His best-known song is the 2001 hit "Because I Got High", which gained popularity through Napster, local radio play, a feature on Howard Stern's radio show, and the 'stoner' movie 'Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back' (and accompanying soundtrack). His other most popular song, "Crazy Rap", is often referred to as "Colt 45" because of its lyric "Colt 45 and two Zig Zags".
Afroman is also fond of referencing his independence from record labels and the "corporate world" and cites himself as an example of how an artist can take recording and distribution into their own hands.
In 2014 Afroman became a spokesman for NORML and Weedmaps, remade "Because I Got High" in favor of legalization, and released the EP "One Hit Wonder" and concept album "The Frorider."
Graveyard Shift
Afroman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Yes."
"Hey well you got yourself a job, homie"
[Verse 1]
Graveyard shift ain't never dead
We go to work when people go to bed
We got a tremendous work overload
So if your hair's messed up, come on in
Nobody don't care 3 o'clock in the mornin'
I'm fantasizin' about a six fo'
Broke as hell, moppin' the flo'
I don't know but I gots the hunch (what's that?)
That it's almost time for lunch
Smokin' cigarettes in the parkin' lot
All the homies tellin' lies 'bout the women they got
Nobody gets offended at a racial joke (why?)
Everybody's laughin', tryin' to stay woke (yeah)
We takin' it easy though times are hard
Pullin' practical jokes on the security guard
And if you come late, the boss won't boot ya
Standin' 'round, talkin' 'bout the future
Don't even trip if you feel tired
Take a little nap, you won't get fired
Drink a little beer (beer), smoke you a spliff (spliff)
Nobody cares on the graveyard shift (uh, yeah, yeah uh, uh)
{*mouth scratches a chicken cluck*}
[Hook]
Paaaaaaaaarty (yeah!) on the graveyard shift (paaarty)
Paaaaaaaaarty (oh yeah! alright now) on the graveyard shift
(you don't have to slave)
You don't have to slave too hard (oh!) on the grave-aveyard
[Verse 2]
hey, yeah, uh
My name is Joseph Foreman, they call me 'Fro (cuz)
I worked at the neighborhood grocery store
We actin' crazy like a bunch of kids
Playin' frisbee with the trash can lids
When the bossman comes, baby we don't run
He's a fool like us just tryin' to have fun
Graveyard shift is a little bit prouder
Play the radio just a little bit louder
DJ playin' that midnight mix (mix)
Dance contest on isle number six (six)
Bumpin' that old school Too $hort rhyme (uh)
Got the homeboys in a Soul Train line
If you want to act crazy, go ahead and be wild
If you want to rap, go ahead and freestyle
Graveyard shift, you just can't beat it
If you get hungry, grab something and eat it (haha)
Drinkin' in the back with my home girl (yeah)
The beer's on the house from the Corporate World
Act like a fool 'til the break of dawn
Yellin' curse words on the intercom
Drag racin' with the fork lift
Nobody cares on the graveyard shift
(you know what I'm sayin', ha!)
[Hook]
Paaaaaaaaarty (yeah!) on the graveyard shift (everyday)
Paaaaaaaaarty (alright! yeah!) on the graveyard shift
(you don't have to slave, oh yeah!)
You don't have to slave too hard on the grave-aveyard
(break it down, fellas) ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh
[Verse 3]
I never would work on daytime (daytime)
Graveyard shift is my play time (playtime)
Daytime jobs are flaky (flaky)
Daytime jobs are shaky like (what?) Jello Gelatin (gelatin)
So I work graveyard shift like a skeleton (yeah)
An afro-classic is what I am
I drive to work without a traffic jam
Everybody on the graveyard is like my brother
Always lookin' out for each other
Speak up fo' ya like I lawyer
If you come late, we'll punch the clock fo' ya
We gots no money but we got pride
If you car break down I'll give you a ride
Cause the Corporate World is oh so cold
To the people at the bottom of the totem pole
Divided we fall, together we stand
What you need? Get it from the Afroman
I'm not a thief but I got the hook up
For the barbeque ribs you want to cook up
And if you need somebody to get drunk with
Call the homeboys from the graveyard shift
(Dedicated to all the blue collar workers
Strugglin', strivin', throbbin', thrivin')
[Hook]
Paaaaaaaaarty (if the boss lookin' for me)
On the graveyard shift (I'm in my car asleep, you know what I'm sayin')
Paaaaaaaaarty (hey so watch my back cuz)
On the graveyard shift (tap on the window or something, haha)
You don't have to slave too hard on the grave-aveyard
ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh
[Verse 4]
Happiness is hard to find
Happiness is a state of mind
It can't be found in fame or wealth
It's found real deep inside yourself
Brothers, stop singin' the blues
Throw parties and barbeques
Don't destroy your life, enjoy your life
Play with your kids and make love to your wife
Drink a little beer, don't smoke no crack
Have a good time before Christ comes back
Keep your head high, keep your back stiff
I'll see you Sunday night for the graveyard shift
[Hook]
Paaaaaaaaarty on the graveyard shift
Paaaaaaaaarty on the graveyard shift
You don't have to slave too hard on the grave-aveyard
ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh ohh
[Outro]
(hey, check this out loco)
No dental plan (graveyard!) no medicare (graveyard!)
