It is one of the only tracks on By the Way which revisits the original Chili Peppers method of short, rapped verses, containing fewer amounts of implemented texture. "Can't Stop" is unique, however, as it contains melodic and layered guitar and lyrical progressions, which the band's earlier work did not.
The song was the Chili Peppers' seventh number one Billboard Modern Rock Hit, and peaked at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The song influenced various other charts Worldwide, as well as Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, respectively.
This song is a playable track in the game Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades.
Can't Stop
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chop Top, he says I'm gonna win big
Choose not a life of imitation
Distant cousin to the reservation
Defunkt, the pistol that you pay for
This punk, the feelin' that you stay for
In time I want to be your best friendEast side lovers living on the West End
Knocked out, but, boy, you better come to (oh, oh-oh)
Don't die, you know the truth as some do (oh-oh)
Go write your message on the pavement (oh-oh)
Burn so bright, I wonder what the wave meant
White heat is screamin' in the jungle (oh, oh-oh)
Complete the motion if you stumble (oh-oh)
Go ask the dust for any answers (oh-oh)
Come back strong with fifty belly dancers
The world I love, the tears I drop
To be part of the wave, can't stop
Ever wonder if it's all for you?
The world I love, the trains I hop
To be part of the wave, can't stop
Come and tell me when it's time to
Sweetheart is bleeding in the snow cone
So smart, she's leading me to ozone
Music, the great communicator
Use two sticks to make it in the nature
I'll get you into penetration
The gender of a generation
Worth your weight, the gold of meditation
This chapter's gonna be a close one (oh, oh-oh)
Smoke rings, I know your gonna blow one (oh-oh)
All on a spaceship, persevering (oh-oh)
Use my hands for everything but steering
Can't stop the spirits when they need you (oh, oh-oh)
Mop tops are happy when they feed you (oh-oh)
J. Butterfly is in the treetop (oh-oh)
Birds that blow the meaning into bebop
The world I love, the tears I drop
To be part of the wave, can't stop
Ever wonder if it's all for you?
The world I love, the trains I hop
To be part of the wave, can't stop
Come and tell me when it's time to
Wait a minute I'm passin' out, win or lose
Just like you
Far more shockin' than anything I ever knew
How 'bout you?
Ten more reasons why I need somebody new
Just like you
Far more shockin' than anything I ever knew
Right on cue
Can't stop, addicted to the shindig
Chop Top, he says I'm gonna win big
Choose not a life of imitation
Distant cousin to the reservation
Defunkt the pistol that you pay for (oh, oh-oh)
This punk, the feelin' that you stay for (oh-oh)
In time I want to be your best friend (oh-oh)
East side lovers living on the West End
Knocked out, but, boy, you better come to (oh, oh-oh)
Don't die, you know the truth as some do (oh-oh)
Go write your message on the pavement (oh-oh)
Burn so bright, I wonder what the wave meant
Kick start the golden generator
Sweet talk but don't intimidate her
Can't stop the gods from engineering
Feel no need for any interfering
Your image in the dictionary
This life is more than ordinary
Can I get two, maybe even three of these?
Comin' from space to teach you of the Pleiades
Can't stop the spirits when they need you
This life is more than just a read-through
The lyrics to Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Can't Stop" are multifaceted and explore themes of individuality, perseverance, friendship, and the search for meaning. The first verse describes the desire to break away from a life of imitation in order to embrace one's unique identity. The second verse references a feeling of being knocked down or defeated, but ultimately persevering through it. The chorus repeats the idea that the world is loved and a desire to be a part of it, ending with the phrase "can't stop" which seems to suggest an unstoppable drive to be a part of the world despite the challenges. The third verse introduces a feminine character, and the use of musical rhythms and elements like penetration, birth, and meditation suggest a sexual and spiritual connection. The final verse returns to the theme of individuality, acknowledging the unique qualities of individuals and the role of the gods or higher powers in creating life.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't stop, addicted to the shindig
I can't stop going to these fun parties and events!
Chop Top, he says I'm gonna win big
My friend, Chop Top, thinks I'm going to hit it big.
Choose not a life of imitation
Don't copy someone else's life or style, make it your own.
Distant cousin to the reservation
I am distantly related to the indigenous people who live on the reservation.
Defunct the pistol that you pay for
It's time to stop paying for and using weapons.
This punk, the feelin' that you stay for
This energy and vibe of rebellion is what you stick around for.
In time I want to be your best friend
Eventually, I hope to become your closest and most trusted friend.
