Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: October 7, 2011

Songwriter: Josh Klinghoffer Chad Smith Flea Anthony Kiedis

Producer: Rick Rubin

[Verse 1]
The crimson tide is flowing through your fingers as you sleep
The promise of a clean regime are promises we keep
Do you like it rough I ask, and are you up to task?
The calicos of Pettibon where cultures come to clash

[Chorus 1]
Several of my best friends wear
The colors of the crown
And Mary wants to build it up
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The savior of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight

[Verse 2]
The cross between my former queen
Her legendary stare
The holy tears of Ireland
A lovely cross to bear

[Chorus 2]
Several of my best friends know
The secrets of this town
Mary wants to raise it up
And Sherry wants to spin it all around, girl
The sailors of the night
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses tonight

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus 1]
Several of my best friends wear
The colours of the crown
And Mary wants to fill it up
And Sherry wants to tear it all back down, girl
The saviour of your light
The monarchy of roses
The monarchy of roses

[Outro]
Hey, yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said hey, yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, then I say I want to
The story knows that I will never taunt you
Hey, yeah
We all want the rose you know
I said hey, yeah
Show us love before you go
Say I will, then I say I want to
The story knows that I will always haunt you

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

I’m with You

From the album

I’m with You (2011)

Red Hot Chili Peppers popular songs

Monarchy of RosesRed Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’m with You