The Big 4 Greatest Songs About Weed In Rock

It’s impossible to say whether people figured out music or marijuana first, but the two have clearly been intertwined for generations. Across rock history, countless artists have written about getting high—sometimes celebrating cannabis for its euphoric qualities, other times crediting it as a source of creative spark.

Given the sheer volume of weed-inspired tracks, narrowing down a definitive “Big 4” isn’t easy. Factoring in cultural impact, originality, and popularity, the following songs stand out as enduring examples.

Steve Miller Band – “The Joker”
One of rock’s most iconic stoner anthems was born in a casual setting. Steve Miller recalled that the song came together at a party in Novato, where he sat on a car hood under the night sky with an acoustic guitar. That’s where the now-famous line—“I’m a joker, I’m a smoker, I’m a midnight toker”—first emerged.

With its laid-back groove and breezy chorus, “The Joker” feels steeped in a mellow haze. Released in 1973 as the title track of the band’s album, it quickly resonated with both rock audiences and cannabis enthusiasts, eventually topping the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 and becoming the group’s signature hit.

Black Sabbath – “Sweet Leaf”
Master of Reality opens with the sound of coughing—an intentional nod to marijuana use that leads straight into “Sweet Leaf.” Drummer Bill Ward later confirmed the moment was deliberate, revealing that guitarist Tony Iommi provided the cough after taking a hit.

The track itself is a full-throated tribute to cannabis, with Ozzy Osbourne delivering lyrics that frame the drug as a liberating force. Beyond its subject matter, “Sweet Leaf” helped lay the foundation for what would become known as stoner metal.

Bob Dylan – “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”
Dylan has long denied that this track was meant as a drug reference, insisting that “stoned” was used in its biblical sense—suggesting punishment for those who defy convention. Considering the backlash he faced when shifting from folk to rock, that interpretation holds some weight.

Still, Dylan’s reputation for layered songwriting leaves room for doubt. The repeated refrain “Everybody must get stoned,” paired with the song’s loose, celebratory brass arrangement, has long been embraced by listeners as a cannabis-friendly anthem. Whether intentional or not, it’s been a staple for fans for decades.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”
Tom Petty once described himself as “a reefer guy,” calling cannabis a “musical drug.” Still, he remained deliberately vague about the meaning behind “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” allowing listeners to form their own conclusions.

Guitarist Mike Campbell echoed that ambiguity, suggesting the song could be interpreted as a drug reference, a love story, or something else entirely. Even so, lines like “Last dance with Mary Jane / One more time to kill the pain” have led many to associate it with marijuana. The track has endured as one of the band’s most popular songs, amassing hundreds of millions of streams and maintaining a lasting presence in rock culture.