Are they really singing about cannabis?

2009.04.02

It seems that many rock stars or many professional singers will often be dubbed as being a pothead. It seems unfair that anyone would be labeled as such based on their profession. It would seem that more conservative type music lovers feel that one has to be high to write and sing the lyrics of many of the heavy metal type songs.

It has to be admitted though that there has been a selection of some written about marijuana and seems the purpose being is to get various messages across about the weed itself.

Some music artists will stipulate the freedom of the use of grass is all about choice. These artists are trying to make the point that you should be allowed to determine whether you want to use the cannabis or not. It’s not up to someone to make that choice for you. Ben Harper’s song titled “Burn One Down” clearly gets this particular message out. At first glance it wouldn’t be fair based on some of the lyrics that Harper is pro marijuana, but when you listen a little closer its pretty evident that he’s not against and certainly gets the potential benefits across. It’s message in the end turns out to be simple, “don’t know it till ya try it”. Now nowhere in the song does it specifically mention the hash, but there really isn’t much left to the imagination.

Moving onto a song that does leave more to the imagination is the song “Last Dance with Mary Jane”. This was song produced by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Here’s where the speculation starts to seep in. Tom Petty was married to a woman name Jane, from which he had parted the ways with a year earlier. So it would seem that the song might have been related to her right? On the other hand, a very common street name for pot is “Mary Jane”. So it’s up to the individual to really take what they want from the song in the sense of its message. This is one where you have to be the judge, but basically it comes down to it’s a great song and take from it whatever makes you feel good.

If you’re looking for reference to cannabis in a song that’s not likely to be disputed then “Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath is the one for you. Not only is it admitted by some members of the band, the lyrics make it very clear about the perception that non-users of the weed hold.


Now if you want a tune that for all intensive purposes not only supports the weed, but gives you a first hand glimpse of what the cannabis can do by way of creativity then take a look at Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women (12-35)”.

The chorus about feeling alone and getting stoned seems pretty clear doesn’t it? Stoned is the common term for the high users get from pot. There are others who purport the song as being about the stoning of women in biblical days. Now is that a stretch of the imagination? Some say not. In any event its all in the music.