Red Hot Chili Peppers

Songwriter: Anthony Kiedis

Producer: Rick Rubin

[Verse 1]
Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation
An' little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotation
And if you want these kind of dreams, it's Californication
It's the edge of the world and all of Western civilization
The sun may rise in the east at least it settled in a final location
It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication

[Pre-Chorus 1]
Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin, is this your chin or is that war you're waging?
Firstborn unicorn
Hardcore soft porn

[Chorus]
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

[Verse 2]
Marry me, girl, be my fairy to the world, be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard, it's Californication
Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement
And Cobain, can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station to Station?
And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Born and raised by those who praise control of population
Well, everybody's been there and I don't mean no vacation
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn

[Chorus]
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

[Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]
Destruction leads to a very rough road but it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar they're just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn't save the world from Californication

[Pre-Chorus 3]
Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging
Sicker than the rest, there is no test but this is what you're craving
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn

[Chorus]
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a rock band based in Los Angeles, CA that incorporates elements of rap, funk, punk, and rock into their work, mainly classified as an alternative rock band. They made it mainstream off the success of their 1991’s fifth studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik, led by singles “Give it Away” and “Under the Bridge.” After losing guitarist John Frusciante and losing popularity following the release of the less successful One Hot Minute, the band reunited for 1999’s Californication. The title track and hit singles “Around the World,” “Scar Tissue” and “Otherside” propelled them back to the fame. After 2002’s solid release By the Way and 2006’s double-disc Stadium Arcadium, Frusciante once again left the band to further pursue his solo career. The band added Josh Klinghoffer to help fill his void, and released I’m With You in 2011.

In December 2019, the band announced via Instagram that Klinghoffer had left after 10 years, and Frusciante would be rejoining.

Their lyrical content was mostly centered around sex, drugs, and the Los Angeles lifestyle, and lead singer Anthony Kiedis mostly rapped them as he wasn’t confident as vocalist. Most members of the band also suffered from drug addiction, as Kiedis and Frusciante had to check themselves into rehab for heroin addiction at various points in their lives. But Californication marked a change in the band’s content matter and lifestyle. The band was sober for the most part, and the lyrics had shifted to songs about love and the pains of addiction, the title even criticized the city they loved so much. In addition, Kiedis had started to sing his lyrics much more often as he finally felt comfortable with his voice. That change has allowed the band to stick around for over 20 years despite multiple changes to their lineup and is part of why they remain relevant.

more tracks from the album

1998 Teatro Sessions

From the album

1998 Teatro Sessions (2014)

Red Hot Chili Peppers popular songs

Californication (Demo)Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

1998 Teatro Sessions