From John Fullerton
Dave,
I wrote a song called “Four Twenty Twenty Twenty-Four..” I hope you will do the honor of putting it to music and releasing it before the magic date of April 20. If you do that, I am sure you'll have a hit.
I was inspired to write it based on this story I found:
Have you heard the story about how “420” became slang for using marijuana because it was the police department’s radio code for calling in a marijuana-related violation? You’re not alone. But it’s also wrong.
Other wrong answers are that the term is derived from the number of chemical compounds in marijuana, the Grateful Dead’s preferred hotel room during tours, or the death date of Janis Joplin, Bob Marley or Jimi Hendrix. Actually it referred to the time of day that a small group of San Rafael High School teenagers would congregate on campus next to a statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to smoke together. The year was 1971, and the five students would simply tell each other “420” to communicate that they’d be meeting up to smoke marijuana that day. San Rafael High School is located in California’s Marin County, where the Grateful Dead band got its start. Dave Reddix, from the original group of San Rafael students, became a roadie for Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and is thought to be responsible for spreading the term to Deadheads. Some Deadheads put out a flyer inviting people to meet “at 4:20 on 4/20 for 420-ing” at a particular spot in Marin County. The flyer, however, contained an incorrect piece of information. It said that the use of the term 420 “started as the police code for Marijuana Smoking in Progress.” It’s unclear whether the organizers were misinformed or simply wanted to create a better backstory.
So I wrote this song...
“Four Twenty Twenty Twenty-Four”
(Verse)
Back in ‘71, the tale begins,
High school friends, sharing grins,
By Pasteur's statue, they'd convene,
At four twenty, on the scene.
Whisper "four-twenty," just to say,
Let's gather 'round and blaze away,
And from those days, a legend grew,
A code for pot-heads old and new.
A group of friends just having fun,
Livin’ life, on the run
Same time, they’d always meet,
To share a joint, and find their beat.
(Verse 2)
Four-two-oh, the term would spread,
By Deadheads grooving to Grateful Dead,
But myths arose, in the haze,
Truth obscured, in the craze.
Heard silly stories, yes indeed
‘Bout a code for cops or chemistry,
No it’s just us, we’re happy
friends sharing weed in harmony!
(Bridge)
So let's light up in memory,
To those who lived and loved so free,
A nod to friendship, and to bliss,
What we don’t forget, we reminisce.
(Refrain)
Four-two-oh, two-oh-two-four!
(Response) Palindrome!
Meet twenty minutes after 4!
Four-two-oh, two-oh-two-four!
(Response) Palindrome!
April twenty ‘24!
Four Twenty, Twenty Twenty-Four,
Done with school, meet back there;
Four Twenty, Twenty Twenty-Four
It's always 4:20 somewhere!
(Verse)
Not a police code, nor chemical count,
Just friends gathering to light a blunt,
Unity, in a cloud of smoke,
The way is clear, for thems that’s woke.
Hendrix, Joplin and Marley
We celebrate - tho it’s not their deathday;
A moment in time, forever more,
A toast to tokers from stoner lore!
So raise a joint, to those before,
Livin’ the high life forevermore;
Four twenty '24,
Don’t lick your lips,
no second-hand kiss!
(Refrain)
Four-two-oh, two-oh-two-four!
(Response) Palindrome
Meet twenty minutes after 4!
Four-two-oh, two-oh-two-four!
(Response) Palindrome
April twenty ‘24!
Four Twenty Twenty Twenty-Four,
We may be old, still back for more,
Four Twenty Twenty Twenty-Four
It's always 4:20 somewhere!
(Outro)
So raise your joint, or your bowl
To liberty, it’s beautiful!
With every toke, we'll declare,
It's always 4:20 somewhere!
Four Twenty, Twenty Twenty-Four,
Might be late but we’ll be there
Four Twenty, Twenty Twenty-Four,
It's always 4:20 somewhere!
John Fullerton
402-213-9945
Johnfullertonjr@gmail.com
