Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: September 29, 1987

Songwriter: Michael Beinhorn Jack Irons Hillel Slovak Flea Anthony Kiedis

Producer: Michael Beinhorn

[Verse 1]
One day while bathing in the sea
My talking dolphin spoke to me
He spoke to me in symphony
From freedom's peace beneath the sea
He looked to me eyes full of love
Said yes we live behind the sun

[Chorus 1]
Behind the sun
Behind the sun
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Behind the sun

[Chorus 2]
The sun goes up
And the sun gets down
But like the heart of the sun
My heart continues to pound

Behind the sun

[Verse 2]
Now while I shower in the rain
I watch my dolphin swim away
The one who listens to the surf
Can feel the pulse beat of the earth
And like my dolphin swims so free
The sun does swim into the sea

[Chorus 1]
Behind the sun
Behind the sun
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Behind the sun
Behind the sun

[Verse 3]
An island flying through the sky
One day your son might ask you why
And if your son should be a girl
She too might ask you of this world
The sun shines sweet upon your beach
And yes my dolphin loves to teach

[Chorus 1]
Behind the sun
Behind the sun
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Behind the sun

[Chorus 2]
The sun goes up
And the sun gets down
But like the heart of the sun
My heart continues to pound

Behind the sun

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.

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