Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express his feelings of loneliness and despondency and to reflect on narcotics and their impact on his life.
During rehearsal in April 1991, Kiedis had felt distanced from bandmates Flea and Frusciante. His feeling of loneliness reminded him of his relationship with his former girlfriend, and the time of his heroin and cocaine addiction. His subsequent alienation spent wandering and hiking through L.A. made him feel that the spirit of the city was looking after him, like his only companion or friend.
Kiedis initially did not feel "Under the Bridge" would fit into the Chili Peppers' repertoire and was reluctant to show it to his band mates until producer Rick Rubin implored him to do so. The rest of the band was receptive to the lyrics and wrote the music.
The song became a critical and commercial success, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The single's success was widened with the release of its accompanying video, which was frequently played on music television channels. It won the "Viewer's Choice Award" and "Breakthrough Video" at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.
"Under the Bridge" allowed the Red Hot Chili Peppers to enter the mainstream. David Fricke of Rolling Stone said the song "unexpectedly drop-kicked the band into the Top 10",[1] while Philip Booth of The Tampa Tribune commented that it was a "pretty, undulating, [and] by-now omnipresent single."[2] Its success led in part to the departure of guitarist John Frusciante, who preferred the band to remain underground. The song has become an inspiration to other artists, and remains a seminal component of the alternative rock movement of the early- and mid-1990s.
City Of Angels
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in
The city of angels
Lonely as I am
Together we cry
I drive on her streets 'cause
I walk through her hills 'cause
She knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and
She kisses me windy
Well I never worry, now that is a lie
And I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Well I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way, yeah
Yeah, yeah
It's hard to believe that
There's nobody out there
It's hard to believe
That I'm all alone
At least I have her love
The city, she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry
Well I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Well I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no, no, yeah, yeah
Love me, I said, yeah, yeah
One time
Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no, no, yeah, yeah
Love me, I said, yeah, yeah
Will I stay?
The song "City of Angels" by Red Hot Chili Peppers is an ode to the city of Los Angeles, also known as the "City of Angels", and the relationship the lead singer has with it. The song begins with the singer feeling lonely and disconnected from the world, except for the city he resides in, which is his only friend. He talks about driving and walking through the city, and how it recognizes his good deeds and kisses him with the wind. However, he reveals that he never worries, which is a lie, and he doesn't want to feel the way he did on that day again, so he wants to be taken to the place he loves, all the way. The chorus is repeated, emphasizing the desire to never feel lonely again and to be taken to the place he loves.
The second part of the song talks about the iconic location of the city, the downtown area where the famous LA landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge is located. The singer talks about drawing blood under the bridge, indicating a possible drug use reference, and how he forgets about his love and his life, as he gave it away under the bridge. The song ends with the singer questioning whether he will stay in the city or leave.
The song beautifully captures the love-hate relationship people often have with cities they call home, the comfort and familiarity intertwined with the constant longing for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
At times, I feel like I'm alone and lack someone to confide in
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
There are moments when I feel like I have no one but myself
Is the city I live in
The only companion I have is the place I reside
The city of angels
I am referring to the city of Los Angeles
Lonely as I am
Despite being surrounded by millions of people, I still feel isolated
Together we cry
This city and I share painful moments where we shed tears together
I drive on her streets 'cause
I travel on the roads of this city since this is where I live
She's my companion
The place I reside is the only ally I have
I walk through her hills 'cause
I stroll along the city’s hilly paths due to a sentiment of familiarity they evoke in me
She knows who I am
The city understands who I am and what I’m going through
She sees my good deeds and
When I contribute positively to this place, it acknowledges and reciprocates
She kisses me windy
The characteristic gusts of wind in this city remind me of its love and acceptance
Well I never worry, now that is a lie
Although I’m attempting to convey a facade of tranquility, the truth is that I’m still anxious and worried
And I don't ever want to feel
I wish to evade experiencing once again
Like I did that day
The distressful occurrence that I experienced previously, which caused me pain
Take me to the place I love
Transport me to the location that holds immense fondness for me
Take me all the way
Escort me there without any delay or hesitation
It's hard to believe that
It's challenging to accept that
There's nobody out there
There are no people with whom I can share moments with
It's hard to believe
It's almost inconceivable
That I'm all alone
That I don't have any company or companionship
At least I have her love
Despite my social isolation, I still have deep affection for the city I live in
The city, she loves me
This city reciprocates the love and devotion I possess for it
Under the bridge downtown
Referring to a specific spot located beneath a bridge in downtown Los Angeles
Is where I drew some blood
At this location, I experienced a traumatic and painful event
I could not get enough
I was extremely captivated by this location and could not resist coming back
Forgot about my love
This location made me forget about how much I loved the city and its inhabitants
I gave my life away
This traumatic event caused me to lose some sense of my purpose and identity
Oh, no, no, no, yeah, yeah
An expression of both despair and hope
Love me, I said, yeah, yeah
An expression of wanting to feel validation and recognition from others
Will I stay?
I question whether or not I should continue living in the city or seek a new path
Contributed by Adam Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@berfinduran3760
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry
I drive on her streets 'cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills 'cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy
Well, I never worry, now that is a lie
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe that I'm all alone
At least I have her love, the city, she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry
don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no-no, yeah, yeah
Love me, I say, yeah yeah
One time
Is where I drew some blood
(Under the bridge downtown)
I could not get enough
(Under the bridge downtown)
Forgot about my love
(Under the bridge downtown)
I gave my life away
Yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no-no-no, yeah, yeah
Oh, no, I said, oh, yeah, yeah
Where I stay
@austin5259
I've never been the biggest fan of these guys, but I love this song
@berfinduran3760
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry
I drive on her streets 'cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills 'cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy
Well, I never worry, now that is a lie
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe that I'm all alone
At least I have her love, the city, she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry
don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever wanna feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no-no, yeah, yeah
Love me, I say, yeah yeah
One time
Is where I drew some blood
(Under the bridge downtown)
I could not get enough
(Under the bridge downtown)
Forgot about my love
(Under the bridge downtown)
I gave my life away
Yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no-no-no, yeah, yeah
Oh, no, I said, oh, yeah, yeah
Where I stay
@gioDMP
my hometown. Skateboarding and surfing, basketball and football, chicks of all colors, street fights and debauchery, all drugs you can think of, all the jobs you can think of, great colleges, great people, great opportunities....got to love LA, I have seen the worst and the best of this city and there is no other city I can live in other than this one.
@SoloTravelerOffTheBeatenPath
I used to the think the same, until I moved to Denver. So much better than LA.
@Uli-pt1dq
Denver ? you must not be a beach person then.
@SoloTravelerOffTheBeatenPath
Red&Gold I am but I like the mountains more. So beautiful and majestic. And a lot more fun things to do than at a beach.
@justinpalomarez2605
Facts
@BRAAD2
@Solo Traveler - Off The Beaten Path no way bro.
@tedrodriguez3856
Awesome song City Of Angel's!
@MrSaxbb
There's no place like Los Angeles, the land of opportunity, hope and dreams, To Live and Die in LA. ❤️💙🇺🇸