What I Got

"What I Got" is a song from American band Sublime's self-titled third album (1996). It was released to modern rock and college radio on July 23, 1996. The song's chorus is a lift from "Loving" by reggae artist Half Pint, who is credited as a co-writer.^[3][4] The melody and pacing of the verses is identical to the Beatles' "Lady Madonna".^[3][5] It was released after singer Bradley Nowell's death in 1996 from a heroin overdose and became the band's biggest radio hit.

"What I Got"
Single by Sublime
from the album Sublime
B-side	"Rivers of Babylon"
Released	July 23, 1996 (1996-07-23)
Studio	Pedernales (Austin, Texas) Total Access Recording (Redondo Beach, California)
Genre	Alternative rock[1][2]
Length	2:51 3:03 (reprise)
Label	Gasoline Alley MCA
Songwriter(s)	Bradley Nowell Eric Wilson Floyd Gaugh IV Lindon Roberts
Producer(s)	David Kahne
Sublime singles chronology
"Badfish" (1993) "What I Got" (1996) "Santeria" (1997)
Music video
"What I Got" on YouTube

"What I Got" reached the number-one spot on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and was also a mainstream radio hit, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. In New Zealand, "What I Got" peaked at number 34 on the RIANZ Singles Chart; What I Got: The Seven Song EP charted higher, reaching number 33 on the same chart. Elsewhere, the single reached number two on the Canadian RPM Alternative 30 chart and number 19 in Iceland. It is ranked on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" at number 83.^[6]

Music video

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

Track listings

Australian and European CD single[7] "What I Got" – 2:51 "Saw Red" – 1:57 "Jailhouse" (live) – 4:40 "What I Got" (demo version) – 2:39 UK CD single[8] "What I Got" (Super No Mofo edit) – 2:51 "Rivers of Babylon" – 2:29 "All You Need" – 2:45 "What I Got" (reprise) – 3:02

UK 7-inch single[9] A. "What I Got" (Super No Mofo edit) – 2:51 B. "Rivers of Babylon" – 2:29 What I Got: The Seven Song EP[10] "What I Got" (Kahne radio edit) – 2:48 "40 oz. to Freedom" – 3:18 "D.J.s" – 3:05 "All You Need" – 2:45 "Same in the End" – 2:38 "Work That We Do" – 2:37 "Doin' Time" (Marshall Arts Remix featuring The Pharcyde) – 4:12

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–1997) Peak position Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[11] 2 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 19 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 34 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] What I Got: The Seven Song EP 33 Scotland (OCC)[15] 76 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 71 US Radio Songs (Billboard)[17] 29 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[18] 39 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[19] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 11

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[21] 21 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[22] 28 Chart (1997) Position US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[23] 46 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[24] 50

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[25]	3× Platinum	90,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	July 23, 1996	Modern rock college radio	Gasoline Alley MCA	[26]
	September 24, 1996	Contemporary hit radio		[27]
United Kingdom	June 16, 1997	7-inch vinyl CD cassette		[28]