purchase [ Martin, Bogan & Armstrong]
This one appears to be a classic in its own realm, but - judging from the fact that several others have covered it - not so far out of the mainstream.
Back when I was an undergraduate student at "Camp Gitchie Goomie" (bonus points if you can provide its real name), the school hosted a group known as Martin, Bogan & Armstrong. From their album Martin, Bogan & Armstrong (maybe their only album?), here's a song that kinda pushes the limits of our current theme.
I mean, grass ... as in "weed"- of the once/still(?) semi-legal variety.
<If You'se a Viper> was written back in the '30s (soon we'll need to clarify that as the <19>30s!), and there are various interpretations of the song.
The title possibly refers (not reefers) to the sound that emanates from "toking" on a doobie: a hiss, not unlike one that a snake might make?
The song is credited to Snuff Smith (and that's another path worthy of following...).
In the 1920s/30s, a lot of jazz musicians smoked grass. There's a fair amount about the inter-twining of the song itself and the US/WWII era in the Wikipedia article that is fairly entertaining and informative. If the subject interests you, it is worth a read.
There are takes from Fats Waller, The Manhattan Transfer and Jim Kweskin.
Fats Waller above
Manhattan Transfer above
And the Jim Kweskin Band, too
