Because I Got High
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
"Because I Got High" is a comical novelty song by Afroman, from his album of the same name, about how cannabis use is degrading his quality of life. The song explains how the author has failed his college class, missed court dates, had his paycheck garnished due to missed child support payments, gambled away his car payment, is left masturbating after not having sex with his girlfriend, is paraplegic as the result of a police chase and is now homeless "because he got high".
The song, which was released in 2001, reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in the UK, and is Afroman's only US top 40 song. The song also gained popularity in other countries, such as Australia, where it was #1 for three weeks.
This song appears on the soundtrack of (and is the theme song of) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and the music video for it was directed by Kevin Smith and featured Jay and Silent Bob smoking with Afroman, as well as a glimpse of the Quick Stop where Clerks was filmed.
The majority of live pre-watershed playings of the song on television and radio disclude, scramble or bleep out the lines directly relating to drugs, oral sex and masturbation.
The song was later released on his greatest hits album The Good Times. The song was later redone in 2007.
Other appearances
- This song appeared in the movie and on the soundtrack of Disturbia.
- Brazilian comedy show Pânico na TV used the song in a sketch called "Homem Berinjela" (eggplant man), about a man who walks around wearing a Speedo with an eggplant inside.
- Appears in The Perfect Score.
Parodies and covers
- Alton "Big Al" Carson did a New Orleans Jazz cover of this song.
- Bob Rivers parodied this song as "Be Claus I Got High" on his 2002 White Trash Christmas album.
- Italo-Canadian comedian Frank Spadone parodied this song with his comedic track "I Drinki The Wine"
- Famous Belgian impersonator and comedian Chris van den Durpel parodied the song in his popular VT4 program Chris & Co. The made up rap band KBC sings a song called 'Limburgse Vlaai'. The song centers around the band members being addicted to pie from their home province Limburg. The song is made on the rhythm and music of the original song but has its own lyrics. The song is completely sung in dutch. The song first aired on the show and was interrupted by the band members speaking about their hilarious and ridiculous addiction to pie.
- The song has been parodied by an unknown artist and called "Osama Must Die". It features sound clips of George Bush talking and references 9/11, claiming that Osama bin Laden must die.
