Bob Dylan once claimed during a live performance that his famous song “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” wasn’t about drugs and that he’d “never” write a drug song. In the process, Bob taught the musicians of the world that an unreliable narrator can be one of the most powerful tools in a songwriter’s arsenal. Bob loved his weed, as did many of the other most famous musicians in rock history – although “everybody must get stoned” is perhaps a little on the nose.
People always say that if you don’t know what to write about, you should write what you know. There’s a certain art form when it comes to writing song lyrics about weed, though, and some people have done a better job of it than others. It can be fun just to come right out and say how much you love your favorite herb, but singing the praises of ganja in more creative ways has resulted in some of the most celebrated songs in popular music. Sometimes, the lyrics are disguised so well that people don’t even know they’re listening to weed homages.
Whether you’re a musician or just love taking while you listen to your favorite tunes, here’s a cannabis-inspired playlist worth blazing to. Grab a great vape pen like the ones on this page and fire up your favorite streaming service. These are a few of the most creative weed references in rock history.
“A Passage to Bangkok,” by Rush
Released on the album 2112 in 1976.
Maybe it is due to the band’s somewhat nerdy reputation, but many people don’t realize that “A Passage to Bangkok” is a song about traveling the world to find the best weed. The band did not attempt to hide that fact, with singer/bassist Geddy Lee speaking quite frankly about the song in interviews and guitarist Alex Lifeson frequently pausing in live performances to puff on an imaginary joint before the guitar solo.
Although some astute fans indeed recognized the song’s meaning, others might have been too distracted by the convoluted storyline of the record’s first-half song suite. One of the more famous works of ‘70s prog rock, the “2112,” describes a future in which the world is controlled by a techno-priesthood that’s eventually overthrown by – what else? – individualism and good old rock n’ roll.
“Got to Get You into My Life,” by The Beatles
Released on the album Revolver in 1966.
Here’s one of those songs you probably wouldn’t have ever guessed about weed unless someone specifically told you so – which is pretty funny considering that we’re talking about the Beatles. From about 1966 to 68, you could assume that every Beatles song was about drugs unless you could prove otherwise. Even knowing about the lads from Liverpool and their love of certain substances, you would probably have thought that “Got to Get You into My Life” was a standard Stax-inspired love song. Paul McCartney stated in an interview, however, that the song is “actually an ode to pot” – and in that light, the lyrics take on an entirely new meaning. “Another kind of mind,” indeed!
“Pass the Dutchie,” by Musical Youth
Released on the album The Youth of Today in 1982.
We bet you didn’t know that this song was about weed. Released when the members of Musical Youth were still children, “Pass the Dutchie” was an unexpected worldwide smash hit that sold more than 4 million copies. It was a remake of another reggae song – “Pass the Kouchie” – recorded by the Mighty Diamonds and released the year before. In Jamaican slang, “kouchie” refers to a weed pipe. “Dutchie,” on the other hand, is a patois term referring to a cooking pot. “Pass the Dutchie” excised “kouchie” along with the other overt drug references in the original song – but among the ganja lovers of the world, the original meaning was never lost.
“Along Comes Mary,” The Association
Released on the album And Then… Along Comes the Association in 1966.
The ‘60s were surely an exciting time – and after reading this article, you may never listen to the local oldies station in quite the same way again. One thing is sure: The era’s songs are packed with hidden weed references if you listen carefully. The Association hit “Along Comes Mary” doesn’t seem like a weed song. Songwriter Tandyn Almer was a huge cannabis lover, though, even going so far as to invent a bong called the Slave-Master. When you listen to the lyrics more closely, it completely makes sense. The song seems to reference the narrator’s struggles with women and concerns about the Vietnam War, fading away when Mary comes along.
Come to think of it, you might as well assume that any song with the name “Mary” in the title is about weed. How about “Mary, Mary” by The Monkees? “I’ve done more now than a clear-thinking man would do?” Hmm.
“Jimi Thing,” Dave Matthews Band
Released on the album Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994.
Jam bands like Dave Matthews Band and Phish are well known for having considerable stoner contingents among their fan bases. The lyrics of “Jimi Thing” are also quite vague, so this could be a case of fans finding something in a song that isn’t there. The question of what a “Jimi Thing” is in the first place is open to interpretation. When Matthews sings “Smoke my mind, make me feel better for a small time,” though, the song’s meaning seems pretty straightforward. Taken as a weed homage, “Jimi Thing” perfectly captures the peace of a brief moment of reflection at the end of the day enjoyed between you and your favorite herb. You might sometimes feel that you don’t have what you want, but the truth is that what you need is right before you.
