What I Got

"What I Got" is a song from Sublime's eponymous third album titled Sublime and was the band's biggest radio hit, posthumously after singer Bradley Nowell's 1996 heroin overdose. This song was one of the most popular songs of 1997 and is still played on radio today. At the time of its release, it reached the #1 spot on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was also a mainstream Top 40 hit, peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone at #83. The song is noted for carrying a melody almost identical to that heard on The Beatles' "Lady Madonna", while the song itself is an adaptation of the track "Loving" by Half-Pint. Half-Pint has since performed songs with the Long Beach Dub Allstars, which includes the two surviving members of Sublime. It can be heard on the movie, Fun with Dick and Jane. A shortened, clean version of the song was also included in the video game Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. The guitar solo was played by Michael “Miguel” Happoldt, the founder of Skunk Records. The song was covered by Michael Franti & Spearhead feat. Gift of Gab on the tribute album Look at All the Love We Found. The song contains a sample of the words "too short" from "Life Is... Too Short" by the American rapper Too Short. The song also contains a sample from a Richard Pryor quote, the same Richard Pryor quote that is used in Ol' Dirty Bastard's Shimmy Shimmy Ya. The sentence "Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest" is taken from "Nappy Heads" by The Fugees.

[Intro] Fuck, you can't even sing [Verse 1] Early in the mornin', risin' to the street Light me up that cigarette and I'll strap shoes on my feet Got to find the reason, reason things went wrong Got to find the reason why my money's all gone I got a dalmatian and I can still get high I can play the guitar like a motherfuckin' riot [Verse 2] Well, life is (Too short), so love the one you got 'Cause you might get run over or you might get shot Never start no static, I just get it off my chest Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest Take a small example, take a ti-ti-ti-tip from me Take all of your money, give it all to charity-ty-ty-ty Love is what I got, it's within my reach And the Sublime style's still straight from Long Beach It all comes back to you, you're bound to get what you deserve Try and test that, you're bound to get served Love's what I got, don't start a riot You'll feel it when the dance gets hot [Chorus] Lovin' is what I got I said, remember that Lovin' is what I got And remember that Lovin' is what I got I said, remember that Lovin' is what I got (I got, I got, I got) [Verse 3] Why I don't cry when my dog runs away I don't get angry at the bills I have to pay I don't get angry when my mom smokes pot Hits the bottle and goes right to the rock Fuckin' and fightin'; it's all the same Living with Louie Dog's the only way to stay sane Let the lovin', let the lovin' come back to me [Chorus] 'Cause lovin' is what I got I said, remember that Lovin' is what I got And remember that Lovin' is what I got I said remember that Lovin' is what I got (I got, I got, I got) [Outro] We're not that far off So, that's See, but We're done, man