Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Los Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Due to commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak rejoined for their second album, Freaky Styley (1985), and Irons for their third, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). Irons left after Slovak died of a drug overdose in June 1988.
With new recruits Frusciante and Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded Mother's Milk (1989) and their first major commercial success, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). Frusciante was uncomfortable with their newfound popularity and left abruptly on tour in 1992. After a series of temporary guitarists, he was replaced by Dave Navarro, who appeared on the group's sixth album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Frusciante and Kiedis struggled with drug addiction throughout the 1990s.
In 1998, following Navarro's departure, Frusciante rejoined the band. Their seventh album, Californication (1999), became their biggest commercial success, with 16 million copies sold worldwide. By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006) were also successful; Stadium Arcadium was their first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Frusciante left again in 2009 to focus on his solo career; he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016), before Frusciante rejoined in 2019. They released their 12th album, Unlimited Love, in 2022.
Red Hot Chili Peppers' mix of hard rock, funk and hip hop has influenced genres such as funk metal, rap metal, rap rock and nu metal. Kiedis said the band were early to combine "hardcore funk and hip-hop-style vocals", and suggested they had influenced Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, and Linkin Park. Smith said, "Certainly Anthony's singing style and voice lends itself to being unique, and nobody sounds like him. The cool thing about it is we can play any style of music whether it's hard and fast, or loud or quiet, slow or medium, whatever it is; rock or funk, and it still sounds like us. I'm proud of that because sometimes bands don't have that strong personality where you go, 'Oh, that's boom, right away.'"
Red Hot Chili Peppers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame In April 2012. The induction lineup was Kiedis, Flea, Smith, Klinghoffer, Frusciante, Slovak (represented by his brother James), Irons and Martinez; Frusciante was invited, but did not attend. Navarro and Sherman were not inducted; Sherman said he felt "dishonored". The band performed "By the Way", "Give It Away" and "Higher Ground", which included Irons and Martinez on drums. It was the first time Kiedis and Flea had performed with Irons in more than 20 years.
In 2003, Rolling Stone released their first list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", with Blood Sugar Sex Magik at 310 and Californication at 399. In 2012, a revised list was released, with Californication at 401. In 2020, Rolling Stone released another version of the list, with Blood Sugar Sex Magik at 186 and Californication at 286.
The band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 31, 2022
The Righteous & The Wicked
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will you be my friend?
Dark ages never change
Well, I can't comprehend
Kiss me, we self destruct
Can you hear me, Lord?
Yes, I think we're fuckedBut I can't rest in war
Righteous and the wicked
Are the war and peace
The righteous and the wicked
War and peace
The killing fist of the human beast
P.O.P., prodigies of peace
Hear me when I'm calling you
From my knees
I am playing for a better day
Playing for a better day, anyway
Oh yeah, I'm playing for a better day
Holy Mother Earth
Crying into space
Tears on her pretty face
I thought she had been raped
Killing your future blood
Fill her with disease
Global abortion pleas
That is what she needs
Righteous and the wicked
Are the war and peace
The righteous and the wicked
War and peace
The killing fist of the human beast
P.O.P., prodigies of peace
Hear me when I'm calling you
From my knees
And I am playing for a better day
Oh yeah, playing for a better day
Anyway
Are we fire flies
Flashing in the night?
Big thunder rumble fish
But did you get it right?
Headstrong 'bout this song
Exploding souls, be gone
Marvin Gaye, my love
Where did we go wrong?
Righteous and the wicked
Are the war and peace
The righteous and the wicked
War and peace
The killing fist of the human beast
P.O.P., prodigies of peace
Hear me when I'm calling you
From my knees
Well, I am playing for a better day
The lyrics of Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "The Righteous & The Wicked" touch on various themes such as war, peace, destruction, and human nature. The opening line "I can't rest in war, will you be my friend?" conveys a sense of unease and uncertainty amidst conflict. The line "Dark ages never change, well, I can't comprehend" suggests that humans have not learned anything from the past and continue to repeat the same mistakes.
The chorus "The righteous and the wicked are the war and peace" juxtaposes two seemingly opposite concepts while simultaneously acknowledging that both are necessary for the other to exist. The following lines "The killing fist of the human beast, P.O.P., prodigies of peace" contrasts the violent and destructive nature of humans with the potential for peaceful coexistence.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of environmental degradation with the lines "Holy Mother Earth, crying into space, tears on her pretty face, I thought she had been raped." The final verse reflects on the importance of music and art in creating a better world, with the lines "Headstrong 'bout this song, exploding souls, be gone, Marvin Gaye, my love, where did we go wrong?"
Line by Line Meaning
I can't rest in war
The singer cannot find peace in times of war and conflict
Will you be my friend?
Asks for unfailing support from the listener
Dark ages never change
The world's history is filled with violence and the situations never improve
Well, I can't comprehend
The singer cannot understand why there is so much violence and never-ending conflicts
Kiss me, we self destruct
The idea to self-destruct is compared to a kiss - something tempting and fatal
Can you hear me, Lord?
The singer raises a question if God is listening in times of violence and conflict
Yes, I think we're fucked
The singer acknowledges that the world is in a bad state and there's no easy way out
Righteous and the wicked
Refers to the concepts of war and peace and the people involved
Are the war and peace
War and peace are made up of people, their motivations, and actions
The killing fist of the human beast
Humans are capable of inflicting pain and destruction
P.O.P., prodigies of peace
An abbreviation for prodigies of peace
Hear me when I'm calling you
Asking for support to help bring peace into the world
From my knees
A symbol of humility and pleading for help
I am playing for a better day
The singer hopes for a better future and is doing his part to bring peace
Playing for a better day, anyway
Regardless of the difficulties faced, the singer will continue to strive for a better future
Holy Mother Earth
Earth is a living entity and treated with reverence and respect by the singer
Crying into space
The world is in pain and there is no one to hear her cries for help
Tears on her pretty face
The damage to the environment is visible, and the singer can see the effects of human actions
I thought she had been raped
Refers to the exploitation of natural resources, which is similar to rape
Killing your future blood
The current generation is responsible for destroying the prospects of future generations
Fill her with disease
Humans have polluted the environment and filled it with toxins
Global abortion pleas
Refers to the plea for people to care for and nurture the environment
That is what she needs
The environment needs to be protected and cared for by humans
Are we fire flies
Humans are transient and fleeting like fireflies
Flashing in the night?
Refers to how humans live only for a short time and then disappear
Big thunder rumble fish
The world is unpredictable and often chaotic
But did you get it right?
Refers to the fact that humans may not be using their time on earth well
Headstrong 'bout this song
The singer is determined to make a difference through his music
Exploding souls, be gone
The singer hopes to reach the souls of his listeners and help them understand the importance of peace
Marvin Gaye, my love
Refers to the influence of Marvin Gaye, a musician known for his soulful and socially conscious music
Where did we go wrong?
Asks a question about where humans went wrong in terms of conflict and destruction
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Chad Gaylord Smith, Anthony Kiedis, John Anthony Frusciante, Michael Peter Balzary
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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