[Chorus] Legalize it And don't criticize it Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) And I will advertise it
[Verse 1] Some call it tampje (Tampje) Some call it the weed (Tampje) Some call it marijuana (Marijuana) Some of them call it ganja (Ganja)
[Chorus] Legalize it And don't criticize it Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) And I will advertise it
[Verse 2] Singers smoke it And players of instrument too Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) That's the best thing you can do Doctors smoke it, nurses smoke it Judges smoke it, even the lawyer do
[Chorus] So you've got to legalize it And don't criticize it Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) And I will advertise it
[Verse 3] It's good for the flu Good for asthma Good for tuberculosis Even umara composis
[Chorus] Got to legalize it And don't criticize it Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) And I will advertise it
[Chorus] So you've got to legalize it And don't criticize it Legalize it (Yeah, yeah) And I will advertise it
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Genius Annotation1 contributor
The song was written in response to his ongoing victimization by the Jamaican police and as a political piece pushing for the legalization of cannabis, particularly for medical use.
In 1977, Tosh backed this up by saying “We are the victims of Rasclot circumstances. Victimization, colonialism, gonna lead to bloodbath”.
The track was banned when released in Jamaica in 1975. Attempts to suppress the song failed, however, catapulting Tosh to international fame.
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