Said no vacation (graveyard!) the Man don't care (graveyard!)
Ain't got no union (graveyard!) no respect (graveyard!)
Dirty uniforms (graveyard!) and a short paycheck (graveyard!)
Workin' minimum wage (graveyard!) everyday (graveyard!)
We gotta get over (come on man) some kinda way
{*chicken cluck*}
The song "Graveyard Shift" by Afroman highlights the experiences of blue-collar workers struggling to make ends meet on minimum wage jobs. It celebrates the camaraderie and brotherhood found among coworkers on the graveyard shift, where they party and have fun despite the long hours and tough working conditions. The lyrics paint a picture of workers hanging out in the parking lot, smoking cigarettes, telling jokes, and playing pranks on the security guard to pass the time. The chorus encourages workers to enjoy their lives outside of work, to spend time with their families and friends rather than falling into destructive habits like drug use.
The first verse establishes the idea that the graveyard shift is always busy, and the boss doesn't care about dress codes. He's more concerned with getting the job done than how his employees look. The second verse describes the radio playing loudly, the DJ spinning records, and everyone enjoying themselves. The song emphasizes that happiness comes from within and that happiness cannot be found in wealth or status symbols. Finally, the outro highlights the harsh realities of low-wage jobs without benefits or job security.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the resilience and hard work that blue-collar workers embody. Despite the difficulties they face, they find ways to enjoy their lives and each other's company, making the most of their time on the graveyard shift.
Line by Line Meaning
Graveyard shift ain't never dead
Working the night shift is always lively
We go to work when people go to bed
Night shift workers start work after most people go to sleep
We got a tremendous work overload
The workload is high for the graveyard shift
The boss don't care about the dress code
The boss doesn't care if employees are dressed properly
So if your hair's messed up, come on in
Hair doesn't have to be done perfectly for the graveyard shift
Nobody don't care 3 o'clock in the mornin'
No one cares what time it is, even if it's 3 am
I'm fantasizin' about a six fo'
The singer is looking forward to drinking a 40-ounce beer
Broke as hell, moppin' the flo'
The singer is poor and working as a janitor
I don't know but I gots the hunch (what's that?)
The singer has a feeling
That it's almost time for lunch
It's almost time for the graveyard shift lunch break
Smokin' cigarettes in the parkin' lot
The workers smoke cigarettes outside during their break
All the homies tellin' lies 'bout the women they got
Co-workers brag about their significant others
Nobody gets offended at a racial joke (why?)
People laugh at racist jokes without getting upset
Everybody's laughin', tryin' to stay woke (yeah)
Everyone is laughing and trying to stay alert
We takin' it easy though times are hard
Despite tough times, the workers are taking it easy
Pullin' practical jokes on the security guard
The workers play jokes on the security guard
And if you come late, the boss won't boot ya
If you are late, the boss won't fire you
Standin' 'round, talkin' 'bout the future
Workers stand around talking about the future
Don't even trip if you feel tired
Don't worry if you're tired
Take a little nap, you won't get fired
It's okay to take a nap during the graveyard shift
Drink a little beer (beer), smoke you a spliff (spliff)
Workers can drink and smoke during the graveyard shift
Nobody cares on the graveyard shift (uh, yeah, yeah uh, uh)
No one cares what you do during the graveyard shift
Paaaaaaaaarty (yeah!) on the graveyard shift (paaarty)
It's a party on the graveyard shift
My name is Joseph Foreman, they call me 'Fro (cuz)
The singer's name is Joseph Foreman, but he is known as 'Fro
I worked at the neighborhood grocery store
The singer worked at a grocery store
We actin' crazy like a bunch of kids
The workers act like crazy kids
Playin' frisbee with the trash can lids
They play frisbee with trash can lids
When the bossman comes, baby we don't run
When the boss comes, the workers don't run
He's a fool like us just tryin' to have fun
The boss is just like them - trying to have fun
Graveyard shift is a little bit prouder
The graveyard shift is proud of what they do
Play the radio just a little bit louder
They play the radio louder because there are no customers
DJ playin' that midnight mix (mix)
The DJ plays music for the workers
Dance contest on isle number six (six)
They have a dance contest on aisle 6
Bumpin' that old school Too $hort rhyme (uh)
They listen to old school Too $hort music
Got the homeboys in a Soul Train line
The workers line up like they are on Soul Train
If you want to act crazy, go ahead and be wild
It's okay to act crazy
If you want to rap, go ahead and freestyle
It's okay to freestyle rap
Graveyard shift, you just can't beat it
The graveyard shift is unbeatable
If you get hungry, grab something and eat it (haha)
If you're hungry, grab something to eat
Drinkin' in the back with my home girl (yeah)
The singer is drinking with a female coworker
The beer's on the house from the Corporate World
