in spite of everything, the hero does himself a load of harm by staying excessive on a regular basis. However because the accompanying video and common tone of the music makes clear, the easiest way of getting over these troubles is to get excessive some extra.
16: The Ink Spots: That Cat Is Excessive
Sure, songs about weed have been round for therefore lengthy that America’s first nice jazz vocal group did one – a reasonably jovial one, too, celebrating the truth that this specific cat is greater than a kite. The lyric solely says he’s been ingesting, however the singers in all probability knew higher. And because it was solely 1938, no matter he was doing was fully authorized.
15: Lana Del Rey: Excessive By The Seaside
The present queen of stylish decadence weighs in, in a suitably elegant and decadent method. In Lana Del Ray’s case, getting excessive supplies an escape from a harmful relationship, and another unhappy factor to languidly ponder.
14: Humble Pie: Solely A Roach
This country-tinged tune (written and sung by drummer Jerry Shirley) tells the real-life story of how Humble Pie had been busted for possession of a small quantity of contraband simply earlier than a US tour, jeopardizing their possibilities of getting into the nation. Thus the singalong refrain: “Only a roach won’t keep us from crossing no ocean!” As their dwell album Efficiency Rockin’ The Fillmore attests, they made it.
13: The Selecter: My Collie (Not A Canine)
In all probability for apparent causes, there aren’t a whole lot of quick, danceable songs about weed. However the 2-Tone ska bands had been into it, too, and so they weren’t about to decelerate simply due to a lyric. “My Collie (Not A Dog)” by The Selecter is as jubilant as the remainder of their Too A lot Strain album, with the same old shot of sexiness from Pauline Black’s vocal interjections.
12: Cypress Hill: Hits From The Bong
Other than a couple of references in Beastie Boys songs, Cypress Hill took the lead in bringing stoner consciousness into hip-hop, and this observe introduces the deep bass and laidback groove that will change into acquainted in years to come back. Earlier than its launch, bong hits had been little greater than a Cheech & Chong punchline; now they had been perpetually a Cypress Hill punchline.
11: Rick James: Mary Jane
Granted, utilizing the identify to imply you-know-what was already a little bit old school by 1981. However Rick James works the double-entendre for all it’s value, turning Mary Jane into a girl that’s super-freaky. Additionally, the road “Mary wanna play around” continues to be humorous.
10: Sprint Rip Rock: Let’s Go Smoke Some Pot
One among New Orleans’ favourite rock’n’roll bands had a leftfield hit within the mid-90s, when a music they’d been encoring with for years received on the radio. Based mostly loosely on “At The Hop,” the music pokes loads of enjoyable at hippies and their favourite bands, however does so good-naturedly sufficient that they didn’t thoughts.
9: Brewer & Shipley: One Toke Over the Line
Not essentially a music about weed, however one which makes use of pot imagery a few sure scenario. Should you’re “one toke over the line,” you’ve had sufficient and wish to maneuver on. You’ve in all probability seen the hilariously fallacious clip of the healthful Lawrence Welk singers performing this tune on his TV present – a clip that Brewer & Shipley admitted that they later dug up and uploaded to Fb themselves.
8: The Mighty Diamonds: Move The Kouchie
Probably the most infectious of all reggae odes to the herb, this music – appropriately – sounds each religious and good-timey. The model most individuals know is the hit by Musical Youth, however since they had been all kids, they cleaned it as much as “Pass The Dutchie” and made it a few totally different sort of pot: the type you cook dinner in.
07: Luniz – I Obtained 5 On It
Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It” is maybe essentially the most well-known weed music of all time. The story of scoring a bag and hitting the liquor retailer has been performed out throughout the nation by youngsters and younger adults for generations. It’s as relatable as dying and taxes. All of us undergo it. – Sam Armstrong
6: Peter Tosh: Legalize It
Of all of the reggae songs about marijuana, this one is the clearest name to motion. Peter Tosh waxes poetic in regards to the good that marijuana can do, urges you to not criticize it, and guarantees “legalize it, and I will advertise it.” Certain sufficient, he recorded public-service bulletins for its legalization, which seem on the expanded CD reissue of the album. Little doubt he’d be glad to see how far we’ve come.
5: Elegant: Smoke Two Joints
The stoner theme of the 80s and early 90s, this music was as single-minded because it was hilarious (don’t even trouble making an attempt to determine what number of joints the man within the music wound up ingesting). It initially happened when Omaha reggae band The Toyes had been hanging out in Hawaii and began feeling the spirit, however Elegant put a rockier spin on it in 1992. “Smoke Two Joints” has additionally been lined by half the high-school bands that ever performed.
4: Willie Nelson: Roll Me Up And Smoke Me Once I Die
Although there wasn’t a single fan who didn’t know Willie Nelson cherished his marijuana, it took him till 2012 (on April 20, naturally) to launch an amazing music about it. Musically, it exhibits the scope of his enchantment (you’d by no means get Snoop Dogg and Kris Kristofferson on the identical document in any other case); lyrically, it’s much less a easy stoner music than a Willie-style existential treatise.
3: Bob Marley & The Wailers: Kaya
Not many individuals may make a poetic music out of a sentiment like “I need to get stoned because it’s raining,” however this beatific Bob Marley music – which modified the sentiment solely barely, to “Got to have kaya now, for the rain is falling” – is without doubt one of the extra joyful moments within the later, politically charged stage of his profession.
2: Bob Dylan: Wet Day Girls #12 & 35
Remember that this can be a Bob Dylan music, so the plain which means of the refrain line “Everybody must get stoned!” is just one of many. But it surely’s certainly the which means that audiences take note of after they shout alongside each time Dylan (or anyone else) performs it dwell.
1: Black Sabbath: Candy Leaf
The basic opener of their third album, Grasp Of Actuality, “Sweet Leaf” took Sabbath away from occult themes and into territory the place they actually felt at house. It was arguably the primary stoner metallic music, and in some methods it’s nonetheless the best one in all all – each for the fervour in Ozzy Osbourne’s vocal (he even shouts “I love you!” at one level) and for the deathless thunder of Tony Iommi’s riff. And, after all, for the best cough in rock’n’roll historical past.
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