The Red Hot Chili Peppers diversified their sound even further with the mature reflections of Frusciante's heavy glow. 'By the Way' was composed primarily by lead singer Anthony Kiedis and guitarist John Frusciante in the aftermath of their traumatic tour for 'Californication'. Frusciante took control of the musical direction of the new album: "I spent a lot of time after the last tour furthering my understanding of chord theory and learning Beatles and Charles Mingus and Burt Bacharach songs. But I’ve got a lot more to learn...It just leads to making music with a wider variety of emotion. It makes me see even more how infinite music is."
Keidis recalls: "We started finding some magic and some music and some riffs and some rhythms and some jams and some grooves, and we added to it and subtracted from it and pushed it around and put melodies to it."
Bassist Flea confesses: "John went to this whole level of artistry. But he made me feel like I had nothing to offer, like I knew shit."
Producer Rick Rubin says: “John being back makes a huge difference. He’s brimming with ideas, and he lives and breathes music more than anyone I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Frusciante had quit the band after the huge success of 'Blood Sugar Sex Magic'; and, after the band soldiered on with Dave Navarro for 'One Hot Minute', they sought out Frusciante to keep the band from breaking up.
Kiedis recalls: “All that resentment just evaporated instantly. It’s like a boyfriend-girlfriend thing. Sometimes you’re so fucking hurt by somebody that you won’t allow yourself to be friends with them. It doesn’t mean that deep down you don’t love them. But, you know, ego. Ego and mind games."
Drummer Chad Smith admits: “New Agey as it sounds, I think we were put on this planet to make this special, magical music. When he came back we realised that. We don’t take it for granted now.”
Kiedis and Frusciante worked out most of the basic tracks at Chateau Marmont. Kiedis says: "writing 'By the Way'...was a whole different experience from 'Californication'. John was back to himself and brimming with confidence."
John considers: "Like 'Californiation', writing 'By The Way' has been one of the happiest times in my life. It’s been a chance to just keep on writing better songs and improving my guitar playing...I did have a few guitarists who I was intent of emulating and who were big influences on my sound on By The Way, like Vini Reilly from the Durutti Column. The main thing about his guitar playing is that it’s really textural. There’s lots of really interesting chords and shapes and you can’t really tell what’s going on. It’s a combination of his Les Paul plus some echo, flanger, chorus and phaser and not using distortion. You can’t tell what you’re hearing. I have to really sit down and listen carefully to find out what’s going on. He’s just a great guitar player, full stop. I wanted to listen to these people who weren’t just about technique but more about textures. People like Johnny Marr, John McGeoch and Andy Partridge. People who used good chords... But I also noticed that the people I was really focusing on 'Califonication' had a bigger effect on my playing on this album. Matthew Ashman from Bow Wow Wow and Bernard Sumner from Joy Division and New Order: I noticed their influence on me this time too. Again, it’s a matter of texture over technique, and their influences are evident on tracks like 'Dosed' and 'Midnight'... Melodically, I’m far more influenced by Kraftwerk records than by guitarists’ solos. I’m really trying to get away from playing flashy stuff, and concentrating on not playing solos at all. There’s something about soloing that makes me feel like it’s almost irresponsible. I remember when I hadn’t played guitar in five years, I could pick up a guitar anytime any play that kind of flashy stuff, and I hadn’t been practising at all. But there was no feeling there...I’m having a lot of fun at the moment. It’s good knowing that you’re looking at the guitar in ways that it’s not been looked at before. I really try to think in terms of what would be an interesting way for my playing to get better. And how to get my playing in a style rather than directly copying a player."
Flea says the album is a reflection of Los Angeles: “The soul of this city is a huge part of who we are, and I think the soul of this city is an old and beautiful thing...The fact that people can stay sincere and have joy in their lives in the face of phoniness or economic elitism is a testament to the spirit of Los Angeles. Whether it be street kids from broken homes like me and Anthony, or victims of huge racism like the black community, or the Mexican community, crawling across the border just to survive. There are pockets where all these people come together and live in a creative and vibrant atmosphere, and that’s the Los Angeles I love...The thing that survives has to be really beautiful, and have a really substantial core to it. And it has to be determined to stick to its guns and do what it’s gonna do.”
'By the Way' sold over thirteen million copies worldwide; going to number two in Argentina, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain, and the US; and number one in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
The single for the title track 'By the Way' went to number thirty-four in the US, twenty-nine in France, six in Australia, two in the UK, and number one on the US modern rock and mainstream rock charts.
Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say, I'd be there
Waiting for
Dani, the girl is singing songs to me
Beneath the marquee of her soul
By the way, I tried to say, I'd be there
Waiting for
'The Zephyr Song' went to ninety in France, forty-nine in the US, twenty-one in Australia, eleven in the UK, and number six on the US modern rock chart.
Fly away on my zephyr
I feel it more then ever
And in this perfect weather
Well find a place together
In the water where the scent of my emotion
All the world will pass me by
Fly away on my zephyr
Well find a place together
'Can't Stop' hit sixty-eight in France, fifty-seven in the US, thirty-eight in Australia, twenty-two in the UK, and number one on the US modern rock chart.
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
'Dosed' went to number thirteen 0n the US modern rock chart.
I got dosed by you and
Closer than most to you and
What am I supposed to do
Take it away I never had it anyway
Take it away and everything will be okay
Way upon the mountain where she died
All I ever wanted was your life
Deep inside the canyon I can't hide
All I ever wanted was your life
'Universally Speaking' hit number twenty-seven in the UK.
Come on, baby, 'cause there's no name for
Give it up and i got what i came for
Universally speaking
I take it back and you make me nervous
Nothing better than love and service
Universally speaking
I win in the long run
Silveretta the jets of a lifetime
Go and get her,
I got her on my mind
Nothing better, the feeling is so fine
Simply put, i saw your love stream flow
full album:
1. "By the Way" 0:00
2. "Universally Speaking" 3:37
3. "This Is the Place" 7:57
4. "Dosed" 12:14
5. "Don't Forget Me" 17:26
6. "The Zephyr Song" 22:04
7. "Can't Stop" 25:57
8. "I Could Die for You" 30:26
9. "Midnight" 33:39
10. "Throw Away Your Television" 38:34
11. "Cabron" 42:19
12. "Tear" 45:57
13. "On Mercury" 51:14
14. "Minor Thing" 54:42
15. "Warm Tape" 58:20
16. "Venice Queen" 1:02:37
B-Sides
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