Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Marijuana, Marijuana

Tune of "Frere Jacques:"

Marijuana, marijuana
LSD, LSD
College Kids are making it
High school kids are taking it
why can't we? Why can't we?

This was the version I was hearing in middle school (early 90s). The rumor at the time was that it was written by Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Not sure where THAT came from; the song has been going around since the 1960s (probably not before then, given the LSD reference). Variations include mentioning the teachers and principal instead of "college kids" and "High school kids," or politicians (ie, Richard Nixon makes it, Hubert Humphrey takes it, which may be the earliest version). May have started on the East Coast - in Sherman's book (see the sidebar at the right), both of her sources from the 1960s were from there.
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20 comments:

  1. michaelgsmithDecember 9, 2009 at 10:55 AM

    Charlotte, NC, circa mid-1980s (when Reagan was president, of course):

    Betty Crocker makes it
    Ronald Reagan takes it

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2010 at 12:40 PM

    Maryland, 1980s:

    PCP,PCP (because phencyclidine was a drug you heard a lot about back then)
    Everybody grows it
    Ronald Reagan smokes it

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 16, 2010 at 12:30 AM

    betty crocker makes it bill clinton takes it

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 2, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    East Hartford Ct Early 70's

    Marijuana, marijuana
    LSD, LSD
    College Kids make it
    High school kids take it
    why can't we? Why can't we?

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 1, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    I first saw it in a compilation book of Matt Groening's "Life in Hell" comic strip.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousDecember 4, 2011 at 2:39 AM

    Vestal, NY 1969 or 70
    Marijuana, marijuana
    LSD, LSD
    College Kids make it
    High school kids take it
    why can't we? Why can't we?

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousDecember 24, 2011 at 12:13 AM

    Sang this song in 3rd Grade on the school bus in Connecticut... 1979

    Marijuana Marijuana

    LSD LSD

    Scientist make it

    People take it

    Why can't we Why Can't we

    there are earlier versions and later versions

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousFebruary 27, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    We sang this in the Phillippines in the mid 60's except we sang scientist make it teachers take it why can't we

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 4, 2012 at 3:20 PM

    in the 1960s it was:

    scientists make it,
    Mayor Lindsey takes it,
    why can't we
    why can't we

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jon SmithJuly 4, 2012 at 9:19 AM

    I remember this song. I remember first hearing it second grade in 1995 about Bill Clinton

    ReplyDelete
  11. steambadgerJuly 30, 2012 at 7:49 AM

    scientists make it
    teenagers take it
    why can't we?

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousNovember 17, 2012 at 5:00 PM

    queens, ny 1973

    Rockefeller makes it
    Mayor Lindsey takes it
    Why can't we? Why can't we?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Someone with CSFebruary 19, 2013 at 1:45 AM

    early eighties when I heard it like this
    Marijuana, marijuana
    LSD, LSD
    Teachers grow it
    Principals smoke it
    why can't we? Why can't we?

    Of course we were also going down the halls singing the chorus from another brick in the wall

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nigel SmitesFebruary 23, 2013 at 7:50 PM

    Has anybody heard of Major Murphy's Raiders?

    We are Major Murphy's Raiders,
    Raiders of the night.
    We are a bunch of mother fuckers who rather fuck than fight.
    Roley, poley,
    Dickie in the holey.
    Who the Hell are we?
    We are Major Murphy's raiders, raiders of the night.

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownApril 1, 2013 at 2:29 PM

    Either 1968 or 69, Manchester, NH

    Marijuana, marijuana
    LSD, LSD
    College Kids are making it
    High school kids are taking it
    why can't we? Why can't we?

    ReplyDelete
  16. DanSeptember 17, 2013 at 11:46 PM

    Marijuana marijuana
    LSD LSD
    Government makes it
    Our parents take it
    So why can't we, why can't we?

    Mid 80's version

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  18. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:23 PM

    Scientists make it
    Teachers take it
    Central Illinois circa 1969

    ReplyDelete
  19. UnknownSeptember 25, 2015 at 1:27 PM

    Scientists make it
    Teachers take it
    Central Illinois circa 1969

    ReplyDelete
  20. AutumnAugust 17, 2016 at 3:24 AM

    Paranoia, paranoia,
    Are you sane? Are you sane?
    Someone's out to get you, they're all out to get you,
    Run away, run away.

    ReplyDelete

PLEASE tell us where and when you heard your version (ie, "Chicago, early 1950s). And please be aware that the information may end up in a book sooner or later. Comments are screened; too much spam.