Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: August 30, 2011

Songwriter: Josh Klinghoffer Chad Smith Flea Anthony Kiedis

Producer: Rick Rubin

[Verse 1]
E I O I E I A
When you give your love away
You get a feeling for
E I O I E I A
Live to love another day
Even when you feel unsure

[Verse 2]
More and more I want to raise
Raise my bar and raise your stay
E I O I E I A
When I lie there wide awake
For my son I'll make

[Chorus]
Tell my boy I love him so
Tell him so he knows
Lost in Ethiopia
Walk out in that road

[Verse 3]
E I O I E I A
Something good going to come your way
Just look out your door
E I O I E I A
Tell 'em what you wanna say
No matter what you might incur

[Chorus]
Tell my boy I love him so
Tell him so he knows
Lost in Ethiopia
Walk out in that road

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 4]
E I O I E I A
Steal my heart to give away
Make me want to say
E I O I E I A
You and I are sewn the same
More and more and more each day

[Chorus]
Tell my boy I love him so
Tell him so he knows
Lost in Ethiopia
Walk out in that road

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

EthiopiaRed Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’m with You