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.
I'm Not A Loser
Sublime Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now that my pants are too low
Cause i got holes in my shirt
Think my dog could bite
You think your life is really tough
When your daddy won't buy you a brand new car
She won't fuck you
You just buy her a gram of coke
Spend all your money on shitty coke
I'm not a loser!
That's right!
I'm not a loser!
I'm not a loser!
Cruisin' down the boulevard
With your mommy's gas
When you're looking for your kicks
On friday night
Only goal in life is to smoke a joint
And decide that you're gonna get laid tonight
You're a fucking son of a bitch
You arrogant asshole
You're pants are too tight
Fuckin' homo
You suck
Cause you butt fuck
You dont belong here
Go away
You fuckin gay
I'm not a loser!
The lyrics to Sublime's song I'm Not A Loser are an indictment of the superficiality and materialism that the singer sees in his peers. The first verse describes how he is perceived as a loser because his clothes are shabby and his pants are too low - a sign, perhaps, of his disinterest in conforming to the mainstream. In the second verse, he takes aim at those who feel sorry for themselves because their wealthy parents won't buy them a new car and who try to win girls over by giving them drugs. He calls them "arrogant assholes" and "fucking sons of bitches" and tells them that they don't belong in his world.
The singer asserts his identity as a non-conformist and someone who doesn't measure his worth by the material possessions he has or the societal norms he follows. He cruises down the boulevard with his "mommy's gas" and knows that the only goal in life is to enjoy oneself, without any ulterior motive. He doesn't try to impress anyone or buy anyone's love; he is content with who he is and what he has, and that makes him not a loser.
The song speaks to an ethos that values individuality and self-expression over conformity and materialism. It champions a kind of countercultural attitude that can rub some people the wrong way, as evidenced by the vitriolic slurs the singer hurls at those who he perceives as trying too hard to be cool. But ultimately, the song is an assertion of the singer's own sense of self-worth and an invitation to others to join him in rejecting the norm and embracing their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
Think that I'm a loser
You judge me and label me a loser based on my clothing style.
Now that my pants are too low
You further justify your belief of me being a loser because my pants are too low.
Cause I got holes in my shirt
You are using small things like holes in my shirt to demean me and define me as a loser.
Think my dog could bite
You are so judgmental that you even think my dog is not friendly and that also makes me a loser.
You think your life is really tough
You are so self-centered that you believe your own life is extremely difficult.
When your daddy won't buy you a brand new car
You consider not getting a new car from your own father as a hardship, thinking it's tough to face such circumstances.
Take a girl out, she won't fuck you
You are so materialistic that you cannot comprehend why a girl would refuse your advances even after you spend a lot of money on her.
You just buy her a gram of coke
You resort to buying drugs to impress someone, believing that it will solve your problems and make you a winner.
Spend all your money on shitty coke
You waste a lot of money on harmful substances and justify it by believing that it makes you a cool person.
I'm not a loser! That's right! I'm not a loser! I'm not a loser!
I'm trying to assert myself and convince you that your misconceptions and narrow-mindedness are unjust.
Cruisin' down the boulevard with your mommy's gas
You are dependent on your family even though you try to show a wealthy facade while cruising down the street.
When you're looking for your kicks on Friday night
You feel that finding enjoyment and satisfaction in life only through partying and drinking at the weekend is the ideal way.
Only goal in life is to smoke a joint
You lack purpose and direction in life and are happy with just indulging in mind-altering substances.
And decide that you're gonna get laid tonight
You have an unrealistic idea that you will be able to easily find sexual partners without putting in any real effort.
You're a fucking son of a bitch
You have no respect for others and are ready to use hurtful language to demean anyone who doesn't meet your expectations.
You arrogant asshole
Your ego is so inflated that you believe you are entitled to everything you want and lack basic empathy or consideration for others.
You're pants are too tight, fuckin' homo
You use homophobic slurs to further hurt someone's self-worth and make them feel inferior because of their clothing style.
You suck 'cause you butt fuck
You use sexual preferences to attack someone's character and insult them based on the gender they are attracted to.
You don't belong here
You feel a sense of entitlement to some spaces, and want to exclude anyone who doesn't look or act like you.
Go away, you fuckin' gay.
You use identity-based insults to hurt someone's self-worth and make them feel inferior, as you refuse to accept people for who they are.
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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