Sublime Songs Ranked
Sublime was an American 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. 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. Here are all of the Sublime songs ranked.
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15. Rivers of Babylon (40 Oz. To Freedom, 1992)
“This song is one of those things you would love to sing when your at your highest moment of happiness! lot of these songs are just impossible to leave your head, and all of the covers are fantastic.”
14. Seed (Sublime, 1996)
“Underrated gem that most people only know about because of the Tony Hawk’s Underground soundtrack (Which arguably had the best soundtrack in the whole series). The ever-present flip between head-bopping beats and hard rock guitar makes this a personal favorite of mine.”
13. New Realization (Second-hand Smoke, 1997)
“To me it seems like looking back on your past and knowing that your future is most likely gonna be the same old shit. Definitely one of my favorite songs. favorite line ‘You may hold some vision of truth, if truth can found in a lie.’ and i love how brad says lie at the end :”
12. Don’t Push (3 Ring Circus – Live at The Palace, 2013)
“This is my favorite sublime song. the lyrics are frigging amazing! I love ” and if I were Bob Marley I’d say could u be loved” and the” if i had a shotgun you know what I’d do I’d point that shit straight at the sky and shoot heaven on down for you” I’ve got to stop, or I’m just gonna write out the whole song down here too. I am passionately in love with this song and Sublime.
See more: Sublime Albums Ranked
11. Garden Grove (Sublime Acoustic: Bradley Nowell & Friends, 1998)
“This is hands down my favorite Sublime song. Puts me in a good mood no matter how shitty my day is going. The first verse is all positive in his life…he’s content with the little things he has, his dog and his music. The second verse is all the negatives he has experienced or experiencing. The positives outweigh the negatives, and the song ends on a happy tune.
10. Smoke Two Joints (40 Oz. To Freedom, 1992)
“Whenever I hear this song I think of this time I showed up to a party stoned and just sat in a room listening to sublime the whole time with some of my friends. good memories.”
9. Same in the End (Sublime, 1996)
“This song is about the extreme aspects of society and how ridiculous they are. when he says “In my mind, in my brain/I go back and go completely insane/It ain’t personal, it ain’t me” he is referring to how ridiculous and painful every single person’s past is regardless of who you are, you will be affected by at least one problem in society and it will make you upset if you look back on it. “
8. Caress Me Down (Sublime, 1996)
“This song isn’t about him being with his daughter. The verse says “you hate me cause I got what you need, a pretty little daughter that we call Mixie”. He’s rubbing it in her dad’s face that he “has” the man’s daughter. Also in the song he says her father and uncle tried to kill him but they did not get too far. It’s all about dissing her family…”
7. 40 Oz. to Freedom (40 Oz. To Freedom, 1992)
“40 Oz. to Freedom is a truly unique album from a band that thrived during music’s heyday; the 1990’s. Sublime played a fast blend of punk rock, ska and reggae. The infamous Bradley Nowell powered the Sublime machine with shredding solos and stoner sensibilities. Nowell’s lyrics tend to sound awfully misogynist but at other times Nowell gives off a worldly and anarchistic vibe. “
6. Date Rape (Jah Won’t Pay the Bills, 1991)
“This is like the funniest song about a rape. Just fun to listen to, it has an upbeat pace and good funny lyrics. the singing is enjoyable enough.”
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5. Wrong Way (Sublime Acoustic: Bradley Nowell & Friends, 1998)
“I remember hearing this one a lot a LONG time ago. You know, when MTV still showed a few videos…Anyways, I really liked the song. This was one I pretty much grew up with, so there is some sentimental value to the rating. Still, even after hearing “Wrong Way” so many damn times, I still enjoy it plenty. Pretty much screams the 90’s, which is fine by me.”
4. Doin’ Time (Norman Fucking Rockwell!, 2019)
“My friend who actually isn’t much of an editor, made a brilliant, instant classic-nostalgic montage of Skateboarding in March 2007 and used this song. I can never listen to this song without those things in the back of my head.”
3. Badfish (Jah Won’t Pay the Bills, 1991)
“Pretty straight forward reggae song. It has an enjoyable rhythm and good singing, decent lyrics and is definitely listenable. On the other hand though it is quite unmemorable.”
2. What I Got (Sublime, 1996)
“You know what, I don’t care if it’s a bit unoriginal (the vocal melody is similar to The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna”) or that it’s a jolly pop song. It’s fun and I like it. It’s a jaunty pop rock song with a relaxing rhythmic underbelly, fun lyrics to a jumpy rap flow, and a beat that just exists to be snapped along to. It also details staying happy and maintaining an optimistic demeanor despite all the bad things that could happen.”
1. Santeria (Sublime, 1996)
“There’s a bit of entertaining dissonance in this song. It’s got a relaxed tone to it and cool guitar rhythms that put a lot of Chili Peppers songs to shame, but some really dark lyrics about a cheating girlfriend and murdering the guy she slept with. It’s weirdly and infectiously mellow despite the subject matter, but I guess that’s because it’s also a song meant to make you feel a bit down and “with” Brad Nowell’s sadness. This song is mad despite how chill it sounds.”