''Robbin' the Hood'' is the second studio album by American
ska punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music. Ska punk tends to feature brass instruments, especially Horn (instrument), horns such as trumpets, trombones and woodwind instruments like saxophones ...
band
Sublime, released on March 1, 1994, on
Skunk Records
Skunk Records is a Long Beach, California based record label that was founded by Michael "Miguel" Happoldt and Bradley Nowell in 1990. Skunk is affiliated with the spinoff label Cornerstone R.A.S.
The inspiration for forming a record label cam ...
. It is noted for its experimental nature, low production values, and numerous samples and interpolations of other artists. It is their final studio album released in lead singer
Bradley Nowell
Bradley James Nowell (February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996) was an American musician and the lead singer of the band Sublime.
Born and raised in Belmont Shore, Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an interest in music at a young age. Nowell ...
's lifetime.
Music and background
''Robbin' the Hood'' is notable for having low production values (the album sleeve boasts of its "13 self produced 4-track home recordings"), as well as including multiple samples and lyrics from other artists. The album also features three "Raleigh Soliloquies", selections from a rant recorded by a man with
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
named Raleigh Theodore Sakers.
Follow up
Some of the songs on the album contain parts that were later reused by the band on other albums. For example, the principal chord progression in the instrumental "Lincoln Highway Dub" was featured again in the band's later hit "
Santeria", and elements of "Work That We Do" would later appear in "Under My Voodoo". Incidentally, it was during the recording of ''Robbin' the Hood'', that the band recorded demos of "
What I Got
"What I Got" is a song from American band Sublime's self-titled third album (1996). It was released to modern rock and college radio on July 23, 1996. The song's chorus is a lift from "Loving" by reggae artist Half Pint, who is credited as a co ...
" and "Garden Grove."
Influences and covers
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer.
Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
, of
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboar ...
, contributes guest vocals on the track "Saw Red", notably before either Sublime or No Doubt enjoyed mainstream success. Many of Sublime's melodies and riffs have not only been influenced by, but directly taken from, other reggae artists and bands. "Steppin' Razor", originally written by
Joe Higgs
Joseph Benjamin Higgs (3 June 1940 – 18 December 1999) was a reggae musician from Jamaica. In the late 1950s and 1960s he was part of the duo Higgs and Wilson together with Roy Wilson. He was a popular artist in Jamaica for four decades and i ...
, was covered by
The Wailers
Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as the Wailers and prior to that the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and the Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Rober ...
and later popularized by
Peter Tosh
Winston Hubert McIntosh (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band Bob Marley and the Wa ...
in his solo career. In "Greatest Hits", Nowell mentions
The Ziggens, their "brother" band signed to the same label. The guitar riff and associated
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular r ...
in the song was borrowed from
Yellowman
Winston Foster , (1956 or 15 January 1959) better known by the stage name Yellowman and also known as King Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a serie ...
. Boss D.J. is partially a cover of a song by British reggae band
Aswad
Aswad are a British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid-1970s, having released a total of 21 albums. Their UK hit singles include the number one "Don't Tu ...
, "Roots Rocking". The Free Loop Dub borrows the melody from the song "
Loaded" by Scottish alternative rock band
Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...
. "STPs lyrics "Baby you wanna give me kisses ... but a taste of honey is worse than none at all" are borrowed from "
I Second That Emotion
"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. First charting as a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on the Tamla/Motown label in 1967, "I Second That Emotion" was later a hit single for the group du ...
".
A number of other bands are either mentioned explicitly, alluded to, or sampled. These include:
Steady B
Warren Sabir McGlone (born September 17, 1969), known by the stage name Steady B, is an American hip hop emcee who, along with Schoolly D, the Fresh Prince, and Three Times Dope, was one of the first wave of Philadelphia-area emcees to gain n ...
,
Barrington Levy
Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist from Clarendon, Jamaica.
Career
In 1977, Levy formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Bla ...
,
Geto Boys
Geto Boys (originally spelled Ghetto Boys) were an American hip hop group originally formed in Houston, Texas. They saw commercial success in the 1990s with the lineup consisting of Bushwick Bill, Scarface and Willie D. The group became best ...
,
the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...
,
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
,
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
,
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (born March 16, 1959), known by his stage name Flavor Flav ( ), is an American rapper and television personality. Known for his catchphrase "Yeah, boyeeeeee!" when performing, he is a founding member alongside Chuck ...
