The musical styles of Blood Sugar Sex Magik differed notably from the techniques employed on the band's preceding album, Mother's Milk (1989), and featured little use of heavy metal guitar riffs. The album's subject matter incorporated sexual innuendos and references to drugs and death as well as themes of lust and exuberance.
The album has sold over seven million copies in the United States alone and became the Red Hot Chili Peppers' introduction into popularity and critical acclaim. Blood Sugar Sex Magik produced many hits for the band, including "Give It Away", "Under the Bridge", "Suck My Kiss", and "Breaking the Girl".
The record also marked the departure of guitarist John Frusciante mid-tour in 1992, until his return in 1998.
The Power of Equality
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At night when something just ain't right
Blood red, but without sight
Exploding egos in the night
Mix like sticks of dynamite
Red black or white, this is my fight
Come on courage, let's be heard
Turn feelings into words
American equality has always been sour
An attitude I would like to devour
My name is peace, this is my hour
Can I get just a little bit of power
The power of equality
Is not yet what it ought to be
It fills me up like a hollow tree
The power of equality
Right or wrong, my song is strong
You don't like it, get along
Say what I want, do what I can
Death to the message of the Ku Klux Klan
I don't buy supremacy
Media chief, you menance me
The people you say cause all the crime
Wake up motherfucker and smell the slime
Blackest anger, whitest fear
Can you hear me, am I clear
My name is peace, this is my hour
Can I get just a little bit of power
The power of equality
Is not yet what it ought to be
It fills me up like a hollow tree
The power of equality
I've got tapes
I've got CDs
I've got my Public Enemy
My lily white ass is tickled pink
When I listen to the music that makes me think
Not another motherfuckin' politician
Doin' nothin' but something for his own ambition
Never touch the sound we make
Soul sacred love, vows that we take
To create straight what is true
Yo he's with me and what I do
My name is peace, this my hour
Can I get just a little bit of power
The power of equality
Is not yet what it ought to be
It fills me up like a hollow tree
The power of equality
Madder than a motherfucker, lick my finger
Can't forget, cause the memory lingers
Count 'em off quick, little piccadilly sickness
Take me to the hick, eat my thickness
I've got a welt from the Bible belt
Dealing with the hand that I've been dealt
Sitting in the grip of a killing fist
Giving up blood just to exist
Rub me wrong and I get pissed
No I can not get to this
People in pain, I do not dig it
Change of brain for Mr. Bigot
Little brother do you hear me
Have a heart oh come get near me
Misery is not my friend
But I'll break before I bend
What I see is insanity
Whatever happened to humanity?
Whatever happened to humanity?
Whatever happened to humanity?
The Power of Equality by Red Hot Chili Peppers is a song about social injustice and the struggle for equality. The lyrics express the frustration of a person who wants to be heard and seen but has been oppressed by society. The opening line, "I've got a soul that can not sleep," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is restless, unable to find peace in a world that is unjust. The lyrics also reflect the explosive tension that can arise when egos clash, like "sticks of dynamite."
The song explicitly calls out white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan, stating that the singer does not buy into their supremacist ideology. There's a call to arms for people to wake up and see the reality of society's crimes. The lyrics urge people to turn their feelings into words and fight for change. The chorus asserts the power of equality, which is not yet what it ought to be. The singer asserts that they need "just a little bit of power" to create change.
In the final verse, the lyrics address the grip of religion and how it can perpetuate injustice. The song asks for a change of heart and mind among bigoted people, encouraging people to come together and reject misery and insanity. The song ends by asking, "Whatever happened to humanity?"
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a soul that can not sleep
My conscience is restless and I cannot ignore the injustice in the world.
At night when something just ain't right
When something isn't right, it keeps me up at night.
Blood red, but without sight
The world is violent and bloody, yet people are blind to it.
Exploding egos in the night
People's egos clash and explode, causing more violence.
Mix like sticks of dynamite
When egos clash, it's like dynamite ready to explode.
Red black or white, this is my fight
No matter what race someone is, we are all fighting for equality.
Come on courage, let's be heard
We need the courage to speak up and be heard.
Turn feelings into words
We need to turn our emotions into words to express ourselves.
American equality has always been sour
Equality in America has always been lacking.
An attitude I would like to devour
I would like to change the attitude towards inequality.
My name is peace, this is my hour
I am peace and this is when I will make my stand.
Can I get just a little bit of power
I need some power to create change.
The power of equality
Equality is powerful.
Is not yet what it ought to be
But equality still isn't at the level that it should be.
It fills me up like a hollow tree
The absence of equality feels like a void inside me.