East side lovers living on the West End
Even though we love the East side of town, we live on the West End.
Knocked out, but, boy, you better come to (oh, oh-oh)
You're unconscious, but you need to wake up soon.
Don't die, you know the truth as some do (oh-oh)
Don't die and never learn the truth, like some people do.
Go write your message on the pavement (oh-oh)
Go express yourself and leave your mark on the world.
Burn so bright, I wonder what the wave meant
You shine so brightly that I wonder what your purpose is in this world.
White heat is screamin' in the jungle (oh, oh-oh)
It's hot and chaotic in this environment.
Complete the motion if you stumble (oh-oh)
Finish what you started if you make a mistake.
Go ask the dust for any answers (oh-oh)
Get answers from the world around you.
Come back strong with fifty belly dancers
After you take a break, come back even stronger and better than before.
The world I love, the tears I drop
I love this world so much, it makes me cry.
To be part of the wave, can't stop
I can't help but want to be a part of this movement or trend.
Ever wonder if it's all for you?
I sometimes wonder if all of this is happening just for me.
The trains I hop
I like to travel by trains.
Come and tell me when it's time to
Let me know when it's the right time to do something.
Sweetheart is bleeding in the snow cone
My lover is hurt and bleeding in this icy treat.
So smart, she's leading me to ozone
My intelligent partner is leading me towards an enriching experience.
Music, the great communicator
Music has the power to communicate in a way that nothing else can.
Use two sticks to make it in the nature
Use natural resources to create something.
I'll get you into penetration
I'll help you achieve deeper or more meaningful experiences.
The gender of a generation
The attitudes and behaviors of a generation as a whole.
The birth of every other nation
The beginning or creation of many different nations or cultures.
Worth your weight, the gold of meditation
Meditation is incredibly valuable and worth the effort.
This chapter's gonna be a close one (oh, oh-oh)
This next part of the story is going to be intense.
Smoke rings, I know your gonna blow one (oh-oh)
I know you're going to smoke a cigarette soon.
All on a spaceship, persevering (oh-oh)
Together we are like a team on a spaceship, overcoming obstacles.
Use my hands for everything but steering
I use my hands for just about everything besides driving.
Can't stop the spirits when they need you (oh, oh-oh)
When the spirits need me, I can't ignore them or stop what they want.
Mop tops are happy when they feed you (oh-oh)
When people who have Beatles-style haircuts give you food, they're happy.
J. Butterfly is in the treetop (oh-oh)
J. Butterfly is hanging out in the treetops.
Birds that blow the meaning into bebop
Birds that sing along with bebop music give it even more meaning.
Wait a minute I'm passin' out, win or lose
Just a minute, I'm about to pass out, whether I win or lose.
Far more shockin' than anything I ever knew
This is more shocking than anything I've ever experienced.
Ten more reasons why I need somebody new
I have ten new reasons why I need to find a new person.
Right on cue
Just in time.
Kick start the golden generator
Let's get things going and create positive energy.
Sweet talk but don't intimidate her
Speak kindly to her, but don't make her feel threatened or scared.
Can't stop the gods from engineering
The gods are creating this destiny or path for us, and we can't stop them.
Feel no need for any interfering
We don't need any outside interference or influence in our lives.
Your image in the dictionary
Your likeness and personality is captured in the dictionary definition or entry.
This life is more than ordinary
Life is full of extraordinary events and experiences.
Can I get two, maybe even three of these?
Can I get more than one or two of these things?
Comin' from space to teach you of the Pleiades
Coming from outer space to teach about a star cluster called the Pleiades.
This life is more than just a read-through
Life isn't just a rehearsal or dry run, it's the real deal.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael Peter Balzary, John Anthony Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Gaylord Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BluBu_
My dad played this song in the car everyday ever since I was a child. He always played songs with such catchy riffs.
@francoruiz2258
Your Dad's awesome 😎
@MyThoughts19902X
Do you remember any other songs?
@rafaelmingatosvieira1600
and could you feel alright with this song ?
@Ranger-14
So did mine
@latenightchillin
Sounds like the guy was a lost soul doing the same thing every day
@Faith-u3m
I got to say the Red Hot Chili Peppers are probably my favorite band they make such great songs and can’t stop is probably my favorite one out of all of them
@positiveproductions6699
My favorite part of this song is the build up and then the guitar solo interlude where it just switches at random and it just sounds so good at 22 seconds into this video
@isaacnh831
same here
@XpertGaming809
The rap ruins the song otherwise it would be my fav rhcp song