The music

This song begins with a backbeat from James Brown’s Funky Drummer, giving it its distinctive groove. Additionally, its slightly psychedelic vibe contains elements of acid, heroin, PCP, nitrous and ecstasy reminiscent of what can be heard on Grateful Dead albums (indeed, they had their own Merry Pranksters). Sublime member Brad Nowell tragically passed away from an accidental heroin overdose in 1996.

The ambiguous lyrics allow for many interpretations of this song. It could refer to love, drugs or spirituality – possibly Alice Bailey’s A Treatise on White Magic which talks about healing through “white light”. Perhaps this book inspired Lou Reed when writing his lyric of “White Light/White Heat”. Additionally it could refer to meth.