Because I Got High | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| G5 | C5 | D5 | G5 |
Roll another blunt… yeah (oh, oh, oh) O.K.
| G5 | C5 | G D5 | G5 |
La da da da da, la da da, la la la la, la la la la, la la la la-a.
Verse 1
| G5 | C5 |
I was gonna clean my room, until I got high (ha ha) (ooh, oh, oh).
| D5 | G5 |
I was gonna get up and find the broom, but then I got high (uh, la da da da da da).
| G5 | C5 |
My room is still messed up, and I know why (why man?).
| G5 D5 | G5 |
Yeah-he ‘cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high (la da da da, da da da).
Verse 2
I was gonna go to class, before I got high (c’mon y’all, check it out) (oh, oh, oh).
I could’a cheated and I could’a passed, but I got high (uh uh la la da da da).
I’m takin’ it next semester and I know why (why man?) (yeah hey).
‘Cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high. (Go to the next, go to the next, go to the next) (bu-huh!)
Verse 3
I was gonna go to court, before I got high (oh, oh, oh).
I was gonna pay my child support, but then I got high (no you weren’t, yeah).
They took my whole paycheck (ah) and I know why (why man?) (yeah, hey eh).
‘Cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high. La da da da, da da.
Verse 4
I wasn’t gonna run from the cops but I was high (uh, I’m serious man) (oh, oh, oh).
I was gonna pull right over and stop but I was high (uh) (la da da da da da).
Now I’m a paraplegic (ha ha ha) and I know why (why man?).
Yeah-he ‘cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high (la da da da da da).
Verse 5
I was gonna make love to you, but then I got high (ooh) (I’m serious).
I was gonna eat your pussy too (ohhh) but then I got high (your trippin’, your trippin’) (la da da da).
Now I’m jackin’ off (ahh) and I know why (turn this shit off, ha ha ha)
‘Cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high (keep going, keep going).
Verse 6
| G | C |
I messed up my entire life, because I got high (go, go, go, go, go).
| D7 | G |
I lost my kids and wife, because I got high (say what, say what, say what?).
| G7 | C |
Now I’m sleepin’ on the sidewalk and I know why (why man?).
| G D7 | G |
(Yeah yeah) ‘Cause I got high, because I got high, because I got high (la da da da da da).
Verse 7 (same as 1-5)
I’ma stop singing this song because I’m high (raise the ceiling… baby oh).
I’m singing this whole thing wrong because I’m high (bring it back, bring it back, oh yeah).
And if I don’t sell one copy, I’ll know why (why man?) (yeah hey).
Cause I’m high, cause I’m high, cause I’m high (la da da da da da).
Outro
| G5 | C5 |
La da da da da, la da da da (he really is high man).
| D5 | G5 |
Shoop shoop sho do be do wa. Get jiggy with it, skip i di be bap.
Because I Got High Chords: Master the Easy Power Chords in G
Moving only between I, IV, and V on repeat, the chords for Because I Got High don’t require much thought—probably a great idea if you’re high!
The only variation comes at the end, where the turnaround moves I – V – I, or G5 – D5 – G5, using simple, easy-to-play guitar chords.
Here’s the complete chord progression for Because I Got High in the key of G:
||: G5 (I) | C5 (IV) | D5 (V) | G5 |
| G5 | C5 | G5 D5 | G5 :||
Normally, when you see power chords (5 chords), you might think of Green Day and their A and E shapes. But for Because I Got High on an acoustic guitar, we can use open-position chords instead.
This will require some muting, and I’ve included TAB to explain it properly. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Because I Got High – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve got the TAB down, a simple chord chart is all you need. Here’s one I made for you.
Because I Got High Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
As the chord progression never changes, it might be tempting to simply write it down with a repeat sign once.
However, doing this would mean missing out on the variation in verse 6, where we ditch the power chords and even throw in a dominant 7th chord. The ending is also different.
If you’d like to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Because I Got High Chord Chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro. Here’s a link to that file: Because I Got High iReal Pro. With this file and the iRealPro app, you can easily change the key if this one feels too high!
Because I Got High’s background and success
Because I Got High is a single released in 2000 by American rapper Afroman, initially distributed through the file-sharing site Napster.
At first, the song didn’t gain much traction. However, once Howard Stern began playing it on his famous radio show, it quickly spread like wildfire.
A year after its initial release, the song became the theme of Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back, a film reminiscent of the ’70s stoner duo Cheech and Chong, propelling it to worldwide success.
The lyrics highlight all the negatives of marijuana smoking, yet the singers and rappers laugh it all off, perfectly capturing the core feature of the drug—mess up, don’t care, and find it funny. Because I Got High encapsulates this essence of the pothead’s philosophy perfectly.
Because I Got High Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Because I Got High (Afroman) Guitar Lesson wtih TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: