Sublime released three studio albums, one live album, five compilation albums (one of which also contains never-before released material), three EPs, and one box set. Although their first two albums—40oz. to Freedom (1992) and Robbin' the Hood (1994)—were quite popular in the United States, Sublime did not experience major commercial success until 1996 with their self-titled third album, released two months after Nowell's death, which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, and spawned the single "What I Got", which remains the band's only No. 1 hit single (on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart) in their musical career. As of 2009, the band has sold over 17 million albums worldwide, including about ten million in the U.S. alone. Michael "Miguel" Happoldt and Marshall "Ras MG" Goodman contributed to several Sublime songs.
Following Sublime's dissolution, former members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh founded the Long Beach Dub Allstars in 1997, which also included many frequent Sublime contributors such as Michael "Miguel" Happoldt (former member of The Ziggens), Marshall Goodman "Ras MG" (former Sublime member), and Todd Forman (3rd Alley). LBDAS disbanded in 2002, due to several members of the band breaking a no-drug vow they had taken. In 2009, the surviving members attempted to reform the band with Rome Ramirez, a young guitarist and admitted Sublime fan from California. However, not long after performing at Cypress Hill's Smokeout Festival, a Los Angeles judge banned the new lineup from using the Sublime name as they needed permission from Nowell's estate, which owns the rights to the Sublime name. This prompted the lineup of Wilson, Gaugh and Ramirez to change their name to Sublime with Rome, which has since released three albums, although Gaugh left the group shortly after the release of their 2011 debut Yours Truly.
With the mainstream success of their self-titled album, going five times platinum and earning worldwide airplay, Sublime's influence persists to this day. Sublime was one of the most popular bands of the third wave of ska, specifically characterized as ska punk. Sublime often combined punk rock and hardcore punk with hip hop, heavy metal, dancehall, reggae, ska, funk, and (21st century) surf music. Sublime also has been described as 'reggae rock'.
Their signature sound and their songs are often associated with the beach and coastal areas of Southern California, such as San Diego, Orange County, Venice Beach and Long Beach as well as areas of Northern California like Eureka. Over two decades after Nowell's death and the band's breakup, Sublime remains immensely popular throughout North America, especially in its state of origin, California.
Sublime's songs have been featured via soundtrack in a variety of media. Los Angeles alternative rock radio station KROQ has listed Sublime at No. 3 in their annual "Top 106.7 biggest KROQ bands of all time" list for the past six years in a row, behind Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, and No. 81 at the "Top 166 Artists of 1980–2008" list.
With over 17 million units sold worldwide, Sublime is one of the most successful, and "powerfully moving" ska-punk acts of all time influencing many modern reggae and ska acts.
Ebin /Live
Sublime Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fade so slowly into night
Funny how things look the same
Now that my friend Ebin's changed
Ebin was a cooly that I used to know
Now he's down with the PLO
He's cold kickin' it live with the KKK
Cooly was sportin' black denim shoes
Dealing he was looking for something to use
With a pistol in his pocket and a bottle of booze
Well, it could be me or it could be you
Oh, feels like my whole life is rearranged
Oh, Ebin, you changed, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin you
Oh, how you changed, oh, you changed
Oh, how you changed
I give you a hard time, didn't want to stay
Got outta jail just the very next day
Now it's plain to see, my friend Ebin is a Nazi
He was a Nazi yeah, yeah, yeah
Hooked on crack just the other day
Now he's down with the CIA
We got covert operations in Vietnam
Making hits and assassination he's long gone
He went down to protect his country
Eat Mexican food and makes lots o' money
Come back a God and drive a big white car
And take himself a plane down to Nicaragua
Well, it feels like I'm the only one to blame
Oh, Ebin you changed, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin you
Oh, you changed, oh, you changed
Oh, you changed
I give you a hard time, didn't want to stay
Got outta jail just the very next day
Now it's plain to see, my friend Ebin is a Nazi
He was a Nazi yeah, yeah, yeah
Out my window cool and bright
It fade so slowly into night
Funny how things look the same
Now that my friend Ebin's changed
The lyrics to Sublime's song Ebin are a reflection on how a close friend, Ebin, has changed and diverged from the path of the singer. The lyrics begin with the singer looking out of his window as the day transitions into darkness symbolizing how even though things still look the same, they are not. The singer then reminisces about Ebin, whom he used to know as a 'cooly,' someone who was easy-going and laid back. However, Ebin has changed and is now involved with controversial organizations such as the PLO and KKK, which are known for their extremist views.
