blood sugar sex magik

These funky monks made a dramatic leap forward musically and hit the big time with this sprawling magnum opus. In the midst of moving from EMI to Sony Records, the band was wooed by Mo Ostin of Warner Brothers Records. They decided to work with producer Rick Rubin, who invited the band to record at his mansion in Laurel Canyon. Recording equipment was brought in and everyone in the band moved into the house. Because he thought the house was haunted, drummer Chad Smith would not stay and rode his motorcycle there every day during the more than a month that the band spent there making the tracks that would become 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik'. John Frusciante thought the ghosts were friendly and took inspiration from the setting, holing up in his room writing and recording. Anthony Kiedis recorded all of his vocals in his room, with plenty of time to finish his lyrics. Even Flea was able to calm down: "I was trying to play simply on 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' because I had been playing too much prior to that, so I thought, 'I've really got to chill out and play half as many notes'. When you play less, it's more exciting—there's more room for everything. If I do play something busy, it stands out, instead of the bass being a constant onslaught of notes. Space is good." The cleaner production allowed the band to focus and diversify their sound to include simpler, more melodic bass lines; more emotional lyrics; and beautiful acoustic pieces. Peaking at number three in the US and number one in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, the album has sold over fifteen million copies worldwide.







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'Under the Bridge' was an international top five smash. Kiedis didn't think his dark lyrics about drug addiction and despair were right for the band; but Rubin convinced him to share them. Frusciante came up with the music to balance the lyrics: "My brain interpreted it as being a really sad song so I thought if the lyrics are really sad like that I should write some chords that are happier."

"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"

'Breaking the Girl' peaked at number twelve in New Zealand and number fifteen on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Keidis lyrics reflect his misgivings over his many romantic partners: "As exciting and temporarily fulfilling as this constant influx of interesting and beautiful girls can be, at the end of the day, that shit is lonely and you're left with nothing."

"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"

'Give It Away' hit number nine in the UK and number one on the US alternative chart. The music came from a jam session with Frusciante and Flea. Keidis says the lyrics about valueless materialism were inspired by his former girlfriend Nina Hagen.

"Greedy little people in a sea of distress

Keep your more to receive your less

Unimpressed by material excess

Love is free love me say hell yes"

'Suck My Kiss' was a top ten hit in Australia and New Zealand. Kiedis says the song is about a kid at school who bragged about getting oral sex.

"Look at me can't you see

All I really want to be

Is free from a world

That hurts me

I need relief"

Keidis wrote 'I Could Have Lied' about his love affair with Sinéad O'Connor.

"There must be something

In the way I feel

That she don't want me to feel

The stare she bares cut me

I don't care

You see so what if I bleed"

'Blood Sugar Sex Magik'
full album:




All songs written by Red Hot Chili Peppers, except where noted.


1. "The Power of Equality"   4:03
2. "If You Have to Ask"   3:37
3. "Breaking the Girl"   4:55
4. "Funky Monks"   5:23
5. "Suck My Kiss"   3:37
6. "I Could Have Lied"   4:04
7. "Mellowship Slinky in B Major"   4:00
8. "The Righteous & the Wicked"   4:08
9. "Give It Away"   4:43
10. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"   4:31
11. "Under the Bridge"   4:24
12. "Naked in the Rain"   4:26
13. "Apache Rose Peacock"   4:42
14. "The Greeting Song"   3:13
15. "My Lovely Man"   4:39
16. "Sir Psycho Sexy"   8:17
17. "They're Red Hot" (Robert Johnson) 1:12