Love & Mary Jane

Today marks the unofficial holiday of 4/20. It is celebrated openly wherever Marijuana is legal, and privately where it is not. Currently there are 16 states permitting its recreational usage, with several others considering soon. Beloved weed and music man Willie Nelson even called for the president to declare April 20th a national holiday!

Another pro-pot musician was the mythical Rick James, who is here on display performing his cleverly coded hit song ‘Mary Jane.’ Most people would have assumed that it was about his love for a woman, but it was actually about his love for Marijuana. It wasn’t the first time that this had been done before, but it was certainly the most audacious performance of its era. The “King of Funk Punk” was quite the showman back in the day.

The first example I could find was from another legendary musician 50 years earlier back in 1928! Jazz virtuoso Louis Armstrong also had a marijuana inspired and encoded tune titled ‘Muggles.’

About The Author

Blake Walley

Blake Walley is a writer, reporter and producer. An idealist and truth-seeker obsessed with the future. A new media trailblazer and outside-the box-thinker. Former Las Vegas bartender influenced by Gonzo journalism. Inspired, eccentric, and always up for a challenge. Blake has been making waves for 10 years with his original analysis and creative style.

See author's posts