Don't Drink the Water (song)

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"Don't Drink the Water"

Single by Dave Matthews Band
from the album Before These Crowded Streets
Released	1998
Format	CD
Genre	Rock
Length	4:35 (edit) / 7:03 (album)
Label	RCA
Producer(s)	Steve Lillywhite
Chart positions
#4 (Modern Rock Tracks)
Dave Matthews Band singles chronology
"Two Step" (1997)	"Don't Drink the Water" (1998)	"Stay (Wasting Time)" (1998)
Before These Crowded Streets track listing
"The Last Stop" (3)	"Don't Drink the Water" (4)	"Stay (Wasting Time)" (5)
The Best of What's Around Vol. 1 track listing
"American Baby" (12)	"Don't Drink the Water" (Live) (1)	"Warehouse" (Live) (2)

Don't Drink the Water was Dave Matthews Band's first single off their album Before These Crowded Streets. The song was also the first of three music videos made for this album. The song was based on a simpler tune played by Dave Matthews, first dubbed "Weight of the World" when played on his acoustic tour with Tim Reynolds in 1996, and later "Leave Me Praying", as the song became more structured during tours in 1997. The song talks about the apartheid in South Africa and the persecution of the Native Americans.

The song features Alanis Morissette on background vocals and Béla Fleck on the banjo. A 24-second studio jam is heard at the end of the track. As a single, it reached #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks charts. Like all of the singles from the album, it had to be edited for radio airplay, due to its length.

1 In concert
2 Track listings
- 2.1 U.S. single
- 2.2 Australia single
3 Live releases

[edit] In concert

When played live, "Don't Drink the Water" is often preceded by a spacey intro that feature's Matthews' unintelligible screams and comes to a loud climax before slowing back down into the beginning of the song. The song itself is played at a much more upbeat tempo that differs greatly from the much slower paced one featured on the album.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] U.S. single

"Don't Drink the Water" (Edit) – 4:35
"Don't Drink the Water" (Album Version) – 7:03

[edit] Australia single

"Don't Drink the Water" (Edit) – 4:35
"Crash Into Me" (Live) – 5:33
"Tripping Billies" (Live) – 5:28

[edit] Live releases

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Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews • LeRoi Moore • Stefan Lessard • Boyd Tinsley • Carter Beauford

Peter Griesar • Butch Taylor • Tim Reynolds • The Lovely Ladies

Discography

Studio albums: Remember Two Things • Recently (EP) • Under the Table and Dreaming • Crash • Before These Crowded Streets • Everyday • Busted Stuff • Stand Up