,
Just-Ice
Joseph Williams Jr. (born June 22, 1965), better known by the stage name Just-Ice, is an American rapper from New York City.
Career
In 1986, he was charged with the murder of drug dealer Ludlaw DeSouza, but later proven innocent.Bradley, Joh ...
,
Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
,
The Residents
The Residents are an American art collective and art rock band best known for their avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, ''Meet the Residents'' (1974), they have released over 60 albums, numerous music vid ...
and
Jack Owens.
[
]
Critical reception
''Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'', reviewing Sublime's debut album ''40oz. to Freedom
''40oz. to Freedom'' is the debut studio album by American ska punk band Sublime, released on June 1, 1992, on Skunk Records. It was later reissued by MCA. ''40oz. to Freedom''s sound blended various forms of Jamaican music, including ska ( "Da ...
'' and legacy in 2018, made a brief acerbic mention of this album, saying it "was so haphazard and caustic that only the most devoted fan could tolerate any significant time with it (it was recorded in a crack house, and it sounded like it)."
Sputnikmusic gives a more generous review with 4.5/5 stars, reviewing in 2008 and noting the prescience of front man Bradley Nowell's lyrics, "the messages within Robbin' the Hood leave timeless impressions. They preach real-life problems and solutions, and Bradley Nowell's lyrics were far ahead of his time," a nod mostly to Nowell's prediction that one day his substance abuse problems would prove fatal ("one day I'm gonna lose the war..."). The article praises the album's ability to mix its eclectic influences, all the while, "there isn't one noticeable mistake anywhere on the album". The article conjectures that the inclusion of the Soliloquies was for the sake of conveying the ethos of the band, "they really explain what Sublime was all about...fun."
Track listing
All songs written by Sublime unless otherwise noted.
# "Waiting for Bud" – 1:02
# "Steady B Loop Dub" – 1:23 (Contains samples of " Badfish", and "Bring the Beat Back" by Steady B
Warren Sabir McGlone (born September 17, 1969), known by the stage name Steady B, is an American hip hop emcee who, along with Schoolly D, the Fresh Prince, and Three Times Dope, was one of the first wave of Philadelphia-area emcees to gain n ...
.)
# "Raleigh Soliloquy Pt. I" – 1:46
# "Pool Shark" – 0:57
# "Steppin' Razor" (Joe Higgs
Joseph Benjamin Higgs (3 June 1940 – 18 December 1999) was a reggae musician from Jamaica. In the late 1950s and 1960s he was part of the duo Higgs and Wilson together with Roy Wilson. He was a popular artist in Jamaica for four decades and i ...
) – 2:24 (Contains a sample of Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band formed in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in 1971 by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Originally having a traditional band lineup, Becker and Fagen cho ...
's " Do It Again".)
# "Greatest-Hits" – 2:53 (Contains a sample of "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng!" by Yellowman and a partial cover of the Mad Mad riddim, first heard in "Mad Mad Mad" by )
# "Free Loop Dub" – 3:08 (Contains a sample of " Loaded" by Primal Scream
Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...
.)
# "Q-Ball" – 0:43
# "Saw Red" - 1:57 (Featuring guest vocals from Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer.
Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
. Contains a partial cover of "She's Mine" by Barrington Levy
Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist from Clarendon, Jamaica.
Career
In 1977, Levy formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Bla ...
.)
# "Work That We Do" – 2:34
# "Lincoln Highway Dub" – 2:21 (The intro is 30 seconds. The chord progression, melody, and elements of the guitar solo were later used in " Santeria")
# "Pool Shark (Acoustic)" – 1:25
# "Cisco Kid" – 4:38 (Contains samples of "Introduction" by Guru
Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
, "When the Music's Over
"When the Music's Over" is an epic song by the American rock band the Doors, which appears on their second album '' Strange Days'', released in 1967. It is among the band's longer pieces, lasting 11 minutes.
Origin
Like several other tracks f ...
" by the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...
, dialogue from ''Scarface
Scarface may refer to:
Gangster-related
* Scarface, nickname for Al Capone (1899–1947), an American gangster and a businessman.
* ''Scarface'' (novel), a novel by Armitage Trail, loosely based on Capone's rise to power
** ''Scarface'' (1932 ...
'', and clips from ''The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in ''Everybody's Maga ...
'')
# "Raleigh Soliloquy Pt. II" – 3:39
# "S.T.P." – 2:57 (Contains lyrics from "I Second That Emotion
"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song written by Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland. First charting as a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on the Tamla/Motown label in 1967, "I Second That Emotion" was later a hit single for the group du ...
