Doin' Time

"Doin' Time" is a song by the American band Sublime for 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.

"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)

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

Composition

"Doin' Time" is a loose cover of "Summertime" by George Gershwin, composed for the opera Porgy and Bess. The track heavily samples a cover of "Summertime" by jazz flautist Herbie Mann, 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" 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 Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[2] 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, CA)
  • SARM (London, England)
GenreTrip hop
Length3:22
Label
Producer(s)
  • Andrew Watt
  • Happy Perez
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".[3] 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.[4] 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, which referenced the film Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958).

Analysis

Shortly after the release of Del Rey's cover, a general consensus began to form among many critics who noted an evident interconnection between “Doin’ Time” and other Sublime songs and Del Rey's own songs. One article particularly summarized these similar observations by noting that “Sublime’s songs, like [Del Rey’s], are set in the shadowy corners of California, teeming with star-crossed lovers, transcendental depravity, and A-1 storytelling.”[5]

Del Rey repeatedly uses California life, landmarks, and culture as a recurring motif in her songwriting, as well as expressing an admiration for summertime and the traditionally symbolic nature linking summertime to freedom. Comparisons were made to the multiple references Sublime also makes to "the LBC" and Summertime in "Doin' Time", but also to other allusions to California in general the band has made in other recordings. Del Rey has also utilized trip hop and hip hop elements in many of her own songs at various points throughout her career, particularly on her first major album Born to Die, wherein the singer's style of rapping and rhyming can be heard over trip hop-inspired production on many tracks. Similarly, Sublime's ska-inspired rapping and the trip hop-infused production of many of the group's recordings crafted a "SoCal vibe" within the ska genre. 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][7][8][9]

Most of the aforementioned critics concluded that the choice to have Del Rey cover the song was a well-made decision that yielded a satisfying finished cover. One reviewer in particular expressed that the cover felt so authentic that "it could have easily appeared on one of [Del Rey's] own albums." Another agreed, adding that the unique aesthetic Del Rey brings to the song makes her version "barely [even sound] like a Sublime cover." Much of the praise toward Del Rey's cover was directed at how the singer simultaneously stayed true to Sublime's original and intended sound, while also utilizing her own established vocal niches and techniques.[10]

Critical reception

Del Rey's version of "Doin' Time" received critical acclaim upon its release, with critics as well as Sublime's former bandmates and family offering praise for Del Rey's treatment of the song.[9][11]

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."[9] 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."[11]

In a highly positive review from 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." Kaufman further praised Del Rey's version saying, "You know you've nailed a cover when it feels like something that could have easily appeared on one of your own albums," further stating that Del Rey "is so deeply in the pocket on her super-chilled out version of Sublime's iconic 'Doin' Time' that it's easy to forget the SoCal reggae rockers released...[the song]...more than 23 years ago."[12] Alex Zaragoza of Vice particularly acclaimed Del Rey's version, saying it was "SoCal perfection...so perfect it's reasonable to think there's a Sublime poster hanging somewhere in her Malibu home."[10]

The Fader's Meaghan Garvey offered further acclaim to the song, saying that "the song of the summer is 'Doin' Time' by Sublime, as sung by Lana herself,” and provided such esteem to the cover that she opined “[Del Rey's] version of 'Doin' Time' improves upon the original, with its slinkier arrangement and fluttering bridge."[13] In a separate article, a second writer for The Fader similarly praised Del Rey's version and opened his critique of the track by saying that Del Rey's "new Sublime cover is...sublime" while calling it a "gorgeous" rendition. Comparable to other reviews, the reviewer further remarked that Del Rey's distinctive artistic approach and vocals ultimately shaped her version of the song into the final released single and said, "Lana's got such a consistent aesthetic that it barely sounds like a Sublime cover; it could have easily fit onto her last record, Lust For Life."[8]

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." The reviewer particularly commended Del Rey's treatment of the song's bridge, opining that it was where the singer "really soars" and makes "the otherwise violent lyric 'I'd like to hold her head underwater' sound unnervingly sexy."[14] Eric Torres of Pitchfork also gave praise to Del Rey's version and shared many of the same opinions as other reviewers when he described the cover as "decidedly within Del Rey's wheelhouse.” Torres also highlighted the way in which Del Rey "[adapted] Bradley Nowell's expressive rapping into her own blasé drawl.” He concluded by saying Del Rey's cover "will most likely remain a small treat in her discography...but its low calorie count shouldn't dissuade [listeners] from enjoying [its] simple pleasures."[15] A review from Radio.com additionally praised Del Rey's treatment of the song, remarking that she delivered a "soaring" cover of the song that "couldn't be more perfect.” The review further stated that the song was "born again" because of Del Rey's stylistic hallmarks including a "turned down tempo, the introduction of strings, and fluttering harmonies."[16]

Rob Arcand of Spin reacted favorably to the cover, particularly applauding Del Rey's devotion to the source material, saying that the cover "stays surprisingly true to the original, with plucked harp tones [and] big-beat breaks,” while only briefly critiquing the cover for having “very little record scratching.” Overall, he expressed admiration for Del Rey's adaptation and made clear his doubt that another performer could have covered the song in a way that was both faithful to the original version and Sublime's overall repertoire and also sonically evocative of the SoCal sounds that is evident in much of Del Rey's own discography. He concluded his review by saying, "Few bands are more quintessentially American than Sublime, so maybe it makes sense coming from [Del Rey and her] sonic reference points like "Sylvia Plath" and Norman Fucking Rockwell."[17]

Music video

In the video, Del Rey — as an analog of the 50 Foot giant 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
  • Gale Levant – harp
  • Paul LaMalfe – engineering, mixing
  • Dave Kutch – mastering

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[42] Gold 40,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States May 17, 2019
[43]
May 20, 2019 Alternative radio [44]
Italy May 24, 2019 Contemporary hit radio Universal [45]
United Kingdom September 13, 2019 Polydor [46]
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References
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  3. "Lana Del Rey Shares Sublime Cover Snippet: Watch". Pitchfork.
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  9. Zemler, Emily (May 17, 2019). "Hear Lana Del Rey's Shimmering Cover of Sublime's 'Doin' Time'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  10. Zaragoza, Alex (May 17, 2019). "Lana Del Rey's Sublime Cover Is SoCal Perfection". Vice. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
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