Doin' Time

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"Doin' Time"
Single by Sublime
from the album Sublime
ReleasedNovember 25, 1997
Recorded1996
Genre
Length4:12
LabelGasoline Alley
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Sublime singles chronology
"Wrong Way"
(1997) 		"Doin' Time"
(1997)

"Doin' Time" is a song by American band Sublime, appearing as the closing track on their self-titled third album. The lyrics tell of a cheating girlfriend, whose infidelities and poor treatment of her lover makes him feel like he is in prison. It was released as a single on November 25, 1997; the disc contained alternate versions of the song by Wyclef Jean and the Pharcyde. Additional versions appeared on the post-Bradley Nowell compilation album Second-hand Smoke and several bootlegs, including one with Snoop Dogg.

This song reached number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 28 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Composition

"Doin' Time" samples jazz flautist Herbie Mann's cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime" from the opera Porgy and Bess. Mann's version is a live bossa nova version from his album Herbie Mann at the Village Gate. The band originally recorded the song with the lyrics "doin' time and the livin's easy". In order to release the song using the Gershwin sample, the band had to agree to use the line "summertime" instead of "doin' time". However, the song was already recorded with the "doin' time" lyric, and lead singer Bradley Nowell had recently died of a heroin overdose. The lyric was re-recorded by Sublime's friend/producer Michael Happoldt singing "summertime". It is this version of the song that appears on Sublime's self-titled album.[1] Future Long Beach Dub Allstars DJ Marshall Goodman appears on the recording and is mentioned in the lyrics.

The line "And we can do it like this, in the place to be." is sampled from the Beastie Boys' "Slow and Low" from their 1986 album Licensed to Ill. The song also samples "Jump for Jah" and "Come Now" by Ini Kamoze, "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McLaren, and "Holy Thursday" by David Axelrod.

Re-release

The original version of "Doin' Time" with the original, unaltered vocal was released in 2006 on the Deluxe Edition of the band's self-titled Sublime album, as well as the 2 disc 180 gram vinyl "Back To Black 60th Vinyl Anniversary" edition. The deluxe edition also includes 5 remixes of "Doin' Time", and the original music video.

Track listing

  1. "Doin' Time" (Bradley Version) – 4:16
  2. "Doin' Time" (Remixed by Wyclef Jean) – 3:49
  3. "Doin' Time" (Remixed by Marshall Arts featuring The Pharcyde) – 4:10
  4. "Doin' Time" (Album Version) – 4:12

Charts

Chart (1997–98) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 87
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[3] 28

Lana Del Rey version

"Doin' Time"
Single by Lana Del Rey
from the album Norman Fucking Rockwell!
ReleasedMay 17, 2019 (2019-05-17)
Studio
  • Gold Tooth (Los Angeles)
  • Sarm (London)
GenreTrip hop
Length3:22
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lana Del Rey singles chronology
"Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – but I Have It"
(2019) 		"Doin' Time"
(2019) 		"The Greatest"
(2019)
Music video
"Doin' Time" on YouTube

On May 7, 2019, American singer Lana Del Rey teased a cover of the song and said it was "coming soon".[4] Del Rey's cover was officially released on May 17, 2019, coinciding with the premiere of a documentary about Sublime at the Tribeca Film Festival.[5] It was released as the fourth single from Del Rey's sixth studio album Norman Fucking Rockwell!. On August 29, 2019, she released a music video for the cover, she increased in height from 170 centimeters to 17 meters, which referenced the film Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958). When asked about covering the song, Del Rey credited the transitioning of and shifts in genres to Sublime, saying the group "made a genre and sound totally their own", adding that because of the indelible "SoCal vibe" the group created, "not a day goes by that [she does not] listen to at least one Sublime song."[6]

Critical reception

Del Rey's version of "Doin' Time" was met with unanimous acclaim, with music critics as well as Sublime's former bandmates and family offering praise for Del Rey's treatment of the song.[6][7]

An article from Rolling Stone that described Del Rey's cover as "shimmering" and "glittering" included Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh's personal evaluation of Del Rey's version, wherein Gaugh lauded the incorporation of her well-recognized vocal style into the song and said that the "smoky, sexy, and iconic sound of her voice breathes new life into one of our favorite singles."[6] In an interview published by iHeartRadio, Troy Dendekker, the widow of Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell, likewise praised Del Rey's cover by calling it "magical and haunting" and explained that it was "an honor to have [Del Rey’s] talent complement the Sublime legacy."[7]

