Tripping Billies

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“Tripping Billies”
Single by Dave Matthews Band from the album Crash
Released	1996
Format	CD
Genre	Rock
Length	4:18 (radio edit) 5:00 (album version) 4:49 (Remember Two Things)
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	David J. Matthews
Producer	Steve Lillywhite
Dave Matthews Band singles chronology
"Crash into Me" (1996) "Tripping Billies" (1996) "Don't Drink the Water" (1998)
Remember Two Things track listing
"Ants Marching" (live) (1) "Tripping Billies" (live) (2) "Recently" (live) (3)
Crash track listing
"Cry Freedom" (10) "Tripping Billies" (11) "Proudest Monkey" (12)

"Tripping Billies" was a single from the Dave Matthews Band album Crash. It originally debuted on their independent release Remember Two Things. It reached #18 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It has been regarded as having a very difficult and precise drum part played by the band's Carter Beauford.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History and production

The name "Tripping Billies" came to be when a critic told Dave Matthews that his band sounded like, "a bunch of hillbillies tripping on acid". The band thought this was hilarious and named this song after it.

Dave talked about the origins of this song at the show that was recorded for VH1 Storytellers on 03-24-1999. This part of the show, however, was not part of the aired program but can be heard on the fan traded tape of the show. He said that the "Dragons were smoked" line is a reference to Puff, The Magic Dragon. He also mentioned taking some LSD on a beach in South Africa with Julia Grey and some friends. Then shortly thereafter deciding that he did not want to trip. "I was looking at my girlfriend Julia's face and then it melted into my mothers! And I thought, 'oh, no, that's not good'"^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Track listing

1. "Tripping Billies" (Edit) — 4:18
2. "Tripping Billies" (Album Version) — 5:00
3. "Tripping Billies" (Live Version) — 5:28

v • d • e Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews • LeRoi Moore • Stefan Lessard • Boyd Tinsley • Carter Beauford Studio albums Remember Two Things • Recently (EP) • Under the Table and Dreaming • Crash • Before These Crowded Streets • Everyday • Busted Stuff • Stand Up Live releases Live at Red Rocks • Listener Supported • Live in Chicago • Live at Folsom Field • The Central Park Concert • The Gorge • Weekend on the Rocks • Live at Piedmont Park Live Trax series Vol. 1 • Vol. 2 • Vol. 3 • Vol. 4 • Vol. 5 • Vol. 6 • Vol. 7 • Vol. 8 • Vol. 9 • Live Trax compilation • Vol. 10 • Vol. 11 • Vol. 12 Compilation releases The Videos: 1994–2001 • The Best of What's Around Vol. 1 Singles "What Would You Say" • "Jimi Thing" • "Typical Situation" • "Ants Marching" • "Satellite" • "Too Much" • "So Much to Say" • "Two Step" • "Crash into Me" • "Tripping Billies" • "Don't Drink the Water" • "Stay (Wasting Time)" • "Crush" • "Rapunzel" • "I Did It" • "The Space Between" • "Everyday" • "Where Are You Going" • "Grace Is Gone" • "Grey Street" • "American Baby" • "Dreamgirl" • "Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)" • "Smooth Rider" • "Work It Out" Solo albums and side projects Tribe of Heaven • Dave Matthews & Friends • In November Sunlight • Live at Luther College • True Reflections • Some Devil • Live at Radio City Additional personnel Coran Capshaw • Peter Griesar • Tim Reynolds • Rashawn Ross • Butch Taylor Related articles Discography • Tours • The Lillywhite Sessions • Musictoday • Warehouse Fan Association

The name "Tripping Billies" came to be when a critic told Dave Matthews that his band sounded like, "a bunch of hillbillies tripping on acid". The band thoguht this was hilarious and named this song after it.