Photo: Manningmbd, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
With our top ten Sublime songs we are looking at one of the most seminal bands of the nineties ska punk movement. They were formed in 1988 in Long Beach, California. Their line-up, which consisted of guitarist and vocalist Bradley Nowell, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh, remained unchanged throughout their career. They split up in 1996 after Nowel died of a heroin overdose.
They released their debut album in 1992 titled 40 oz To Freedom. It initially had a limited run and was only sold at the band’s shows but by the time of the band’s split four years later it had sold over 209,000 copies. After being signed to the Gasoline Alley label they released their second album in 1994 titled Robbin the Hood which was more experimental than the first album, mixing up a lot of different styles but it was a commercial failure. After performing on the 1995 Warped Tour, which they were taken off from due to their unruly behaviour, they were pressured into recording their third album.
Sublime began recording their third and final self-titled album in 1996 which they competed before Nowell’s death. The album was the band’s most commercially successful and contained several successful singles including “What I Got” which topped the Modern Rock Chart. When the album became a success many of the band’s fans were not even aware of the singer’s death. After he passed away, the band decided to split, feeling that he was irreplaceable.
Sublime were a band who were tragically short-lived with their career being over before it had even really began. However, over the years they have proven to be massively influential, with many punk and ska bands citing them as an influence to this day. The band’s sound has often been synonymous with that of California. They are also still very popular, with their music appearing in a variety of media soundtracks. They have sold over seventeen million records. They have even been compared to Nirvana, due to the fact that they made a big impact in a short space of time. The band even felt when Bradley Nowell died , the band died with him, just like Nirvana did with Kurt Cobain. So with all that said, let us look at what their ten greatest songs are.
# 10 – Greatest-Hits
Kicking off our top ten Sublime songs list is this song taken from the second album titled Robbin The Hood released in 1994. The song shows the album’s more experimental nature, as it very funk influenced as well as mixing in elements of ska. It is one of the song’s on the album that became one of the band’s biggest hits.
# 9 – What Happened?
Up next is a track from Sublime’s debut album which was released in 1992 titled 40 oz To Freedom. The song is rather traditional sounding ska, featuring a saxophone and being rather reminiscent of The Specials. The title refers to the fact that the song is about how Nowell cannot remember what happened when he had been out partying the night before.
# 8 – 40 oz to Freedom
Here we have the title track of the first album. Like a lot of the band’s songs, its lyrics deal with drinking and partying, something that the band were known for doing excessively. The song has a very youthful vibe to it, and is about being young and free. For many people who were young at the time, it was no doubt a song that soundtracked their youth.
# 7 – 5446 That’s My Number/Ball and Chain
Up next we have yet another song from the first album but which this time is a cover that was originally recorded by Toots and the Maytals. The cover is performed as part of a medley along with “Ball and Chain” which is an original Sublime song. The former song has also been covered by a wide variety of other artists over the past few decades.
# 6 – Badfish
Ending the first part of this list we have …another song form the first album! (This writer is a fan.) The song was originally featured on the band’s 1991 demo Jah Won’t Pay the Bills. It would later appear on their compilation album Second-Hand Smoke and on their Greatest Hits album. It is one of Sublime’s most popular songs.
# 5 – Steppin Razor
Kicking off the second half of this list we have the second cover song and second song from Robbin The Hood. The original was by Peter Tosh and this version contains a sample of Steely Dan’s “Do It Again.” The album contains many samples of other songs from artists such as Bob Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Doors.
# 4 – Doin Time
Next up we have the first song on this list be taken from the band’s third and final self-titled album released in 1996. The lyrics are about a cheating girlfriend who makes her lover feel like he is in prison because of her poor treatment of him. It got to number eighty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and twenty-seven on the Modern Rock Charts. In 2019, it was covered by Lana Del Rey.
# 3 – Santeria
At number three is this song that was released as a posthumous single in 1997 after Bradley Nowell’s death. Despite this , it is considered to be one of Sublime’s signature songs. Commercially, it did moderately well, reaching the top five of the Billboard Modern Rock chart and forty-three on the Modern Hot Airplay Chart.
# 2 – Pawn Shop
Just off the top spot is this track from Sublime which is its longest song, clocking in at over six minutes. This song is one of the most pure reggae sounding songs that the band have recorded, having very little elements of ska or punk. It is a track that shows a maturity in sound for the band and a tragic reminder that they probably had a lot more to offer.
# 1 – Seed
Topping this Sublime songs list is this short and sweet two minute number taken from Sublime. It is a track that see’s Sublime going all out punk with no reggae or funk influence. The record had several hit singles and was massively successful despite the band not touring to promote it following Nowell’s death. It sold over five million copies in the US and is still a popular album to this day. It pioneered what is known as third wave ska which includes other bands such as No Doubt and Less Than Jake. Critical reviews for it were also very positive with many critics, praising Nowell’s songwriting ability. It is considered an all time classic album of the 1990’s.
Top 10 Sublime Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