The singer laments that Ebin was once a friend but is now a stranger. He then talks about how Ebin used to deal drugs and had a pistol in his pocket, giving an idea of how he used to live his life. However, now that Ebin has changed, the singer feels that his whole life has been rearranged. Ebin has become a Nazi, hooked on crack, and is now associated with the CIA. He's become a completely different person from the one the singer used to know.
The song's lyrics are dark and thought-provoking, and Bradley Nowell's delivery is powerful in conveying the song's message. There is a sense of regret and loss in the song, as the singer reflects on how he and Ebin used to be close friends, but they have now drifted apart because of Ebin's choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Out my window cool and bright
The view out of the window is peaceful and calm.
Fade so slowly into night
The daylight fades away slowly over time.
Funny how things look the same
Things look the same despite the passage of time.
Now that my friend Ebin's changed
Things look different now that Ebin has changed.
Ebin was a cooly that I used to know
Ebin was a person that the singer knew in the past.
Now he's down with the PLO
Ebin has joined the PLO, a Palestinian organization.
He's cold kickin' it live with the KKK
Ebin is now associating with the KKK, a white supremacist group.
No xxx, No JFA
The singer is no longer involved with the punk bands XXX or JFA.
Cooly was sportin' black denim shoes
Ebin used to wear black denim shoes.
Dealing he was looking for something to use
Ebin was looking for drugs to use or sell.
With a pistol in his pocket and a bottle of booze
Ebin carried a gun and drank regularly.
Well, it could be me or it could be you
Anyone could end up in Ebin's situation.
Oh, feels like my whole life is rearranged
The singer's life has been drastically changed by Ebin's actions.
Oh, Ebin, you changed, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin, Ebin you
The singer is lamenting the changes in Ebin and their friendship.
I give you a hard time, didn't want to stay
The singer was hard on Ebin and didn't want him around.
Got outta jail just the very next day
Ebin was in and out of jail quickly.
Now it's plain to see, my friend Ebin is a Nazi
Ebin has become a Nazi, advocating for white supremacy.
Hooked on crack just the other day
Ebin was recently addicted to crack cocaine.
Now he's down with the CIA
Ebin has joined the CIA, working covert operations.
We got covert operations in Vietnam
The CIA is running secret operations in Vietnam.
Making hits and assassination he's long gone
Ebin is involved in assassinations and is now gone.
He went down to protect his country
Ebin joined the CIA to protect his country.
Eat Mexican food and makes lots o' money
Ebin is now making a lot of money and enjoys eating Mexican food.
Come back a God and drive a big white car
Ebin has come back from his CIA work as a powerful figure and drives an impressive car.
And take himself a plane down to Nicaragua
Ebin travels to Nicaragua by plane.
Contributed by Annabelle B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LickMyGlass
Dane Calderon This is an old article from Thrasher Magazine.
Enjoy ;)
I MET BRADLEY NOWELL at the University of California at Santa Cruz in January of 1988. We were both part of a group sociology project assigned to survey the student population for class. This was during skateboarding’s Alva era, when I had long dreadlocks down to the middle of my back. Brad was a huge dancehall reggae fan, and I pretty much wanted to be Bob Marley, so it was only natural that we would strike up a friendship.
During the course of our research I was introduced to another famous character, Brad’s 4-track recorder. Brad and I were both aspiring musicians so he invited me over to record a song. The song I chose I’d written while living at home in Ojai, CA, the summer before college. It was called “Celebration,” and the lyrics, admittedly cliché, were an appeal for people to rise up and unify through music; so Santa Cruz.
