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.
Summer Time
Sublime Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Summer time and the livings easy,
Bradley's on the microphone with ras M.G,
All the people in the dance will agree that we're,
Well qualified to represent the LBC, G, me and Louie
Run to the party, dance to the rhythm, it gets harder..
Me and my girl, we got this relationship.
On lock down like a penitentiary,
She spreads her lovin all over and when she gets home,
There's none left for me..
Oh take this veil from off my eyes.
My burning sun will someday rise.
Oh what am I gonna be doing for a wife,
Said I'm gonna play with myself..
Show them now we've come off the shelf..
Evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil,
Most definitely.
Evil, ornery, scandalous and evil.
Most definitely.
The tension is getting hotter,
I'd like to hold her...head underwater..
Oh oh oh..
Me and my girl
We got a relationship x4
"Summer Time" is a classic song by Sublime that captures the essence of summer and laidback vibes. The chorus, "Summer time and the livings easy, Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G, all the people in the dance will agree that we're, well qualified to represent the LBC, G, me and Louie. Run to the party, dance to the rhythm, it gets harder," has a fun and playful tone to it that makes you feel like you're at a party with your friends. The use of the microphone and sound mixing is also unique to the song, which speaks to Sublime's ability to infuse multiple genres into their music.
The verse, "Me and my girl, we got this relationship. I love her so bad, but she treats me like shit. On lock down like a penitentiary, she spreads her lovin all over and when she gets home, there's none left for me," is somewhat of a contrast to the chorus as it delves into the tumultuous romantic relationships that can occur during the summertime. However, the line "she spreads her lovin all over" could also be interpreted as a reference to the freedom and carefree nature of summer.
In the second verse, "Oh take this veil from off my eyes. My burning sun will someday rise. Oh what am I gonna be doing for a wife, said I'm gonna play with myself.. Show them now we've come off the shelf," the lyrics delve into self-reflection and questioning one's future. The point of view changes in the third verse, with "evil I've come to tell you that she's evil, most definitely... the tension is getting hotter, I'd like to hold her...head underwater." This verse is much more aggressive and could be interpreted as the darker side to summer where emotions run high and tensions boil over.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer time and the livings easy,
The season of summer makes people feel relaxed and enjoying life without any hardships.
Bradley's on the microphone with ras M.G,
Bradley is singing with his partner Ras M.G.
All the people in the dance will agree that we're,
All the people at the party will agree that we are the best performers.
Well qualified to represent the LBC, G, me and Louie
We are highly skilled to represent our city LBC, G with the help of me and Louie.
Run to the party, dance to the rhythm, it gets harder..
We attend the party and dance to the rhythm, which makes it even more challenging.
Me and my girl, we got this relationship.
I have a relationship with my girlfriend that requires an explanation in detail.
I love her so bad, but she treats me like shit.
Despite my immense love for her, she treats me poorly and with disrespect.
On lock down like a penitentiary,
I feel trapped and restricted in my relationship, like in a prison.
She spreads her lovin all over and when she gets home,
She shares her love with others and comes home with nothing left for me.
There's none left for me..
She never has any love left for me after sharing it with others.
Oh take this veil from off my eyes.
Remove the veil of ignorance from my eyes, so I can see the truth.
My burning sun will someday rise.
Someday, I will overcome this situation, and my bright future will emerge.
Oh what am I gonna be doing for a wife,
I am not sure what I will do for a wife in the future.
Said I'm gonna play with myself..
I will enjoy my own company and play by myself.
Show them now we've come off the shelf..
Prove to everyone that we are not in the background, and we have emerged from the shadows now.
Evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil,
I need to disclose that she is immoral and wicked to others.
Most definitely.
I am sure of what I am saying.
Evil, ornery, scandalous and evil.
She is vile, cantankerous, and scandalous, without a doubt.
Most definitely.
I am positive that my assessment of her character is accurate.
The tension is getting hotter,
The situation is becoming more tense and difficult.
I'd like to hold her...head underwater..
I wish to hurt her physically by drowning her.
Oh oh oh..
An expression of emotional distress and frustration.
Me and my girl
I am still talking about my complicated relationship with my girlfriend.
We got a relationship x4
Repeat of the explanation of their complex relationship in the previous verses.
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Don Twohig
Summertime and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, and me and Louie run to the party
Dance to the rhythm it gets harder
Me and my girl got this relationship
I love her so bad, but she treats me like sh
On lock down like a penitentiary
She spreads her loving' all over and when she gets home
There's none left for me
Summertime and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, and me and Louie run to the party
Dance to the rhythm it gets harder
Oh take this veil from off my eyes
My burning sun will someday rise
What am I gonna be doing' for a while?
Said I'm gonna play with myself
Show them now we've come off the shelf
Summertime and the livin's easy
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, and me and Louie run to the party
Dance to the rhythm it gets harder
Evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil, most definitely
Evil, ornery, scandalous and evil, most definitely
The tension, it's getting hotter
I'd like to hold her head underwater
Oh
Me and my girl
We got a relationship
Me and my girl
We got a relationship
My girl
We got a relationship, oh
And my girl
Take a tip
Take a tip
Take a tip from me
Bradley's on the microphone with Ras M.G.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, la la, Louie want everybody
Run to the rhythm it gets harder
Summertime and the livin's easy
Exemplaris
[Chorus:]
Summertime and the living's easy
And Bradley's on the microphone with ras m.g.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, me and Louie run to the party
Dance to the rhythm it gets harder
Me and my girl we got this relationship
I love her so bad but she treats me like...
On lock down like a penitentiary
She spreads her lovin' all over
And when she gets home there’s none left for me
[Chorus]
Oh take this veil from off my eyes
My burning sun will someday rise
So what am I gonna be doin' for a while
Said I'm gonna play with myself
Show them how we come off the shelf
So what?
[Chorus]
Evil
I've come to tell you that she's evil most definitely
Evil
Ornery scandalous and evil most definitely
The tension is getting hotter
I'd like to hold her head underwater
Me and my girl we got this relationship
Me and my girl we got this relationship
My girl we got this relationship
And my girl we got this relationship
Take a tip, take a tip, take a tip from me
Bradley's on the microphone with ras m.g.
All the people in the dance will agree
That we're well qualified to represent the LBC
Me, la la Louie well everybody run to the rhythm it gets harder
Summertime, the living's easy...
Alex Teague
First CD I ever bought back in ‘96. This song gives me chills to this day. The chilllll
Enhanced
whole album is smooth. takes you somewhere else.
ALPHA
Oh okay🙋🏽♂️
Organnabis Grow
I just got the chill
Fred GFY Smith
Not a bad place to start young fellow
Darren P
I can damn near call u out.
Sublime 7
This was mine and my dads song! We would be driving down the road going way faster than we should of been in the summer, feeling the breeze coming in from the open windows, and he would scream “play summertime!” Ah good times. RIP dad. I miss ya.
GeminiEye1
Sublime was indeed one of the pinnacle bands of my youth. Basically if you were born between 1984-1990. Maybe a bit earlier or later either way at some point in your life their was a high probability of sublime being played in your teenage years. Some of the greatest music ever made. We still miss ya Bradley RIP
mickey vance
1981 here man, love this band grew up jamming it
M Styles
1980 here, I was the perfect age to come of age with Sublime in the 90s