Because I Got High (song)

"Because I Got High"
Single by Afroman
from the album Because I Got High
Released 2001
Format CD single
Recorded 2000
Genre Hip hop
Length 5:10 (album version)
3:19 (radio version)
Label Columbia, T-Bones Records
Writer(s) Afroman
Producer Afroman, Headfridge
Afroman singles chronology
"Because I Got High"
(2001)		 "Crazy Rap"
(2001)
Music sample
"Because I Got High"

"Because I Got High" is a Grammy-nominated song by American rapper Afroman from his album of the same name. The lyrics of the song describe how cannabis use is degrading his quality of life. The song rose from obscurity to popularity after it was circulated around the Internet and was featured on a radio show.

Contents

Overview

The song explains how the author has forgotten to clean his room, failed his college class (which he plans to take next semester), sold dope, 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, became a paraplegic as the result of a police chase, lost his family (including his wife and children), had messed up his "entire life", and is now homeless "because he got high" - he ultimately decides to end the song, "because he is high" and states that he is singing the whole thing wrong, "because he is high". After this, Afroman mentions his name and birthplace (East Palmdale), says the tumbleweed he smokes is "bomb as hell" and then says he does not believe in Hitler (this line is actually an interpolation of John Lennon's song "God"). The music video was directed by Kevin Smith and featured Jay and Silent Bob smoking with Afroman, a cameo by 'Beer Man' as well as a glimpse of the Quick Stop where Clerks was filmed.

Reception

Afroman released his album Because I Got High in 2000; he distributed it mainly through concerts. The title track was soon posted on file-sharing service Napster and made it to The Howard Stern Show.[1] This song was the theme song of the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back[2] and was later featured in the films Disturbia and The Perfect Score.

In December 2001, a Connecticut teenager Matthew Fournier was ordered to listen to the song and write a report about it as punishment for possession of marijuana.[3] After the success of this single, Afroman was signed to Universal Records.[1]

On the album Mobilize by punk band Anti-Flag, after several minutes of silence on the album's end track, a friend of the band called Spaz can be heard singing parts of the song with Anti-Flag.

Track listings

All songs written and composed by Joseph Foreman. 

CD single
No. Title Length
1. "Because I Got High" (Afrolicious Edit) 3:18
2. "Let's All Get Drunk"   5:43
3. "Back On The Bus"   5:43
4. "Because I Got High" (Afropulco Gold & Dirty) 3:18

Parody

Bob Rivers included a Christmas-themed version, Be Claus I Got High, on the 2002 album White Trash Christmas, the fifth in Rivers's line of Christmas parody albums.

In 2006, talk show host Randi Rhodes introduced a parody of the song on her show in which a singer imitating the voice of George W. Bush sings about things that happened in Bush's life.

BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles recorded a parody under the pseudonym "Afro-Blair" featuring Jon Culshaw and another impressionist signing in the guise of the serving Prime Minister Tony Blair, then Leader of the Opposition William Hague and former Prime Ministers John Major and Margaret Thatcher.[4]

2009 version

Afroman rerecorded the song with new lyrics for his new album Frobama Head of State.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2001) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[6] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)[8] 3
Denmark (Tracklisten)[9] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 6
France (SNEP)[11] 2
Germany (Media Control AG)[12] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 6
New Zealand (RIANZ)[15] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[16] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 2
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[19] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 13
US Pop Songs (Billboard)[21] 25
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 40
US Rap Songs (Billboard)[23] 19

Decade-end charts

Chart (2000–2009) Position
UK Singles Chart 71[24]

Certifications

Coutry Certiication
Brazil - ABPD Platinum[25]

References

  1. ^ a b Nimmervoll, Ed (2008). "Afroman > Biography". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p435536/biography. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  2. ^ D'Angelo, Joe (2001-08-27). "Afroman Living 'High' Life Thanks To Hit Single". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1448393/20010824/afroman.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  3. ^ D'Angelo, Joe (2001-12-21). "Teen Sentenced To Listen To Afroman 'Because He Got High'". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451605/20011221/afroman.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  6. ^ "Afroman – Because I Got High – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Afroman – Because I Got High" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – Afroman – Because I Got High" (in French). Ultratop 40. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  9. ^ "Danishcharts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High". Tracklisten. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  10. ^ "Finnishcharts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High". Suomen virallinen lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  11. ^ "Lescharts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  12. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  13. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  14. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  15. ^ "Charts.org.nz – Afroman – Because I Got High". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  16. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High". VG-lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  17. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Afroman – Because I Got High". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  18. ^ "Afroman – Because I Got High – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  19. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  20. ^ "Afroman Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Afroman. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  21. ^ "Afroman Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Afroman. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  22. ^ "Afroman Album & Song Chart History" Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Afroman. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  23. ^ "Afroman > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://allmusic.com/artist/afroman-p435536/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved November 20, 2011. 
  24. ^ Radio 1 Chart of the Decade, as presented by Nihal on Tuesday 29th December 2009
  25. ^ "Aformam". ABPD. http://abpd.org.br/certificados_interna.asp?sArtista=Afroman. 

External links

Preceded by
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue		 Australian ARIA Singles Chart number-one single
October 14, 2001 - October 28, 2001		 Succeeded by
"Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm
UK Singles Chart number-one single
October 21, 2001 - November 10, 2001		 Succeeded by
"Queen of My Heart" by Westlife