To my credit the song had a catchy turnaround, and Brad made the simple chord progression his muse. The next day Brad called me on the phone and told me he’d re-recorded my song. He said he’d changed it around a bit and he’d written new lyrics, and—the capper—he’d used my name in the song. He assured me that the song was not about me and he’d actually changed the spelling of my name so people wouldn’t get confused. Honestly, I was pretty much offended and a bit weirded out. I mean, first off, he had basically stolen my song. Secondly, he used my name! Then when he started telling me some of the lyrics, I was downright alarmed. There was the part about joining the CIA and the KKK and smoking crack, which, although standard issue UCSC liberal paranoia for the time, was less than flattering. Then there was the “you’ve changed” bit, which in punk rock terms is basically calling someone a sell-out. Finally, the clincher of all clinchers—the guy called me (or Ebin) a Nazi. Hold the fucking presses! I’m Jewish for God’s sake.
While my reaction was less than positive, I was more perplexed than anything. I agreed to meet Brad and at least hear the recorded song in full. Upon listening I was struck more than anything by the fact that this guy could sing. He had a beautiful voice—somewhat effeminate, but in a good way, a trait shared by many reggae artists of that era. It was a bit syrupy for my taste at the time, but recognizably good in a pop kind of way. To be completely honest, I was somewhat jealous. Here was this guy taking some serious liberties—and he actually sounded good doing it. Not fair. Why did he have it and I didn’t? I was the guy with dreads; I should sound like that. So I pretty much pushed the entire incident out of my mind.
I MET BRADLEY NOWELL at the University of California at Santa Cruz in January of 1988. We were both part of a group sociology project assigned to survey the student population for class. This was during skateboarding’s Alva era, when I had long dreadlocks down to the middle of my back. Brad was a huge dancehall reggae fan, and I pretty much wanted to be Bob Marley, so it was only natural that we would strike up a friendship.
During the course of our research I was introduced to another famous character, Brad’s 4-track recorder. Brad and I were both aspiring musicians so he invited me over to record a song. The song I chose I’d written while living at home in Ojai, CA, the summer before college. It was called “Celebration,” and the lyrics, admittedly cliché, were an appeal for people to rise up and unify through music; so Santa Cruz.
To my credit the song had a catchy turnaround, and Brad made the simple chord progression his muse. The next day Brad called me on the phone and told me he’d re-recorded my song. He said he’d changed it around a bit and he’d written new lyrics, and—the capper—he’d used my name in the song. He assured me that the song was not about me and he’d actually changed the spelling of my name so people wouldn’t get confused. Honestly, I was pretty much offended and a bit weirded out. I mean, first off, he had basically stolen my song. Secondly, he used my name! Then when he started telling me some of the lyrics, I was downright alarmed. There was the part about joining the CIA and the KKK and smoking crack, which, although standard issue UCSC liberal paranoia for the time, was less than flattering. Then there was the “you’ve changed” bit, which in punk rock terms is basically calling someone a sell-out. Finally, the clincher of all clinchers—the guy called me (or Ebin) a Nazi. Hold the fucking presses! I’m Jewish for God’s sake.
While my reaction was less than positive, I was more perplexed than anything. I agreed to meet Brad and at least hear the recorded song in full. Upon listening I was struck more than anything by the fact that this guy could sing. He had a beautiful voice—somewhat effeminate, but in a good way, a trait shared by many reggae artists of that era. It was a bit syrupy for my taste at the time, but recognizably good in a pop kind of way. To be completely honest, I was somewhat jealous. Here was this guy taking some serious liberties—and he actually sounded good doing it. Not fair. Why did he have it and I didn’t? I was the guy with dreads; I should sound like that. So I pretty much pushed the entire incident out of my mind.
sublime PQ1 750px
Fast-forward a year or so and I received a letter at my mom’s house in Ojai. Brad had tracked down my address from his ex-girlfriend who was still enrolled at UCSC. The letter informed me that Brad had formed a band called Sublime and he wanted permission to record “Ebin” as their first single. At the time I was in a band of my own called Stranger Than Fiction, and we were performing “Celebration," my version of the song. I figured Brad had about a hamster’s chance in hell of going anywhere with the tune, and I never even wrote him back. But I did keep the letter just in case. I stored it in a special box where I kept my old ticket stubs and love letters from past girlfriends. After a few years I decided it was too nancy to keep a letter from a dude with my sentimental keepsakes, and I threw it away.
