Released: November 1, 1994
Songwriter: Flea Anthony Kiedis
Producer: Andy Gill
[Verse 1]
Give it up to this time full of strife
Get down, you might be fucking with the song of life
Extend your deeper senses, there will be no fight
At the never-ending ocean of perfect insights
Around your molecule beam with a halo of light
The animated aura will give delight
Soon, your every single worry will be out of sight
With the power of it, we are about to astound
All your preconceptions, they will come unbound
"Listen very close," my inner voice expounds
"We are the human race, and we groove to the sound"
Yes, we deliver the truth to our musical birth
A soul-shocking sound with electrify the earth
People have to know that it's not about money
Cash is not the way to make your life sunny
There is no need if you got the soul seed
Love, life, and peace, it can only begin
When you know in your heart that the change is within
Love all your brothers and love all your sisters
Love all the missus and love all the misses
And don't be shy when you're sharing your kisses
Greed, jealousy gets boos and hisses
[Chorus]
What it is, what it is, so much to be found
What it is, what it is, groove down to the sounds
What it is, what it is, what it is in a song
What it is, what it is, you can do no wrong
[Verse 2]
Balance your life with the right kind of foods
To eat a sad cow, is to eat another you
Well, that's an unfair rap, it's unforgivably rude
It'll put your karma in the worst of moods
Someone drinkin' booze and taking too many ludes
'Cause when you cop, don't you cop an attitude
And that's an ugly thing, it's not the real you
So please, y'all, take some sound advice
Be yourself, clear your mind, make a sacrifice
The always sober you is especially nice
[Verse 3]
Don't loot, don't shout, give comet the boot
I love it kickin' back and playin' my bamboo flute
Refuse to fight wars for political whores
Unsurpassed peace lines the salt water shores
It is my notion that the perfect peace potion
Can be found in the wake of the green sea ocean
Long rocky swells of the mighty blue ocean
Is the cradle of peace, it's the perfect peace potion
There you will find it, with sweet sea creatures
The smile of a dolphin is a built-in feature
We will learn much peace with the whale as your teacher
"Good morning class, how very nice to meet you."
[Chorus]
What it is, what it is, so much to be found
What it is, what it is, groove down to the sounds
What it is, what it is, what it is in a song
What it is, what it is, you can do no wrong
[Verse 4]
Open up your hearts to the planets, to the stars
With your spirit take, a trip from Venus to Mars
You know, Einstein did while Hitler hid
Now Albert lives forever in every single kid
But, with Adolf Hitler, we are permanently rid
Picasso, Mister Dali, and my man, Jimi Hendrix
These cool brothers make the world go 'round
Yeah, they do it with art, and Jimi did it with sound
But, by all these men, it was found
Each and every person can be just as renowned
Don't let the world's racist creeds give your pretty face a frown
Stand up for equal rights, I mean buckle down
Go spread the word from town to town
We are the human race and we groove to the sounds
[Outro]
(Red hot
Red hot, red hot, red hot, red hot)
Now that you've heard what it is in a song
From here on in, you can do no wrong
Give it up to this time full of strife
Get down, you might be fucking with the song of life
Extend your deeper senses, there will be no fight
At the never-ending ocean of perfect insights
Around your molecule beam with a halo of light
The animated aura will give delight
Soon, your every single worry will be out of sight
With the power of it, we are about to astound
All your preconceptions, they will come unbound
"Listen very close," my inner voice expounds
"We are the human race, and we groove to the sound"
Yes, we deliver the truth to our musical birth
A soul-shocking sound with electrify the earth
People have to know that it's not about money
Cash is not the way to make your life sunny
There is no need if you got the soul seed
Love, life, and peace, it can only begin
When you know in your heart that the change is within
Love all your brothers and love all your sisters
Love all the missus and love all the misses
And don't be shy when you're sharing your kisses
Greed, jealousy gets boos and hisses
[Chorus]
What it is, what it is, so much to be found
What it is, what it is, groove down to the sounds
What it is, what it is, what it is in a song
What it is, what it is, you can do no wrong
[Verse 2]
Balance your life with the right kind of foods
To eat a sad cow, is to eat another you
Well, that's an unfair rap, it's unforgivably rude
It'll put your karma in the worst of moods
Someone drinkin' booze and taking too many ludes
'Cause when you cop, don't you cop an attitude
And that's an ugly thing, it's not the real you
So please, y'all, take some sound advice
Be yourself, clear your mind, make a sacrifice
The always sober you is especially nice
[Verse 3]
Don't loot, don't shout, give comet the boot
I love it kickin' back and playin' my bamboo flute
Refuse to fight wars for political whores
Unsurpassed peace lines the salt water shores
It is my notion that the perfect peace potion
Can be found in the wake of the green sea ocean
Long rocky swells of the mighty blue ocean
Is the cradle of peace, it's the perfect peace potion
There you will find it, with sweet sea creatures
The smile of a dolphin is a built-in feature
We will learn much peace with the whale as your teacher
"Good morning class, how very nice to meet you."
[Chorus]
What it is, what it is, so much to be found
What it is, what it is, groove down to the sounds
What it is, what it is, what it is in a song
What it is, what it is, you can do no wrong
[Verse 4]
Open up your hearts to the planets, to the stars
With your spirit take, a trip from Venus to Mars
You know, Einstein did while Hitler hid
Now Albert lives forever in every single kid
But, with Adolf Hitler, we are permanently rid
Picasso, Mister Dali, and my man, Jimi Hendrix
These cool brothers make the world go 'round
Yeah, they do it with art, and Jimi did it with sound
But, by all these men, it was found
Each and every person can be just as renowned
Don't let the world's racist creeds give your pretty face a frown
Stand up for equal rights, I mean buckle down
Go spread the word from town to town
We are the human race and we groove to the sounds
[Outro]
(Red hot
Red hot, red hot, red hot, red hot)
Now that you've heard what it is in a song
From here on in, you can do no wrong
more tracks from the album
Out in LA
- If You Want Me To Stay
- Deck the Halls
- Sex Rap (Demo)
- Out in L.A. (Demo Version)
- Flea Fly
- Get Up and Jump (Demo Version)
- Police Helicopter (Demo Version)
- Green Heaven (Demo Version)
- Stranded
- Blues For Meister
- Party on Your Pussy (aka Special Secret Song Inside)
- Behind the Sun
- Castles Made of Sand (Live)
- Higher Ground
- What It Is (AKA Nina’s Song)
- You Always Sing The Same
- Nevermind
- Hollywood (Africa)
- F.U. (Live)
From the albums
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984)
- Out in LA (1994)
Red Hot Chili Peppers popular songs
- Californication
- Under the Bridge
- Can’t Stop
- Scar Tissue
- Otherside
- Snow (Hey Oh)
- Dani California
- Dark Necessities
- By the Way
- Give It Away
- Goodbye Angels
- Black Summer
- Soul to Squeeze
- The Zephyr Song
- Wet Sand
- Go Robot
- Around the World
- Sick Love
- Encore
- Don’t Forget Me
- Dosed
- The Getaway
- The Longest Wave
- Road Trippin’