Doin' Time by Sublime

Album: Sublime (1996)

Charted: 87

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Songfacts®:

"Doin' Time" is based on the George and Ira Gershwin song "Summertime," from the 1935 musical Porgy & Bess. They share the same first line: "Summertime and the livin's easy."
"Doin' Time" is the final song on Sublime's eponymous third album. The album was their commercial breakthrough, but lead singer Brad Nowell died of a drug overdose shortly before it was released. The band broke up when he died, but drummer Bud Gaugh and bass player Eric Wilson stuck together, first with a new band called The Long Beach Dub Allstars, then with a new version of Sublime in 2009 with Rome Ramirez as lead singer. Nowell's estate took legal action to prevent them from using the name, so they called themselves Sublime With Rome.

In 2023, Gaugh and Wilson played a show with Brad's son, Jakob Nowell, and in 2024 performed with him at Coachella using the Sublime name.
The phrase "Doin' Time" isn't in the lyric; it was originally but was replaced by "Summertime" at the last minute.
On this track, Brad Nowell compares life with his cheating girlfriend to being locked down in prison - somewhat ironic since in real life, these roles were usually reversed. "He screwed around on the road," Sublime bass player Eric Wilson told Songfacts about Nowell.
This contains a sample from the Beastie Boys' "Slow and Low" from their 1986 album License to Ill. The line that's lifted is, "And when we do it like this, in the place to be."
Marshall Goodman, who was the percussionist/DJ in Sublime, co-wrote this song along with Brad Nowell - he gets a shout-out in the line, "Bradley's on the microphone with Ras MG."
Brad Nowell's Dalmatian, Lou Dog, makes an appearance on this song. Lou got the band temporarily kicked off the first Warped Tour in 1995 when he bit a skateboarder.
The Sublime album was released in the summer of 1996, but this song didn't reach it's airplay peak until January 1998. Starting with "What I Got," songs from the album were gradually pushed to radio stations in America; "Santeria" and "Wrong Way" followed before "Doin' Time" was finally given its turn. All this radio play helped the album sell over five million copies - you had to buy it if you wanted to own the songs, since the singles were not available for sale in the US.
Lana Del Rey recorded a super-chilled out version of the song for the 2019 documentary Sublime about the California band. "Not a day goes by that I don't listen to at least one Sublime song," Del Rey said. "They epitomized the SoCal vibe and made a genre and sound totally their own."

Del Rey's version, which was also included on her Norman F---ing Rockwell! album, peaked at #75 on the UK singles chart and #59 on the Hot 100.

Comments: 17

Rey from MoThe lyrics are "Doin time" not "Summertime" am listening as we speak. It's not that hard to get it right it's literally the title of the song.
Paul Nelson from St. Augustine BeachCan someone please tell me who censored the word "s--t" on this song? In several of their other songs there is explicit profanity so I don't think it's the band's decision, could be wrong. I've listened to every version on YT so far and cannot find an uncensored version. So tell me am I imagining that I heard that song with the word spoken and not censored? Would appreciate any info.
Bob from Schenectady, NyAltered lyrics to "Jump For Jah" by Ini Kamoze were included. It retains the final line from the original "show them now we've come off the shelf" but substitutes the previous couple lines with a reference to masturbation.
Mariah from New York, NyThe band didn't break up, they have Rome now...?
Mic from Tualatin, Orsorry to correct ya but the scrapped title for mca's debut sublime album was " kilin' it " and then changed because of bradley's death.
Pedro from Chula Vista, CaThey've remixed this song a looot of times. There used to be a whole "CD" of the different versions on the Sublime Archive but Universal shut the Sublime and LBDAS sections down. Also, Miguel Happoldt sings summertime at the beginning because Bradley had sung "doin' time" but Gershwin said no and then Brad died and they didn't get to change it so Miguel sings the beginning.
Bankhead from Atlanta, GaThe self titled album Sublime was orignally called Doin' Time but was changed after Brad's death and before the album was released. Because. Doin' time is a reference to DOING HEROIN. "Me and my girl got this relationship" His heroin addiction. "I love her so bad, but she treats me like...." Being strung out. "on lockdown like a penitentiary" Addiction. It goes on with references about heroin being his creative fuel. The song ends with another reference "evil, i've come to tell you that shes evil" and so on, also talking about heroin.
Graham from Sdfs, Cowhen he sings to "on the microphone with ras MG" he is refering to Marshall goodman who co wrote the song
Mariana from Annandale, VaThey REALLY did a remix with Snoop Dogg for this song, it's on the "Everything Under the Sun" Box Set!
Scott from Pittsburgh, PaThis song is dope. It reminds me of orange soda.
Jeri from Edmonton, CanadaIs this the song where in the video there's an INSANELY creepy clown guy that gives the little boy icecream and scratches his chest... then he chases the kid on the slip n' slide? If it's not... then i'm a bit stupid but I've seen it before and it's funny stuff. (the clown's the dad from the "wrong way" video....)
Will from Kansas City, MoThere is also a remix I have of this song that was produced by Wyclef Jean of "The Fugees".
Carlo from Milwaukee, WiThis song was remixed almost a dozen times. One version did feature Snoop Dogg singing the hook and adding a short verse at the end.
Derek from St.clair Shores, MiI dont think they remixed this song with Snoop Dogg Jennie....They remixed it with the Pharcyde. The pharcyde are great though they had that sweet song Passin Me by.
Jeff from San Diego, CaIf you don't like Sublime, I think you might be either deaf or a little mental. (((Todos Santos Rules!!!)))
Iris from El Paso, TxMy Ex, Dave(2003-2004) & Summer of 2001 with Jasmin, Adrian & Rick! That's all I gotta say!
Jennie from Jacksonville, FlThey later did a remix of the song with Snoop Dogg (who is also from Long Beach, CA)

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