I was first introduced to Jack Johnson’s music while watching Curious George as a child, so naturally, “Upside Down” is one of my all time favorite songs.
As I grew up I continued to hear Jack Johnson’s music all around me; “Better Together” and “Good People” became staples on my favorite study playlist, and “Banana Pancakes” always puts me in a good mood.
That being said, it came as a complete surprise to me that Jack Johnson, the man I had grown up listening to, attended UCSB — our university! More than that, though, he seems to have put the vibe of UCSB on the map. Why didn’t I know this?!
Maybe I’m just out of it and everybody already knows about UCSB and Jack Johnson’s connection — but if you also don’t, I got you, girl! I’ve scoured the web in search of the many ways Jack Johnson and UCSB are intertwined, and some may surprise you.
If you’ve been keeping tabs on Johnson’s music for a while, you’ve definitely gotten a sense of his overall vibe: surfing, hacky sacks, and sunsets surely come to mind. In actuality, this vibe is accurate to Johnson’s life and hobbies, minus the hacky sacks — which cannot be confirmed… at this time.
Johnson was an avid surfer and a film major during his time at UCSB, both of which led him to later produce a short film about surfing called September Sessions. Johnson has always loved the ocean and surfing, but that love extends to the rest of nature as well. UCSB, being the highly sustainable school it is, was the perfect place for Johnson to observe ways we can all be more environmentally conscious.
After Johnson’s time at UCSB, utilizing what he learned on campus, he created a social action network called All At Once where he continues to share tips on how we can all be more environmentally conscious. Johnson and his wife later won the UCSB Distinguished Alumni Award for their stellar environmental consciousness throughout Johnson’s music career and even in the public education system near their home in Hawaii. I’m seriously not kidding when I say that Johnson is the poster child for sustainability — disposable silverware is legitimately banned from his tours.
The environment at UCSB was not the only thing Johnson adored during his time in our wonderful community — the people he met and the classes he took here deserve just as much recognition. It might shock you to know just how much the people and places of UCSB influenced Johnson’s music. Here is a comprehensive rundown.
- Johnson was in the band Soil, which opened for Sublime at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 1995 and also played at many backyard band parties in Isla Vista. If you have parents that went to UCSB, they were probably at one of these parties.
- Johnson’s song “Inaudible Melodies” was written in order to get an extension on a paper.
- In “Do You Remember,” Johnson admits to locking his bike to a girl named Kim’s, his classmate and future wife, so he would have the chance to ask her out.
- De La Guerra Dining Commons is mentioned in the song “Bubble Toes.”
It is of note to mention that Johnson’s writing about one of UCSB’s great dining halls did not go unnoticed by the university — in fact, banana pancakes are frequently served on weekends in honor of him.
The history of Jack Johnson and UCSB exemplifies the kind of relationship many of us seek to have — one where both parties thrive, even for years after they cross paths. Every time I see a group of surfers, musicians, or aspiring filmmakers on campus I’m reminded of Johnson and his legacy at this school, our school.
Jack Johnson provides a stellar example of the kind of person I hope to be when I grow up; I want to be somebody who follows their passions and supports causes they believe in wholeheartedly. I am proud to say I attend the same school that influenced Johnson in so many ways, and I hope you are too!