"Tripping Billies" is a song by the Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...

, released as the fifth single from the album Crash

Crash (Dave Matthews Band album)

Crash is the second studio album by Dave Matthews Band, released on April 30, 1996. It includes the band's most successful single, "Crash into Me".The album has been certified 7× platinum.-Track listing:All songs by David J...

. It originally debuted on their independent release Remember Two Things

Remember Two Things

Remember Two Things is an album by Dave Matthews Band, released independently on the band's Bama Rags label in 1993. This was the only release where the band was referred to as "The Dave Matthews Band." It was reissued by RCA Records on June 24, 1997 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2002...

. It reached #18 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It has been regarded as having a very difficult and precise drum part played by the band's Carter Beauford

Carter Beauford

Carter Anthony Beauford is an American drummer, percussionist, and founding member of Dave Matthews Band. He is known for his ability to adapt to a variety of genres, and both his ambidextrous and his open hand drumming styles. He plays the drums and sings backing vocals in the band...

.

History and production

The name "Tripping Billies" came to be when a band member's girlfriend told Dave Matthews that his band sounded like "a bunch of hillbillies tripping on acid". The band thought this was hilarious and named this song after it.

Dave talked about the origins of this song at the show that was recorded for VH1 Storytellers

VH1 Storytellers

Storytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...

on 03-24-1999. This part of the show, however, was not part of the aired program but can be heard on the fan traded tape of the show. He said that the "Dragons were smoked" line is a reference to "Puff, the Magic Dragon

Puff, the Magic Dragon

"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by Yarrow's group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song achieved great popularity and has entered American and British pop culture.-Lyrics:...

". He also mentioned taking some LSD on a beach in South Africa with Julia Grey and some friends. Then shortly thereafter deciding that he did not want to trip. "I was looking at my girlfriend Julia's face and then it melted into my mother's! And I thought, 'oh, no, that's not good.'"

Covers

Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett

James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...

 has performed "Tripping Billies" at concerts on numerous occasions.

Track listing

1. "Tripping Billies" (Edit) — 4:18
2. "Tripping Billies" (Album Version) — 5:00
3. "Tripping Billies" (Live Version) — 5:28

Charts

Chart (1996)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...	18