What I Got

“What I Got”
Single by Sublime from the album Sublime
Released	August 27, 1996
Recorded	1995 & 1996
Genre	Alternative rock Ska punk
Length	2:51
Label	MCA Records
Writer(s)	Sublime
Producer	David Kahne
Sublime singles chronology
"Date Rape" (1996) "What I Got" (1997) "Santeria" (1998)

"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 Airplay.^[1]

It is ranked among the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone at #83.^[2] 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

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 "Mona Lisa (Nappy Heads Remix)" by The Fugees.

What I Got: The Seven Song EP

Track listing

1. "What I Got" (Kahne Radio Edit) (2:47)
2. "40 oz. to Freedom" (3:03)
3. "D.J.s" (3:18)
4. "All You Need" (2:46)
5. "Same in the End" (2:39)
6. "Work That We Do" (2:35)
7. "Doin' Time" (Marshall Arts Remix) feat. the Pharcyde (4:12)

Music video

The video for "What I Got", shot after Nowell's death, mainly contains a collage of archive videos and photos of Bradley, as a tribute to the singer. The video includes images of Long Beach, CA, where the band met their success, as well as live footage from a Sublime show at The Capitol Ballroom in Washington, DC.

References