Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: August 16, 1985

Songwriter: Dr. Suess

Producer: George Clinton

[Intro]
Look at that turtle go, bro

[Verse 1]
On a far away island of Salamasond
Yertle the turtle was king of the pond
A nice little pond, it was clean it was neat
The water was warm, there was plenty to eat
Until one day the king of them all
Decided the kingdom he ruled was too small
I'm a ruler of all that I see
But I don't see enough and that's the trouble with me

[Verse 2]
With this stone for a throne, I am too low down
I cannot look down upon the places beyond
So Yertle the turtle king lifted his hand
And Yertle the turtle king gave a command
He ordered all the turtles onto one another's back
He piled them high into a ten turtle stack
I'm Yertle the turtle, the things I now rule
I'm king of a cow, I'm king of a mule

Look at that turtle go, bro

[Verse 3]
Then down from below
In the great turtle stack
Came a burp from a plain
Little turtle named Mack
Just part of the throne
This burping' little turtle
Looked up and said "I beg
Your pardon king Yertle"
I've pains in my back
My shoulders and my knees
How long must we stand
Here your majesty
"Silence!" the king of the turtles barked back
To the bad burping little turtle named Mack
I'm Yertle the turtle, oh marvelous me
For I am ruler of all that I see

[Outro]
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle

Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle

Wow!
Look at that turtle go, bro

Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle
Yertle, Yertle the turtle

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

Freaky Styley

From the album

Freaky Styley (1985)

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Yertle The TurtleRed Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Freaky Styley