Frusciante joined the Chili Peppers at the age of 18 after the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak, and first appeared on their album Mother's Milk (1989). His second album with the band, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), was their breakthrough success. Overwhelmed by the band's newfound popularity, he quit in 1992. He became a recluse and entered a period of heroin addiction, during which he released his first solo recordings: Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt (1994) and Smile from the Streets You Hold (1997). In 1998, he completed drug rehabilitation and rejoined the Chili Peppers, taking them to major success with their albums Californication (1999), By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006). He left the Red Hot Chili Peppers again in 2009 to focus on solo work, and rejoined in 2019.
Frusciante's solo work encompasses genres including experimental rock, ambient music and electronica. He released six albums in 2004, each exploring different genres and recording techniques. In 2009, Frusciante released The Empyrean, which features Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Frusciante also releases acid house under the alias Trickfinger. With Klinghoffer and Joe Lally, he has released two albums as Ataxia.
Frusciante was named one of the greatest guitarists by Rolling Stone and Gibson, and in a BBC poll. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012.
Frusciante's musical style has evolved over the course of his career. Although he received moderate recognition for his early guitar work, it was not until later in his career that music critics and guitarists alike began to fully recognize it: in October 2003, he was ranked eighteenth in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Frusciante attributes this recent recognition to his shift in focus, stating that he chose an approach based on rhythmic patterns inspired by the complexity of material Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen produced. On earlier records, however, much of his output was influenced by various underground punk and new wave musicians.
In general, his sound is also defined by an affinity for vintage guitars. All the guitars that he owns, records, and tours with were made before 1970. Frusciante uses the specific guitar that he finds appropriate for a certain song. All of the guitars he owned before quitting the band were destroyed when his house burned down in 1996. The first guitar he bought after rejoining the Chili Peppers was a 1962 red Fender Jaguar. His most-often used guitar, however, is a 1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster that was given to him as a gift from Anthony Kiedis after Frusciante rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1998. He has played this guitar on every album since rejoining the Chili Peppers, and their ensuing tours. He also owns a 1955 Fender Stratocaster, his only Strat with a maple fretboard. Frusciante's most highly appraised instrument is a 1955 Gretsch White Falcon, which he used twice per show for the songs Californication and Otherside. Since 2006, he only uses it for the latter song, saying there was "no room for it", preferring multiple Stratocasters for the Stadium Arcadium tour. Virtually all of Frusciante's acoustic work is played with a 1950s Martin 0–15.
After leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he switched to using a Yamaha SG as his primary guitar for his solo work. "With the Yamaha SG, I could play along with guitar players who were playing, say, Les Pauls, and feel like the sound matched what I was hearing on the record. ... People like Robert Fripp, Mick Ronson, Tony Iommi, and particularly John McGeoch from Siouxsie and the Banshees, who played a Yamaha SG, which is why I bought one in the first place". Frusciante has also noted his increased use of the Roland MC-202 for his electronic music, saying that he was at the point "where I thought as much like a 202ist as I did a guitarist ..." The MC-202 has been his primary melodic instrument in his electronic music.
With the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frusciante provided backing vocals in a falsetto tenor, a style he started on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He thoroughly enjoyed his role in the Chili Peppers as backing vocalist, and said that backing vocals are a "real art form". Despite his commitment to the Chili Peppers, he felt that his work with the band should remain separate from his solo projects. When he returned to the Chili Peppers in 1998, Kiedis wanted the band to record "Living in Hell", a song Frusciante had written several years before. Frusciante refused, feeling that the creative freedom he needed for his solo projects would have conflicted with his role in the band.
water
John Frusciante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were all in water
Water we climb and run through it
Water inside
Were all in water
Reaching inside of a big death bag
When you go to danger
Where they are happens to be where thay have been
When you lower placement
The strong get stronger
Where you are when you waste there's a whip hitting you
Water inside were all in water
Water we climb and run through it
Water inside were all in water
Reaching inside of a big death bag
Every time i fake it
Devils crawl through me
I'm ashamed when i ignore the voices that agree
Get us all together
Where we all wish for the same thing
Its only a lie to recall believing in your body
Water inside were all in water
Water we climb and run through it
Water inside were all in water
Reaching inside of a big death bag
Reach inside of a bag
The lyrics to John Frusciante's song, Water, appear to revolve around the theme of water and its symbolism. The repeated phrase, "Water inside, we're all in water," suggests that we are all inherently connected to water and that it is an integral part of our existence. The notion of water as a life force is further emphasized in the lines "Water we climb and run through it," which suggests that water is not just something we passively exist in, but something we actively interact with.