Right or wrong, my song is strong
I will always stand up for what I believe in, even if it's not popular.
You don't like it, get along
If you don't like my message, then move on.
Say what I want, do what I can
I'll speak my mind and do what I can to create change.
Death to the message of the Ku Klux Klan
The message of the KKK should be eliminated.
I don't buy supremacy
I don't believe in the idea of any one race being superior.
Media chief, you menace me
The media can be a negative influence.
The people you say cause all the crime
The media often stereotypes certain groups as the cause of all crime.
Wake up motherfucker and smell the slime
Wake up and realize that something is foul and needs to be fixed.
Blackest anger, whitest fear
Both black and white people experience anger and fear.
Can you hear me, am I clear
Can you hear my message and understand what I'm saying?
I've got tapes
I have music that inspires me.
I've got c.d.'s
I have CDs of music that inspires me.
I've got my Public Enemy
I have the music of Public Enemy, a political rap group.
My lilly white ass is tickled pink
I, a white person, am thrilled by music that speaks against inequality.
When I listen to the music that makes me think
The music that inspires me encourages me to think about social issues.
Not another motherfuckin' politician
I'm tired of politicians who don't take action.
Doin' nothin' but something for his own ambition
Politicians often only act for their own gain.
Never touch the sound we make
Politicians never address the issues that our music speaks about.
Soul sacred love, vows that we take
The music we make is important to us and we take vows to make meaningful music.
To create straight what is true
We try to create honest and truthful music.
Yo he's with me and what I do
My bandmate supports me and stands with me.
Madder than a motherfucker, lick my finger
I'm extremely angry and will stand up for myself.
Can't forget, cause the memory lingers
I will never forget the past injustices that I've experienced.
Count 'em off quick, little piccadilly sickness
Count off the injustices that still exist.
Take me to the hick, eat my thickness
The place with the worst injustice is where I will stand up the most.
I've got a welt from the Bible belt
I have suffered from religious discrimination.
Dealing with the hand that I've been dealt
I have to deal with the cards I've been given.
Sitting in the grip of a killing fist
I feel trapped and oppressed.
Giving up blood just to exist
Fighting for survival is a struggle.
Rub me wrong and I get pissed
If you challenge me or treat me unfairly, I will get angry.
No I can not get to this
I can't accept the way things are and I will fight to create change.
People in pain, I do not dig it
The pain of others is unacceptable to me.
Change of brain for Mr. Bigot
I hope that bigots will change their ways and become more accepting.
Little brother do you hear me
Do you understand what I'm saying, little brother?
Have a heart oh come get near me
Come closer and try to understand where I'm coming from.
Misery is not my friend
I will not let the world's misery become my companion.
But I'll break before I bend
I'd rather suffer than compromise my values.
What I see is insanity
The injustices that I see every day drive me crazy.
Whatever happened to humanity
What happened to our compassion?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Michael Balzary, John Anthony Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Alvarez
on Californication
People who harness the power of the mind try to manipulate your emotions
Young girls aspire to Hollywood fame and fortune while reciting memorable movie quotes
If you desire superficial fame and materialistic success, California is the place to be
California represents the epitome of the quintessential Western society
Although the sun rises in the East, California remains a constant and established location in contrast to the ever-changing world
Hollywood creates and sells the illusion of the California dream
Spend a lot of money to prevent or delay the physical symptoms of aging
The superficial appearance of celebrities can be deceiving; they may be fighting a personal battle to maintain their image
The rarities and impossible things that are unique to California
The explicit and suggestive nature of the entertainment industry in California
Marry me and be my inspiration to create new things and leave a mark in the world
Young women with information and resources at their disposal may make decisions that lead them down certain paths, such as becoming pregnant at a young age
Owning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a symbol of achieving fame and fortune, representative of the Californian dream
Despite space being seen as the most uncertain and mysterious frontier, the idea of it is created by Hollywood and is not a reality
Kurt Cobain, who died before the song was written, may still be listening to music in another realm
The fictional planet Alderaan from Star Wars represents another aspect of the Californian dream or illusion created by Hollywood
People in California are often raised with the idea that control over population is important and necessary
Everyone has experienced being controlled or manipulating others in some way, which is not limited to people being on vacation
While destruction can lead to difficult times, it can also provide the opportunity for new and creative things to be born
Earthquakes, which may be seen as destructive and terrifying, can also be seen as inspiring or beneficial, similar to how a girl's guitar strings vibrate to produce beautiful music
Even in the face of disaster, the draw and allure of the Californian dream or illusion created by Hollywood remains strong
There is no way to measure someone's mental or emotional state, but perhaps you crave these superficial things that come with the Californian illusion
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