Posted on Sep 26, 2012

17 Hits That Are Not-So-Secretly About Drugs

Musicians have been trying to sneak references to getting high into their songs for years. Here are some very famous examples. What did we miss?

by Matthew Perpetua

BuzzFeed Staff

There is some chance that this song about cocaine was subtle at the time, but...probably not? — youtube.com

There is some chance that this song about cocaine was subtle at the time, but...probably not?

youtube.com

There is some chance that this song about cocaine was subtle at the time, but...probably not?

These folkies managed to score a hit children's song about smoking weed in the mid-Sixties. Good work! — youtube.com

These folkies managed to score a hit children's song about smoking weed in the mid-Sixties. Good work!

youtube.com

These folkies managed to score a hit children's song about smoking weed in the mid-Sixties. Good work!

The Stones have a bunch of songs about heroin – apparently "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was slang for a method of injecting heroin into one's tear ducts!" – but this one is about a bored housewife who gets hooked on barbiturates. — youtube.com

The Stones have a bunch of songs about heroin – apparently "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was slang for a method of injecting heroin into one's tear ducts!" – but this one is about a bored housewife who gets hooked on barbiturates.

youtube.com

The Stones have a bunch of songs about heroin – apparently "Jumpin' Jack Flash" was slang for a method of injecting heroin into one's tear ducts!" – but this one is about a bored housewife who gets hooked on barbiturates.

I hope I'm not blowing your mind or anything, but this is a song about LSD. — youtube.com

I hope I'm not blowing your mind or anything, but this is a song about LSD.

youtube.com

I hope I'm not blowing your mind or anything, but this is a song about LSD.

The lyrics reference Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, but it's really about tripping on LSD and/or shrooms. — youtube.com

The lyrics reference Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, but it's really about tripping on LSD and/or shrooms.

youtube.com

The lyrics reference Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, but it's really about tripping on LSD and/or shrooms.

It's about LSD, which once came in the form of purple capsules. — youtube.com

It's about LSD, which once came in the form of purple capsules.

youtube.com

It's about LSD, which once came in the form of purple capsules.

Ozzy was never good with subtlety: This is obviously a song about smoking weed. — youtube.com

Ozzy was never good with subtlety: This is obviously a song about smoking weed.

youtube.com

Ozzy was never good with subtlety: This is obviously a song about smoking weed.

If the "midnight toker" line didn't tip you off, this is a song about weed, a drug that will convince you that there is such a thing as "The Pompatus of Love." — youtube.com

If the "midnight toker" line didn't tip you off, this is a song about weed, a drug that will convince you that there is such a thing as "The Pompatus of Love."

youtube.com

If the "midnight toker" line didn't tip you off, this is a song about weed, a drug that will convince you that there is such a thing as "The Pompatus of Love."

A lot of hit songs from the Eighties were in some way influenced by cocaine; this one is widely believed to be about getting coked up. — youtube.com

A lot of hit songs from the Eighties were in some way influenced by cocaine; this one is widely believed to be about getting coked up.

youtube.com

A lot of hit songs from the Eighties were in some way influenced by cocaine; this one is widely believed to be about getting coked up.

Here's a mind-blower for you: Dr. Feelgood is a drug dealer! — youtube.com

Here's a mind-blower for you: Dr. Feelgood is a drug dealer!

youtube.com

Here's a mind-blower for you: Dr. Feelgood is a drug dealer!

The "Mary Jane" that's killing Tom Petty's pain is, duh, marijuana. — youtube.com

The "Mary Jane" that's killing Tom Petty's pain is, duh, marijuana.

youtube.com

The "Mary Jane" that's killing Tom Petty's pain is, duh, marijuana.

Cigarettes and alcohol are considered drugs, sure, but this is here mainly for the not-too-subtle reference to cocaine when Liam sings "you might as well do the white line." — youtube.com

Cigarettes and alcohol are considered drugs, sure, but this is here mainly for the not-too-subtle reference to cocaine when Liam sings "you might as well do the white line."

youtube.com

Cigarettes and alcohol are considered drugs, sure, but this is here mainly for the not-too-subtle reference to cocaine when Liam sings "you might as well do the white line."

This may sound like pure bubblegum, but the lyrics are about a crystal meth addict. — youtube.com

This may sound like pure bubblegum, but the lyrics are about a crystal meth addict.

youtube.com

This may sound like pure bubblegum, but the lyrics are about a crystal meth addict.

There's a lot of rap songs about purple drank; this was the first to break through to the mainstream. — youtube.com

There's a lot of rap songs about purple drank; this was the first to break through to the mainstream.

youtube.com

There's a lot of rap songs about purple drank; this was the first to break through to the mainstream.

This one is about getting busted for driving under the influence. — youtube.com

This one is about getting busted for driving under the influence.

youtube.com

This one is about getting busted for driving under the influence.

"Yellow diamonds in the light" comes off as poetic imagery, maybe, but it's a reference to Ecstasy. — youtube.com

"Yellow diamonds in the light" comes off as poetic imagery, maybe, but it's a reference to Ecstasy.

youtube.com

"Yellow diamonds in the light" comes off as poetic imagery, maybe, but it's a reference to Ecstasy.

youtube.com

"Somethin' bout Mary, she gone off that Molly / Now the whole party is meltin' like Dali." Hip-hop is overflowing with songs about MDMA right now, this is just a very high-profile example.

Share This Article