" by Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he ...
)
# "Boss D.J." – 2:51 (Contains partial covers of "Do it Twice" and "Waiting in Vain" by Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
, as well as Aswad's "Roots Rocking", although Roots Rocking covers "Do it Twice" as well.)
# "I Don't Care Too Much for Reggae Dub" – 5:20
# "Falling Idols" – 2:37 (Ross Fletcher/William Pangborn III; originally performed by the Falling Idols)
# "All You Need" – 2:45 (Contains a lyric from " Fight Like a Brave" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
)
# "Freeway Time in L.A. County Jail" – 3:17 (Contains slightly modified lyrics from "The Hukilau Song
"The Hukilau Song" is a song written by Jack Owens in 1948 after attending a luau in Laie, Hawaii.Daniel (2007)"Jack Owens - The Cruising Crooner"RogerOwensPeanutman.com (accessed June 11, 2007)
Covers
The song has been recorded many times by ...
" by Jack Owens and "Them Belly Full" by Bob Marley)
# "Mary" – 1:34
# "Raleigh Soliloquy Pt. III" / "Don't Push" / untitled / "The Farther I Go" (Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, on January 1, 1988, following the demise of Green River (band), Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner (guitari ...
) – 8:29
Notes
* Track 22 includes several hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...
s including an alternate version of "Don't Push" and an untitled dub song that includes snippets of "Boss D.J." The original Skunk Records
Skunk Records is a Long Beach, California based record label that was founded by Michael "Miguel" Happoldt and Bradley Nowell in 1990. Skunk is affiliated with the spinoff label Cornerstone R.A.S.
The inspiration for forming a record label cam ...
release also contains a cover of Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, on January 1, 1988, following the demise of Green River (band), Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner (guitari ...
's "The Farther I Go," which was removed from the Gasoline Alley/ MCA re-release for legal reasons.
Notable songs
No singles were released from ''Robbin' the Hood,'' although the songs "Pool Shark," "STP," "Saw Red," "Boss D.J.," and "Greatest-Hits" became some of Sublime's best-known songs. Two versions of "Pool Shark," about frontman Bradley Nowell's addiction to heroin, appear on the album: An uptempo punk-rock version and a more emotional acoustic version. The uptempo version later appeared on Sublime's ''Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' album, while an acoustic version is featured on 1998's '' Sublime Acoustic: Bradley Nowell & Friends.'' "Saw Red" was included on ''Second Hand Smoke,'' ''Greatest Hits'' as well as the '' 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Sublime'' compilation.
Personnel
Sublime
* Bradley Nowell
Bradley James Nowell (February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996) was an American musician and the lead singer of the band Sublime.
Born and raised in Belmont Shore, Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an interest in music at a young age. Nowell ...
- vocals, guitar
* Eric Wilson - bass, sh-101 synthesizer
* Bud Gaugh
Floyd "Bud" Gaugh is an American drummer who is a member of the band Sublime, and previously played in Long Beach Dub Allstars (1997–2002), Eyes Adrift (2002–2003), Volcano (2004), and Sublime with Rome (2009–2011), as well as Phil & the ...
- drums
Additional personnel
* Marshall Goodman - turntables, drum kit
* Doug Boyce - turntables
* Kelly Vargas - drum kit
* Opie Ortiz
Opie Ortiz is an American artist specializing in tattoos, pop art and murals. Ortiz is best known for his art featured on Sublime album covers. Murals painted by Ortiz can be found in and around Long Beach, California.
Career
Ortiz operated Amer ...
- drum kit
* Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer.
Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
- vocals
* Michael "Miguel" Happoldt - manager, guitar, vocals
* Raleigh Theodore Sakers - vocals (tracks 3, 14, 22)
Production
* Sublime - production
* Michael "Miguel" Happoldt - production, engineer
* Bradley Nowell
Bradley James Nowell (February 22, 1968 – May 25, 1996) was an American musician and the lead singer of the band Sublime.
Born and raised in Belmont Shore, Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an interest in music at a young age. Nowell ...
- engineer
* Donnell Cameron - engineer
* Opie Ortiz
Opie Ortiz is an American artist specializing in tattoos, pop art and murals. Ortiz is best known for his art featured on Sublime album covers. Murals painted by Ortiz can be found in and around Long Beach, California.
Career
Ortiz operated Amer ...
- artwork
Charts
References
{{Authority control
1994 albums
MCA Records albums
Sublime (band) albums
Experimental music albums