Peak
13
Weeks
10
Score
1,254
Chart Year
2001
Afroman (real name: Joseph Foreman) wrote this as a joke for his friends. The song is about his experiences with marijuana and all the things he couldn't do because he was high. He said in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh: "I wanted to take my negativity and generate something positive. I would wake up in the morning ready to take on the world and I was doing it, but then I got high and I messed around and I lost the entire day doing nothing." He added to Rolling Stone, "Some chronic weed inspired it. It took me two minutes and eleven seconds to write." The first song Afroman released was called "Sell Your Dope" in 1999. You can see a pattern developing. Afroman released this on an independent label in 2000. It got him signed to Universal Records, who released it the next year. The song gained a great deal of popularity when Howard Stern started playing it on his radio show. The B-side of the single is a song called "She Won't Let Me F--K." This plays over the closing credits of the 2001 movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Recalling getting the call from the film's director Kevin Smith, Afroman said, "I was high and was like, whassup, dude." This was included on Afroman's second album. His first major-label album in 2001 is a combination of songs from his first two independent albums. In the UK, this was the most popular ringtone downloaded to British mobile phones in 2002. It beat out "Somethin' Stupid" by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman and "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue. In December 2001, a judge ordered a 17-year-old boy to listen to this and write a three-paragraph summary of the song after he was caught driving with a marijuana pipe. The judge also told him he was an embarrassment to his mother. On the music-swapping service Napster, this song was huge. When a fan started circulating the song on Napster, it created a lot of buzz and led to Afroman's record deal with Universal. Many artists objected to having their songs swapped on the Internet, but for an unknown singer who couldn't get much exposure, Napster could lead to a big break. This was a worldwide hit. It has sold over one million copies across the globe, and was #1 in Germany, The UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. Afroman was not able to follow it up with another hit, despite efforts like A Colt 45 Christmas and Waiting to Inhale. By the late '00s, he was on the college bar circuit, playing about 250 shows a year to frat boys with fond memories of the song. In 2014, Afroman released the "Positive Remix" of this song, explaining the practical benefits of marijuana, including its medical uses. The release was timed to coincide with votes on legalizing marijuana in several US states.
Roll another blunt, yeah (ooh ooh ooh) La la da da da da, la da da La da da da, la da da da, la da da da I was gonna clean my room until I got high I was gonna get up and find the broom but then I got high My room is still messed up and I know why (why, man?) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high Because I got high Because I got high La da da da da da da I was gonna go to class before I got high (come on, y'all) (Check it out) I coulda cheated and I coulda passed but I got high I am taking it next semester and I know why (why, man?) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high Because I got high Because I got high (Go to the next one, go to the next one, go to the next one) I was gonna go to court before I got high I was gonna pay my child support but then I got high (no, you wasn't) They took my whole paycheck and I know why (why, man?) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high Because I got high Because I got high La da da da da da I wasn't gonna run from the cops but I was high (I'm serious, man) I was gonna pull right over and stop but I was high Now I am a paraplegic, and I know why (why, man?) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high Because I got high Because I got high La da da da da da I was gonna make love to you but then I got high I was gonna eat yo pussy, too, but then I got high Now I'm jacking off and I know why (turn this shit off) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high (keep going) Because I got high (ey, do that over again) Because I got high (come on, man, come on) La da da da da da I messed up my entire life because I got high I lost my kids and wife because I got high (say what, say what, say what, say what) Now I'm sleeping on the sidewalk and I know why (why, man?) Yeah, hey 'Cause I got high Because I got high Because I got high La da da da da da I'ma stop singing this song because I'm high (present tense, baby, oh) I'm singing this whole thing wrong because I'm high (bring it back, bring it back) And if I don't sell one copy I'll know why (why, man?') 'Cause I'm high 'Cause I'm high 'Cause I'm high (are you really high though, man?) La da da da da da La da da da da da, la da da da He really is high, man Shoop shooby doo wop Get jiggy wit it, skibbidy bee bop diddy do wah
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 18, 2001 | 67 | 59 |
| 2 | Aug 25, 2001 | 33 | 93 |
| 3 | Sep 1, 2001 | 20 | 106 |
| 4 | Sep 8, 2001 | 13 | 113 |
| 5 | Sep 15, 2001 | 15 | 111 |
| 6 | Sep 22, 2001 | 19 | 107 |
| 7 | Sep 29, 2001 | 38 | 88 |
| 8 | Oct 6, 2001 | 61 | 65 |
| 9 | Oct 13, 2001 | 88 | 38 |
| 10 | Oct 20, 2001 | 100 | 26 |