Pass the Dutchie explained

Pass The Dutchie
Cover:Pass the Dutchie single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Musical Youth
Album:The Youth of Today
B-Side:Please Give Love a Chance
Released:17 September 1982
Recorded:August 1982
Genre:Reggae
Length:3:25[1]
6:05 (12" single version)
Label:MCA
Producer:
Prev Title:Generals
Prev Title2:Political
Prev Year:1981
Next Title:Youth of Today
Next Year:1982

"Pass the Dutchie" is a 1982 song performed by British-Jamaican band Musical Youth, taken from their debut studio album, The Youth of Today. It was produced by Toney Owens from Kingston, Jamaica. The song was a major hit, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart, and at least five other countries. It peaked at 10 in the United States and sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

Background

The song was the band's first release on a major label. Following a shouted intro taken from U Roy's "Rule the Nation" with words slightly altered, the track combined two songs: "Gimme the Music" by U Brown, and "Pass the Kouchie" by Mighty Diamonds, which deals with the recreational use of cannabis (kouchie being slang for a cannabis pipe).[2] For the cover version, the song's title was bowdlerised to "Pass the Dutchie", the new word being a patois term for a Dutch oven, a type of cooking pot.[3] All obvious drug references were removed from the lyrics; e.g., instead of the original "How does it feel when you got no herb?", the cover version refers to "food" instead. The song was commissioned by the record company to turn "Pass the Kouchie" into a radio friendly hit for a wider audience. Toney Owens came up with the modified lyrics after coming home one night on an empty stomach.[4]

The song was first championed by radio DJ Zach Diezel and became an instant hit when it was picked up by MCA Records in September 1982. It debuted at number 26 on the UK chart and rose to number 1 the following week.[2] In February 1983, it reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US.[5] Though they would have subsequent Top 40 hits in other countries, "Pass the Dutchie" remains their only hit in the US. The song also scored the number 1 position in at least five other countries, eventually selling more than five million copies worldwide.[6] [7] After the song was featured in the Netflix series Stranger Things in 2022, it experienced a resurgence of popularity, re-entering a number of international charts.[8]

Music video

The video, directed by Don Letts,[9] was shot partly on the southern banks of the River Thames in London, by Lambeth Bridge. It depicts the band performing the song and playing instruments. At the same time, a school official appears to arrest them, wherein he ends up falling down and breaking his arm.[10] This footage is interspersed with courtroom scenes (featuring Julian Firth), where the band is put on trial. The trial ends with the jury finding the band not guilty, leading them to celebrate in the courtroom.

Track listing

A. "Pass the Dutchie" – 3:25

B. "Please Give Love a Chance" – 3:36

A. "Pass the Dutchie" – 6:05

B. "Pass the Dutchie" (Special Dub Mix) – 4:40

  1. "Pass the Dutchie" (Molella Mega Club Mix) – 4:20
  2. "Pass the Dutchie" (Molella Hard Ragga Mix) – 5:00
  3. "Pass the Dutchie" (Molella Radio Mix) – 3:40
  4. "Pass the Dutchie" (Original 7" Version) – 3:23
  1. "Pass the Dutchie" (Exclusive Version) – 3:40
  2. "Pass the Dutchie" (Singalong Version) – 3:40
  1. "Pass the Dutchie" (Re-Recorded / Remastered) – 3:40
  2. "Pass the Dutchie" (Dubstep Kings Remix) – 4:05
  3. "Pass the Dutchie" (Singalong Version) – 3:40
  4. "Pass the Dutchie" (Dubstep Kings Instrumental Remix) – 4:05
  1. "Pass the Dutchie" (Odjbox Remix) – 3:42
  1. "Pass the Dutchie" (Star Slinger Remix) – 3:42
  1. "Pass the Dutchie 21" – 4:33

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

1982–1983 weekly chart performance for "Pass the Dutchie"!Chart (1982–1983)!Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] 1
Canada (The Record)[19] 1
Iceland (RÚV)[20] 10
Spain (AFYVE)[21] 1
2016 weekly chart performance for "Pass the Dutchie"!Chart (2016)!Peak
position
2022 weekly chart performance for "Pass the Dutchie"!Chart (2022)!Peak
position
Global 200 (Billboard)[22] 108
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[23] 23
Lithuania (AGATA)[24] 50
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 89