However, the lyrics take on a darker tone in the verse that speaks of "reaching inside of a big death bag." This imagery can be interpreted as a metaphor for confronting one's own mortality, or facing the inevitability of death. The reference to danger and the idea of "ends being met" further reinforces this idea. The lines "When you lower placement, the strong get stronger" could also be seen as an allusion to the struggle for survival, or the notion that those who are already strong will only become stronger when faced with adversity.
The lyrics then take a more introspective turn with the lines, "Every time I fake it, devils crawl through me, I'm ashamed when I ignore the voices that agree." This suggests a struggle with inner demons or a loss of authenticity. The final lines, "Where we all wish for the same thing, it's only a lie to recall believing in your body," could be interpreted as a cynical commentary on the human condition, suggesting that our desires are ultimately unfulfillable or that our physical bodies are not enough to bring us true happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Water inside
Our true essence is like water – fluid and adaptable, always present within us.
Were all in water
Every living being is composed largely of water, connecting and uniting us all.
Water we climb and run through it
Life is like water, we move through it and it can challenge us, but it can also give us energy and nourishment.
Reaching inside of a big death bag
We are all born with mortality, and sometimes we must confront our own mortality to understand our place in the world.
When you go to danger
When we face danger or obstacles, it can lead to growth and clarity.
Ends are met and live
When we reach the end of a situation or phase in life, it can be an opportunity for new beginnings and growth.
Where they are happens to be where thay have been
We carry our past experiences and memories with us always, shaping who we are and where we go next.
When you lower placement
When we humble ourselves and let go of self-importance, we can learn and grow in new ways.
The strong get stronger
Power and strength can be self-reinforcing, helping those in privileged positions remain so, and widening disparities.
Where you are when you waste there's a whip hitting you
When we squander our time or potential, we may regret it and feel a sting of remorse or missed opportunity.
Every time i fake it
When we pretend to be someone we're not, it can erode our sense of self and lead to inner turmoil.
Devils crawl through me
Our negative thoughts and impulses can consume us like demons, and we must learn to master and control them.
I'm ashamed when i ignore the voices that agree
When we ignore our inner voice and common sense, we may regret it and feel a sense of shame or self-doubt.
Get us all together
We have a need for community and connection, and finding common ground can bring us together.
Where we all wish for the same thing
We all share basic human desires for happiness, love, and security, and understanding this can foster compassion and cooperation.
Its only a lie to recall believing in your body
Our physical bodies are impermanent and subject to decay, and clinging to them as our sole identity is a delusion.
Reach inside of a bag
Sometimes we must delve into the unknown or confront our fears to discover hidden truths or potential within us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN FRUSCIANTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sir Psycho Sexy
John's solo work is so overlooked. I mean, how can a song like this only have 30,000 views? It's a prime example of his exceptional talent as a guitarist and songwriter. He's been a terrific musician since the '80s and is still making some of the best rock music out there.
Jenna Sittler
This song is getting me through the night: thanks John you never let me down
MaBoJo1
He does the same for me.....best to you
Daniel O'Keefe
I have a feeling that the interplay between drums and guitar in the outro of this song is what we can expect to hear more of with the latest RHCP album. It almost goes into the style of breakbeat that John has been experimenting with for the last 10+ years; Maya and PBX
DJ Kingston
Agreed. There's going to be a revolution not an evolution for the Chili's next album. I'm excited and scared at the same time!
Sir Psycho Sexy
Just the adrenaline blast I need to wake me up in the morning. Underrated song. :)
Rob Nahumyk
Underrated album brother
MaBoJo1
@Rob Nahumyk underrated John.....his music is so beautiful
El Yaqui
After almost 20 years I've been listening to this album I'm hearing it now and Damn Chad Tore These Drums Up! Unbelievable
Emilio Colman
I think this is one of the greatest drumming tracks I have ever heard, and I listen to every type of music. Somebody do a cover of this and record it for me to see please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!