The Red Hot Chili Peppers were 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, the 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.
The 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.'"
The Chili Peppers were 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. George Clinton, Woody Harrelson and Bob Forrest unveiled the star at the ceremony.
Torture Me
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want it all I want it bad
Oh oh
It's what I know
A vintage year for pop I hear
The middle of the end is near
It's what I know
Torture me and torture me
It's forcin' me so torture me please
Torture me with sorcery
It's forcin' me so torture me please
All the leaves are turning brown
The wind is pushing me around
Let's go
It's what I know
Torture me and torture me
It's forcin' me so torture me please
Torture me with sorcery
It's forcin' me so torture me please
The will of God is standing still
Brazilian children get their fill
Let's go
Let's turn it up and dumb it down
The vision of your ultra sound
Is so
All the leaves are turning brown
The wind is pushing me around
Let's go
A vintage year for pop I hear
The middle of the end is near
It's so
Torture me and torture me
It's forcin' me so torture me please
Torture me with sorcery
It's forcin' me so torture me please
Torture me and torture me
It's forcin' me so torture me please
Torture me with sorcery
It's forcin' me so torture me please
The lyrics to "Torture Me" by Red Hot Chili Peppers are complex and open to interpretation. At first glance, it seems like a song about being happy to be sad, wanting everything badly even if it's painful, and being pushed around by the wind. However, a deeper reading reveals that the song is a commentary on the state of the world and the difficulties faced by humanity.
The opening lyrics, "Because I'm happy to be sad, I want it all, I want it bad," suggest that the singer is willing to endure pain for the sake of experience, even if it leads to sadness. This echoes the sentiment of many artists who see pain as a necessary part of the creative process. The next line, "A vintage year for pop I hear, the middle of the end is near," is a more mournful observation about the state of popular culture. The singer seems to suggest that we're in the midst of a decline, or at least a transformation, that may not end well.
The chorus, "Torture me and torture me, it's forcin' me so torture me please, torture me with sorcery, it's forcin' me so torture me please," takes on a new meaning in light of the rest of the song. While it could be interpreted as a simple request for someone to inflict pain, it could also be seen as a plea for the sorcery of art to take hold and force the singer to confront their pain and the pain of the world. Similarly, the final lyrics, "The will of God is standing still, Brazilian children get their fill," suggest that something is deeply wrong with the world, and that the singer feels helpless to change it. The song seems to be asking for something more, whether it's a revolution, a renewal, or simply a deeper connection to the universe and its forces.
Line by Line Meaning
Because I'm happy to be sad
I find comfort in wallowing in sadness
I want it all I want it bad
I crave everything and will go to great lengths to get it
Oh oh
an interjection expressing excitement or anticipation
It's what I know
This is my way of life and I can't imagine anything else
A vintage year for pop I hear
I've heard that this is supposed to be a great year for pop music
The middle of the end is near
We're approaching the end of something, but we're not quite there yet
Let's go, oh
Come on, let's move on to whatever's next
Torture me and torture me
I'm willing to endure pain and hardship
It's forcin' me so torture me please
This is something I feel compelled to do, so please make me suffer
Torture me with sorcery
I'm willing to endure even supernatural torture
All the leaves are turning brown
Fall is here and everything is dying
The wind is pushing me around
I feel like I'm being tossed about by forces beyond my control
The will of God is standing still
Even the divine seems to be stagnant, unmoving
Brazilian children get their fill
Meanwhile, children in another part of the world are living their life to the fullest
Let's go
It's time to move on again
Let's turn it up and dumb it down
Let's make things louder and simpler so we don't have to think too hard
The vision of your ultra sound
The image of a fetus on an ultrasound
Is so
I'm not sure what that image is supposed to mean
It's what I know
This confusion is just part of my way of life
Torture me and torture me
Still willing to endure pain and hardship
It's forcin' me so torture me please
It's become almost an addiction, so please continue to make me suffer
Torture me with sorcery
I'm willing to endure any form of torture
Torture me and torture me
This desire for suffering consumes me
It's forcin' me so torture me please
I can't resist this urge, so please continue to torture me
Torture me with sorcery
I'm willing to endure any supernatural torture to satisfy this need
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL BALZARY, JOHN ANTHONY FRUSCIANTE, ANTHONY KIEDIS, CHAD SMITH
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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