Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: March 10, 1992

Songwriter: Anthony Kiedis Flea John Frusciante Chad Smith

Producer: Rick Rubin

[Intro]
Oh, oh

[Verse 1]
What I got you got to give it to your mamma
What I got you've got to give it to your pappa
What I got you got to give it to your daughter
You do a little dance and then you drink a little water
What I got you got to get it put it in you
What I got you got to get it put it in you
What I got you got to get it put it in you
Reeling with the feeling, don't stop, continue
I realize I don't want to be a miser
Confide with sly you'll be the wiser
Young blood is the lovin' upriser
How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser

[Chorus]
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
I can't tell if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

[Verse 2]
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"
Low brow but I rock a little know how
No time for the piggies or the hoosegow
Get smart get down with the pow wow
Never been a better time than right now
Bob Marley poet and a prophet
Bob Marley taught me how to off it
Bob Marley walkin' like he talk it
Goodness me can't you see I'm gonna cough it

[Chorus]
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Oh, oh yeah
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
I can't tell if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

[Backwards Guitar Solo]

[Verse 3]
Lucky me swimming in my ability
Dancing down on life with agility
Come and drink it up from my fertility
Blessed with a bucket of lucky mobility
My mom, I love her 'cause she love me
Long gone are the times when she scrub me
Feelin' good my brother gonna hug me
Drink my juice young love chug-a-lug me
Ah, there's a river born to be a giver
Keep you warm won't let you shiver
His heart is a never gonna wither
Come on, everybody, time to deliver

[Chorus]
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
I can't tell if I'm a kingpin or a pauper

[Verse 1]
What I got you got to give it to your mamma
What I got you've got to give it to your pappa
What I got you got to give it to your daughter
You do a little dance and then you drink a little water
What I got you got to get it put it in you
What I got you got to get it put it in you
What I got you got to get it put it in you
Reeling with the feeling, don't stop, continue
I realize I don't want to be a miser
Confide with sly you'll be the wiser
Young blood is the lovin' upriser
How come everybody wanna keep it like the Kaiser

[Chorus]
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
Give it away, give it away, give it away now

[Outro]
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Give it away now
Yeah

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

Give It Away (EP)

From the album

Give It Away (EP) (1992)

Red Hot Chili Peppers popular songs

Give It Away (Rasta mix)Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Give It Away (EP)