Lana Del Rey & Sublime: "Doin' Time" Mellow Version

Imagine “Doin’ Time” stripped down to a mellow solo piano: Sublime’s laid-back reggae groove melts into Lana Del Rey’s dreamy melancholia, with jazzy chords underpinning the familiar melody. The result is a dusky, lounge-style reinterpretation that evokes balmy summer nights tinged with bittersweet nostalgia.

This post is part two of the Mild & Mellow Sheet Music Series.

Mild & Mellow Sheet Music Series

Bob Marley: "Three Little Birds" Mellow Version

About Lana Del Rey’s version of “Doin’ Time”:

Lana Del Rey’s rendition of “Doin’ Time,” released in 2019 for the Sublime documentary Sublime, reimagines the ’90s ska-punk classic through her signature haze of West Coast noir-pop. She retains the song’s laid-back summertime groove and cheeky Gershwin–inspired hook but bathes it in languid, surf-rock guitars, vintage reverb, and her sultry, lilted vocals that drift between wistful and sly. The production—handled by frequent collaborators Andrew Watt and Happy Perez—adds lush strings and shimmering atmospherics, turning the track into a cinematic daydream that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. By smoothing the original’s rough edges and emphasizing its melodic allure, Del Rey transforms “Doin’ Time” into a sun-drenched lament that perfectly fits her California-cool aesthetic while paying affectionate homage to Sublime’s carefree spirit.

Original Video for Sublime’s “Doin’ Time”:

🎶 “Doin’ Time” Intermediate Piano: Lyrical Version

Key features of this version:

This piano solo arrangement is a subtle mashup of Lana Del Rey’s cover of “Doin’ Time” and includes the full outro from Sublime’s original version (which is omitted from her version). It’s the best of both worlds - colliding!
10 total pages
Includes full lyrics
Run time is approximately 5:00