Billboard, reviewer Gil Kaufman stated that Del Rey "does [the song] justice", particular highlighting how Del Rey incorporated her own "sleepy, intimate vibe over the song's laid-back groove."[8] The Fader's Meaghan Garvey gave a positive review to the song, saying that "the song of the summer is 'Doin' Time' by Sublime, as sung by Lana herself”, and opined that “[Del Rey's] version of 'Doin' Time' improves upon the original, with its slinkier arrangement and fluttering bridge.".[9] Stereogum's Keely Quinlan gave an overwhelmingly positive review, praising it as a "very, very good" cover and went on to state that Del Rey's "stacked, reverb-soaked vocals fit this vibe expertly, and some additional percussion adds a gorgeous sweetness."[10] Eric Torres of Pitchfork also gave praise to Del Rey's version when he described the cover as "decidedly within Del Rey's wheelhouse" and highlighted the way in which Del Rey "[adapted] Bradley Nowell's expressive rapping into her own blasé drawl."[11]

Music video

In the video, Del Rey — as an analog of the 50 Foot Woman — appears amid locations across Los Angeles. At the video's beginning, Del Rey is found reclining in an empty channel of the L.A. River. She plucks a palm tree out of the ground and walks up a downtown L.A. street with it, then drops it. She then drinks from a water tower (which has disappointingly little water in it, reflecting the lyric that her lover cheats and then there's very little left for her) and checks her makeup in a glass window. She steps over a freeway and goes to Venice Beach, where she walks into the ocean and splashes in the water. This is revealed to be a movie that Lizzy, the old Lana, is watching at the Drive-In. She sees her boyfriend making out with another girl and she doesn't look pleased. After messing with sand, Lana from the movie blows a sandstorm into the audience, then climbs out of the drive-in screen to shake & drop the car her boyfriend and the other girl is in, killing them, exacting revenge on behalf of Lizzy. She and Lizzy give each other a smile, then she climbs back into the movie.

Credits and personnel

  • Lana Del Rey – vocals
  • Andrew Watt – production, instrumentation, programming, guitar, mixing
  • Happy Perez – production
  • Eric Wilson – bass guitar
  • Josh Freese – drums
  • Bud Gaugh – drums
  • Gayle Levant – harp
  • Paul LaMalfa – mixing, engineering
  • Dave Kutch – mastering

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37] Platinum 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[38] Gold 40,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[39] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[40] Gold 5,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 1,000,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[44] Gold 1,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Awards

Year Awards ceremony Award Results Ref
2020 MTV Video Music Awards Best Alternative Nominated

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States May 17, 2019
[46]
May 20, 2019 Alternative radio [47]
Italy May 24, 2019 Contemporary hit radio Universal [48]
United Kingdom September 13, 2019 Polydor [49]

References

  1. ^ Sublime - Stories, Tales, Lies and Exaggerations (1998) DVD
  2. ^ "Sublime Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Sublime Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Lana Del Rey Shares Sublime Cover Snippet: Watch". Pitchfork. 7 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Lana Del Rey on Instagram: "My @sublime cover Doin' Time coming out Friday for the new doc about them."". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
  6. ^ a b c Zemler, Emily (May 17, 2019). "Hear Lana Del Rey's Shimmering Cover of Sublime's 'Doin' Time'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Nattress, Katrina (May 18, 2019). "Lana Del Rey Releases Cover Of Sublime's 'Doin' Time'". iHeartRadio. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Kaufman, Gil (May 17, 2019). "Lana Del Rey Maxes, Relaxes on Chill 'Doin' Time' Cover: Stream it Now". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Garvey, Meaghan (May 20, 2019). "The Sublime joy of Lana Del Rey covering 'Doin' Time'". The Fader. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  10. ^ Quinlan, Keely (May 17, 2019). "Lana Del Rey – 'Doin' Time' (Sublime Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Torres, Eric (May 18, 2019). "'Doin' Time' by Lana Del Rey Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  12. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. May 27, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  14. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  15. ^ "Lana Del Rey Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  16. ^ "Lana Del Rey - Chart history (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 15, 2019. (subscription required)
  17. ^ "Croatia ARC TOP 100". HRT. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201921 into search. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  19. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  20. ^ "Official IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 36 2019". IFPI Greece. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  21. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  22. ^ "VINSÆLDALISTI RÁSAR 2". RÚV. Archived from the original on March 8, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  23. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Lana Del Rey". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  24. ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 24, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  25. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  26. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  27. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  28. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201921 into search. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  29. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 21". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  30. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  32. ^ "Lana Del Rey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  33. ^ "Lana Del Rey Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  35. ^ "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  36. ^ "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  38. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time". Music Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  39. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 22, 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Doin' Time in the search box.
  40. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  41. ^ "Lana Del Rey - Doin' Time". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  43. ^ "American single certifications – Lana Del Rey – Doin' Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  44. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 11/2022" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  45. ^ "MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 2020 WINNERS ANNOUNCED—SEE THE FULL LIST". AltPress. Retrieved September 28, 2020. 31 August 2020.
  46. ^ "Doin' Time - Single". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  47. ^ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". AllAccess. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  48. ^ "Lana Del Rey - Doin' time (Radio Date: 24-05-2019)". Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  49. ^ "Radio 1 Playlist". BBC. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
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