Year end charts

1982 year-end chart performance for "Pass the Dutchie"! Chart (1982) ! Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[27] 58
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[28] 21
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 9
1983 year-end chart performance for "Pass the Dutchie"! Chart (1983) ! Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[32] 47
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[33] 91
West Germany (Official German Charts)[34] 17

Certifications

Cover versions

Notes and References

  1. Pass The Dutchie . December 14, 2018 . . YouTube.
  2. Web site: Musical Youth lose legal battle over Pass The Dutchie . 2012-03-23 . . 2014-03-29.
  3. News: Christgau's Consumer Guide . . 25 January 1983 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170709122913/http://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv1-83.php . 9 July 2017 . live . Christgau . Robert . Robert Christgau.
  4. 12 February 2022. Geen joint, wel een kookpot. DM.magazine . 446 . 54 . Sasha Van Der Speeten. DPG Media.
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Billboard Publications . 8th.
  6. Web site: Famous for 15 months . 2003-03-21 . . . 2010-05-30.
  7. Book: Simpson, Paul . The rough guide to cult pop . Rough Guides . 2003 . 9781843532293 . 2012-02-22.
  8. Web site: 'Dutchie' gets hot again . 2022-06-13 . Kevin Jackson . . 2014-03-29.
  9. Web site: Musical Youth - "Pass the Dutchie". 2012-03-18. www.mvdbase.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20181014204252/http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=19739. 2018-10-14.
  10. Web site: Musical Youth - Pass The Dutchie . YouTube . 17 June 2022 . en.
  11. Web site: Discography - Musical Youth . musicalyouth.net . 2022-03-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120206221808/http://www.musicalyouth.net/discography.htm . 2012-02-06.
  12. Web site: Musical Youth - Pass The Dutchie (Vinyl) at Discogs . . 2012-03-18.
  13. Web site: Pass The Dutchie (Exclusive Version) . Spotify . 2022-06-18.
  14. Web site: Pass The Dutchie by Musical Youth on Amazon Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2022-06-18.
  15. Web site: Pass The Dutchie (Odjbox Remix) by Musical Youth on Amazon Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2022-06-18.
  16. Web site: Pass The Dutchie (Star Slinger Remix) by Musical Youth on Amazon Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2022-06-18.
  17. Web site: Pass The Dutchie 21 by Musical Youth on Amazon Music . Amazon.co.uk . 2022-06-18.
  18. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 212.
  19. Book: Nanda Lwin. Nanda Lwin. Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. 1999. 1-896594-13-1.
  20. News: Topp 10 vinsælustu lögin. DV. is. 37. 29 October 1982. 12 December 2020 . 1021-8254. Timarit.is.
  21. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st . September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  22. Billboard Global 200: Week of June 25, 2022. Billboard. 21 June 2022.
  23. Web site: Tónlistinn – Lög. The Music – Songs. is. Plötutíðindi. 24 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220613201832/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/. 13 June 2022.
  24. Web site: 2022 24-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100). lt. AGATA. 17 June 2022. 17 June 2022.
  25. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 13 June 2022. 11 June 2022.
  26. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100: 10 June 2022 - 16 June 2022. OCC. 10 June 2022. 18 June 2022.
  27. Web site: Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982. Kent Music Report. Imgur. 4 June 2022.
  28. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1982. Ultratop. 5 February 2022.
  29. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982. Dutch Top 40. 5 February 2022.
  30. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1982. dutchcharts.nl. 5 February 2022.
  31. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 1982. Recorded Music NZ. 4 June 2022.
  32. Web site: Kent Music Report No 497 – 2 January 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1983. Kent Music Report. Imgur. 4 June 2022.
  33. December 24, 1983 . Talent Almanac 1984: Top Pop Singles . TA-18 . Billboard . 95 . 52.
  34. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. German. GfK Entertainment. offiziellecharts.de. 5 February 2022.
  35. Web site: Dezil' - Laisse tomber les filles (qui se maquillent) . lescharts.com . 2008-10-02 . fr.

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