The boss left free beer for the workers
Act like a fool 'til the break of dawn
They act foolish until morning starts
Yellin' curse words on the intercom
They yell curse words on the singer system
Drag racin' with the fork lift
They race the forklifts
Nobody cares on the graveyard shift
No one cares what they do during the graveyard shift
Paaaaaaaaarty (yeah!) on the graveyard shift (everyday)
They party on the graveyard shift every day
My name is Joseph Foreman, they call me 'Fro (cuz)
The singer's name is Joseph Foreman, but he is known as 'Fro
Graveyard shift is my play time (playtime)
The graveyard shift is when the singer plays
Daytime jobs are flaky (flaky)
Daytime jobs are unreliable
Daytime jobs are shaky like (what?) Jello Gelatin (gelatin)
Daytime jobs are unstable, like jello
So I work graveyard shift like a skeleton (yeah)
The singer works the graveyard shift like a skeleton
An afro-classic is what I am
The singer is an 'afro-classic'
I drive to work without a traffic jam
The singer doesn't hit traffic going to work
Everybody on the graveyard is like my brother
Everyone on the graveyard shift is like family to the singer
Always lookin' out for each other
Everyone watches out for each other
Speak up fo' ya like I lawyer
The singer will help you
If you come late, we'll punch the clock fo' ya
They will clock you in if you're running late
We gots no money but we got pride
They might not have money, but they have pride
If you car break down I'll give you a ride
They will help you if your car breaks down
Cause the Corporate World is oh so cold
The business world is unforgiving
To the people at the bottom of the totem pole
The workers at the bottom don't get much respect
Divided we fall, together we stand
We need to stick together to succeed
What you need? Get it from the Afroman
The singer will do what he can to help
I'm not a thief but I got the hook up
The singer doesn't steal, but he can help you out
For the barbeque ribs you want to cook up
He will help you get ribs for a BBQ
And if you need somebody to get drunk with
If you need someone to drink with
Call the homeboys from the graveyard shift
Call the singer's coworkers from the graveyard shift
Happiness is hard to find
It's not easy to be happy
Happiness is a state of mind
Being happy is a state of mind
It can't be found in fame or wealth
Being famous or rich won't make you happy
It's found real deep inside yourself
Happiness comes from within
Brothers, stop singin' the blues
Stop being sad
Throw parties and barbeques
Have fun and BBQ
Don't destroy your life, enjoy your life
Don't ruin your life, enjoy it
Play with your kids and make love to your wife
Spend time with your kids and significant other
Drink a little beer, don't smoke no crack
It's okay to drink, but don't do drugs
Have a good time before Christ comes back
Enjoy life before it's too late
Keep your head high, keep your back stiff
Stand tall and proud
I'll see you Sunday night for the graveyard shift
The singer will see you on the next graveyard shift
No dental plan (graveyard!) no medicare (graveyard!)
There is no dental plan or health insurance on the graveyard shift
Said no vacation (graveyard!) the Man don't care (graveyard!)
No vacation days and the boss doesn't care
Ain't got no union (graveyard!) no respect (graveyard!)
No union and no respect
Dirty uniforms (graveyard!) and a short paycheck (graveyard!)
Uniforms are dirty and the paycheck isn't great
Workin' minimum wage (graveyard!) everyday (graveyard!)
The workers make minimum wage every day
We gotta get over (come on man) some kinda way
They need to find a way to succeed
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH FOREMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TolorTC
Afro so under appreciated, has so many good songs people that listen to garbage don't know. go fro
Marcus TheConcept
Iām
Workin the grave yard shift and this shit
Hits
Hard
Guaguadeath
As formerly being someone that used to work on the graveyard shift I can attest to everything that he talks about is absolutely true lol
Johnny Caper
good times lol, used to pop xans and bake pizzas, everybody was smokin and getting lit all the time. Long story short, I'm still here living for the night making beats all night long. it's just a lifestyle, the night is where you can find peace and run away from all that shit <3
Johnny Caper
@redline619 You don't, you pretend you do. Actually most of the fun I had when I was sober, drinking coffee, coca-cola, eating food, smoking cigarettes all night long, making bomb ass food and just acting like a fool - throwing food around, throwing sausages or tomatoes on somebody randomly, burning shit in the kitchen. It might seem wrong, but that's what it's all about. People might act "normal" in the kitchen, but the truth is everybody loves to go wild there and just burn some shit down, make flames n shit while cooking. It's fucking art.
voutolliC22
@redline619 believe that
redline619
How do u party on xans?
Shutup Andlisten
I fuckin love this! I saw him last night here at the Brauerhouse in Illinois. All his opening acts were killer. He was sooo pimped out it was saweet! āšø
Ethan
Knew a guy who worked at the gas station graveyard shift and he played this shit and got high at night lol
John Smith
basically ANY stoner that works at the gas station