Breaking the Girl
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics


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I am a man cut from the know
Rarely do friends come and then go
She was a girl, soft but estranged
We were the two, our lives rearranged

Feeling so good that day
A feeling of love that day
Twisting and turning, your feelings are burning
You're breaking the girl
(She meant you no harm)
Think you're so clever
But now you must sever
You're breaking the girl
(He loves no one else)

Raised by my dad, girl of the day
He was my man, that was the way
She was the girl, left alone
Feeling the need to make me her home

I don't know what, when or why
The twilight of love had arrived

Twisting and turning
Your feelings are burning
You're breaking the girl
(She meant you no harm)
Think you're so clever
But now you must sever
You're breaking the girl
(He loves no one else)

Twisting and turning
Your feelings are burning
You're breaking the girl
(She meant you no harm)
Think you're so clever
But now you must sever
You're breaking the girl
(He loves no one else)

Overall Meaning

In "Breaking the Girl", Red Hot Chili Peppers explore the complexities of relationships, particularly those that have gone sour. The song's lyrics describe two individuals who found solace in each other, but whose bond ultimately broke apart. The song's opening verse introduces the male protagonist who has few friends and has been "cut from the know," or excluded from deeper human connections. The following line introduces the female protagonist, who is "soft but estranged," suggesting that she is emotionally vulnerable but also disconnected from others. The couple comes together and their lives become "rearranged," but the lyrics do not explain how or why.


In the second verse, the focus shifts to the couple's past, and we learn that the male protagonist was raised by his father while he was involved with other women (including the female protagonist). This suggests that he may have learned to view relationships in a transactional way or that he may have a pattern of not committing fully. The female protagonist is described as being "left alone" and "feeling the need to make [him] her home," which implies that she was seeking security and stability.


As the song progresses, the repeated chorus becomes increasingly ominous, with lyrics like "you're breaking the girl" and "now you must sever." The woman, who "meant [him] no harm," is blamed for the breakdown of the relationship, and the man insists that he "loves no one else." The repetition of the chorus, combined with the increasingly harsh lyrics, suggests that the male protagonist is trying to distance himself emotionally from the relationship or blame the woman for its failure.


Overall, "Breaking the Girl" is a song about two people whose relationship fell apart due to a lack of emotional intimacy and accountability. The male protagonist, in particular, struggles to connect with others and may view relationships as disposable or transactional. The woman, meanwhile, is portrayed as being emotionally vulnerable but ultimately blamed for the relationship's failure.


Line by Line Meaning

I am a man
I am someone who is experienced and knowledgeable about life.


Cut from the know
I have had experiences that most people have not had and therefore have knowledge and insight that most people do not possess.


Rarely do friends
I seldom have true friends.


Come and then go
When I do make friends, they often leave my life as quickly as they entered.


She was a girl
The subject of this song is a girl who the artist had a relationship with.


Soft but estranged
She was gentle and kind, but also distant and disconnected from others.


We were the two
The singer and the girl in question were a couple.


Our lives rearranged
They changed their lives in order to be together and make their relationship work.


Feeling so good that day
Both the artist and the girl were feeling happy and content that day.


A feeling of love that day
The artist and the girl were experiencing love on that particular day.


Twisting and turning
The singer is describing the turmoil and uncertainty caused by the girl's emotional instability.


Your feelings are burning
The girl's emotions are intense and overwhelming.


You're breaking the girl
The girl's emotional instability is causing damage to their relationship.


She meant you no harm
Despite her emotional instability, the girl did not intend to hurt the singer or their relationship.


Think you're so clever
The singer is addressing the girl, accusing her of being arrogant and manipulative.


But now you must sever
The artist is telling the girl that she must end their relationship.


He loves no one else
The artist is conveying that he is devoted exclusively to the girl and no one else.


Raised by my dad
The singer was primarily raised by his father.


Girl of the day
The girl the singer is singing about was the most important person in his life at that time.


He was my man
The artist had a close and possibly romantic relationship with his father.


That was the way
The relationship between the artist and his father was a defining characteristic of his life.


Left alone
The girl in the song was abandoned and alone.


Feeling the need
The girl had a strong emotional desire for companionship and love.


To make me her home
The girl saw the artist as someone who could fulfill her emotional needs and provide her with a sense of belonging.


I don't know what, when or why
The singer is unsure of how or why their love has faded.


The twilight of love had arrived
Their love has reached its end.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Michael Balzary, John Anthony Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Krisjoverovovejovovichtski

That day it was released advertising execs were like

Im not sure im just not sure Bill

Why.

We've used EVERY THING

Cold calling?


Yup


Tacky neon?

Yup


NFL half time?



Overdone it


Wow


I just cant think of a single original gimmick that is-


Hold that. Bill what is this?


Thats Red Hot Chilli Peppers



Gimme the phone



@SaintMartins

River Phoenix
0:58 walking up to Flea
1:09 sitting bottom left
1:18 jumping into the air
2:30 dancing top of screen
2:55 sitting alone
3:19 hugging Anthony on the right
3:25 Jumping up in the air
4:02 standing with arms crossed



All comments from YouTube:

@SchardtCinematic

Flea is having way to much fun dancing with those flowers over his ears. I Love this video

@jemmastrachan9029

he cracks me up lol

@alexismcloughlin5383

+Jemma Strachan So does your face.

@SchardtCinematic

Shhhhhhh littlr grammer Nazi. the worlds not going tooooooo end.

@dxdx5638

Schardt Cinematic Productions II

@billylee6236

So surreal, but then have you read a lot of their lyrics? Half of them are nuts.

12 More Replies...

@kencastleberry5126

This is the most music video of any music video ever.

@raisa_cherry35

@@skye9471 😂😂

@roganst.martin5181

ladies and gentleman my brain just comit sucide

@leoguerra4516

The MOST

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