Sublime was an American reggae rock and ska punk band from Long Beach, Cali… Read Full Bio ↴Sublime was an American reggae rock and ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Eric Wilson (bass), and Bud Gaugh (drums). Lou Dog, Nowell's dalmatian, was the mascot of the band. Nowell died of a heroin overdose in 1996, resulting in Sublime's breakup. In 1997, songs such as "What I Got", "Santeria", "Wrong Way", "Doin' Time", and "April 29, 1992 (Miami)" were released to U.S. radio.

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 Love My Dog Dub
Sublime Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I love, I love my dog
Yes, I love, I love my dog
And I love, I love my dog

Walkin' on, walkin' down babylon way
Got to keep going straight
Got to love my lady love
Got to keep going away

And I love my dog
Gots to keep it going straight
I love my dog
Got to keep being a man

And I love, I love my dog
And I love, I love my dog
Yes, I love, I love my dog

I love my dog
Got to keep it going straight
And I love my dog
Got to keep my PLA

I love my dog
I love my dog

Overall Meaning

At first glance, the lyrics to Sublime's song "I Love My Dog" seem to be simple and straightforward, repeating the phrase "I love, I love my dog" multiple times throughout the song. However, upon closer inspection, the lyrics appear to have a deeper meaning. The beginning of the song references walking down Babylon way, which is a symbol for the spiritual journey towards enlightenment. In this context, the phrase "got to keep going straight" can be interpreted as a call to stay on the path towards enlightenment and not stray.

The second stanza references "lady love" and "being a man," which could suggest a romantic relationship and the responsibilities that come with it. It could also reference the societal expectations placed on men to be strong and capable. However, the singer states that he must "keep my PLA" (presumably a reference to the band's lifestyle and beliefs), indicating that he will not let these expectations derail his journey towards enlightenment.

Overall, the song appears to be about balancing personal relationships with the pursuit of spiritual growth, and not losing sight of what is truly important.

Line by Line Meaning

I love, I love my dog
The singer loves his/her dog.

Yes, I love, I love my dog
Reinforcing that the singer loves his/her dog.

And I love, I love my dog
Again, the singer is expressing love for his/her dog.

Walkin' on, walkin' down babylon way
The singer is walking in Babylon.

Got to keep going straight
The singer must stay on track and keep moving forward.

Got to love my lady love
The singer must also show love and affection for his/her partner.

Got to keep going away
The singer must continue on their journey and not stay still.

And I love my dog
Again, the singer loves his/her dog.

Gots to keep it going straight
The singer must keep moving forward and not stray from the path they are on.

I love my dog
The singer continues to show love for their dog.

Got to keep being a man
The singer must continue to act in a responsible and mature way.

And I love, I love my dog
The singer reiterates their love for their dog.

And I love, I love my dog
Again, the singer is expressing their love for their dog.

Yes, I love, I love my dog
The singer is emphatic in their love for their dog.

I love my dog
The singer continues to express love for their dog.

Got to keep it going straight
Once again, the singer must stay on track and not deviate from their path.

And I love my dog
The singer expresses love for their dog one more time.

Got to keep my PLA
It's unclear what exactly PLA means in this context, but the singer must keep it and continue on their journey.

I love my dog
The song concludes with the singer repeating their love for their dog.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRADLEY JAMES NOWELL, DARRYL AARON JENIFER, EARL C. HUDSON, GARY W. MILLER, PAUL D. HUDSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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