Comments on: 3 Songs About Drugs and 3 Songs That Aren’t

By: BobBob

BobBob — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:59:13 +0000

I`ve heard from several people that “Bridge over troubled waters” was about heroin. Anyone verify that?

By: TRAIBRESWARRY

TRAIBRESWARRY — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:40:12 +0000

Tender thanks you championing details. It helped me in my assignment

By: sefa

sefa — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:56:33 +0000

“They stab it with their steely knives/but they just can’t kill the beast.” Unless I’m mishearing those lyrics from Hotel California (always a strong possibility), I’m pretty sure that’s a clear reference to heroin.

No “Mr Brownstone” by GnR?

By: sf_Jef

sf_Jef — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:29:11 +0000

“Waiting For My Man” is a bit too literal. The Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man” is the superior drug-anticipation song.

The hedonism mentioned for “Hotel California” most definitely includes addiction.

How about the fact that some people still think David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” is about an astronaut, not about being high on heroin? If it wasn’t apparent then, he made it clear later singing “Ashes to Ashes. Funk to Funky. We know Major Tom’s a junkie.” -The BBC even played it in England for the moon-landing.

How ’bout a list to clarify which Spiritualized songs are about drugs and which are about being in love? Wait, all of them are, simultaneously.

By: Fat Guy

Fat Guy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:17:27 +0000

Oh, and Patti, the initials in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was not a reference to LSD. It was based on a picture John Lennon’s son Julian made in school. I’m sure, though, that Lennon took delight in the happy coincidence.

By: Fat Guy

Fat Guy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:14:38 +0000

Ok, some quick debunks:
Paul McCartney’s “GTGYIML” may have been about Mary Jane, but “Here There and Everywhere” was about another Jane– Jane Asher, his then-girlfriend.
“I Want Candy” was a cover of a song released in the early Sixties (by the Strangeloves). It is most likely what it says it is about– candy.
“The Candy Man” was written for the children’s movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. Indeed it is a psychedelic-influenced film, but the song itself is not a drug reference.
Finally, its Little JACKIE Paper, not Johnny.

By: Dingo

Dingo — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:02:44 +0000

The story teller in Puff the Majic Dragon was Little Johnny Paper. If not about toking, why name him Paper? I never met a person named Paper in the real world.

By: Allison

Allison — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:05:19 +0000

What about “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow? I’m pretty sure at the time everyone said it was not about candy or a person named candy but about heroin.

By: D.X.

D.X. — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:30:24 +0000

Candy man, by Sammy Davis Junior

By: Katey

Katey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:11:18 +0000

Did anyone consider “A Perfect Day” by Reed to be about dope pre-Trainspotting?

There was another question like this in my head earlier but I can’t remember it as wondering about the lyrics to “Drugs” by the Black Lips has taken over. (Ran out of CHEESE and my nose is runnin’? It pretty much makes sense…)

By: ok

ok — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:17:06 +0000

“Sugarman” by Sixto Rodriguez – one of the best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ACFylOYidI&feature=related

“silver magic ships you carry, jumpers, coke, sweet maryjane…”

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:21:10 +0000

The Beatles were full of shit. None of them had the balls to take drugs and their music proves it.

By: Patti

Patti — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:26:10 +0000

There are many more. See if you recognize these lyrics. Riding Through The Desert on a HORSE with no name. (horse = heroin) Sail on SILVER GIRL. (needle) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. (LSD). I Have Become Comfortably Numb.

By: Mim

Mim — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:04:49 +0000

“Here, there, and everywhere” I’m sure is about the weed too. “Knowing that love is to share?” “Watching her eyes?” “Hoping I’m always there?” Plus there is a very loud bong-watery sound in the background. I’m not imagining this. Am I? Who’s THERE!!!

By: Mar

Mar — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:00:37 +0000

To me, the ultimate song about drugs is “Waiting for the man”, by the Velvet Underground.

By: Mytake

Mytake — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 09:26:09 +0000

There is this story about how Dylan was shocked when he learned that the Beatles hadn’t ever taken drugs until later in their career, as he’d always thought that, on “A Hard Day’s Night”, they sang “I get high” instead of “I can’t hide”.

People often hear and “find” some kind of meaning that’s mostly in their minds all along, which does not mean they take drugs, but at least they associate the song or the act with them.

By: kaka belly

kaka belly — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:25:39 +0000

I have a hard time accepting a poet .

By: Kevin R

Kevin R — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:35:12 +0000

Lots of people think “There She Goes” by the Las (covered by Sixpence None The Richer) is about heroin, though the guy from the Las who wrote it always denied it.

By: Jonas

Jonas — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:03:13 +0000

“Hotel California” by The Eagles photo isn’t the real Hotel California, nor is there such a place but the photo on the cover is some hotel that’s on Hollywood Blvd.

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:54:47 +0000

The whole song isn’t about drugs, but Life In The Fast Lane has the great lyric: “There were lines on the mirror, lines on her face…” I think those boys knew what they were writing. Oh, and in Hotel CA, the “warm smell of colitas” has been determined by Cecil Adams to be a reference to mary jane.

By: Ordener

Ordener — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:48:30 +0000

How about L.A. Guns – Over the Edge and Sixx A.M. – Girl with Golden Eyes.