In 1994 I was working in the ad department at Thrasher and SLAP. One day I spoke to a girl who was struck by my name. It was the name of a song by her favorite group, Sublime, she said. She had a bunch of copies of 40 Oz To Freedom and offered to send me one. I listened to “Ebin” but made no connection. The words were weird and somewhat insulting, but I thought it was funny how they repeated my name over and over…
A while passed and one day Brian Brannon, Thrasher’s former music editor, dropped a promo single of “Ebin” on my desk. Skunk Records had sent it to him in anticipation of Sublime’s upcoming major label release. When I got home I listened to the track. I was stoned in my room when I realized, “Man, that hook sounds so familiar. Where have I heard this? Oh Shit! Is this that song? That guy Brad, from school? Could it be?”
I rushed over and found the album since the single didn’t even have a sleeve. I looked at the pictures. “Is it? Is that Brad?” I checked the liner notes. “Bradley,” close enough. “Wow! This is my song. Right, Sublime, now I remember. Weird… That’s cool.”
When I went back to work I called Skunk Records. They thought it was funny that my name was Eben, and I was like, “Yeah, I’m Ebin. Well, I’m not Ebin, but that’s my song. I went to school with Brad at UCSC.”
If they were skeptical they didn’t show it and even agreed to tell Brad I said “what up.” They also sent me some swag, and said the next time Sublime played SF they’d hook me up with passes and facilitate a reunion.
When I got the box I was stoked. Included was a copy of "Robbin’ the Hood" as well as a T-shirt with a Tabasco logo bite that I really liked. They also sent me some stickers with “Sublime” written in old English Vato writing that reminded me of the punk rock scene growing up in Oxnard and Ventura. I started listening more closely to my Sublime CDs and developing a true appreciation for the music. I even started to like the song “Ebin.”
The thought of seeking compensation for co-writing the song did occur, but seemed like more hassle than it was worth. I resigned myself to the fact that Brad took my song and made it cool. He made it much better than I ever did. I’m grateful for that. Brad’s gift as a songwriter was in his ability to fuse disparate styles and blend them into something new. To be a piece of that puzzle is a huge honor and puts a smile on my face.
I never did have that reunion with Brad. On May 25th, 1996, he died of a heroin overdose in a San Francisco hotel room. To Brad’s family, I send my condolences. To those that miss him and were touched by his music, I say we are so lucky. To Bradley James Nowell, I want to say thank you.
jeremy gaddy
This was 1000% their best live show. Anyone there should feel very very blessed.
SlickBlackCadillac
I agree. this one has always stood out. Brad and the boys are perfect here. Lou and the SUBLIME tattoo tie it all together. The cover of Crazy Fool is at this show too. Probably my favorite Sublime moment.
Stephen Williams
Actually they had a ton of amazing live shows. Unfortunately there was not much video coverage back then.
Thankfully this show really embodies what most of their shows were like.
SUPASTUFF
Yes
SK00BY
@Stephen Williams There's ton of video coverage. It's just usually in the hands of the nowell family or collectors.
SK00BY
Nah Dominguez Hills is where it's at.
philspiffyblackcats
Rock, reggae, punk, ska...etc., all done with wisdom and insight, incredible! Sublime truly was sublime.
alfrednube
don't forget surf rock! Geniuses.
Bobby Trainwreck
God, Brad just jams out in this song, that solo kills me everytime
Gar Murphy
So underrated man these guys are the best for any mood. And now that I'm sober i appreciate it even more.