Up this week for clarification are a few songs I consider personal favorites, mostly because I felt the need to give some love to one of my favorite artists—they are back in the studio after all (finally).
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always had a dynamic nature about them, and thus the short-lived addition of Dave Navarro served to only further mix things up. Although the result, 1995’s One Hot Minute, was a mediocre drug trip at best, it isn’t entirely unvalued. None the less, I felt the need to reveal the meaning of two delicate songs dedicated to two iconic individuals.
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“Tearjerker”
Chorus:
"Left on the floor
Leaving your body
When highs are the lows
And lows are the way
So hard to stay
Guess now you know
I love you so"
One would assume that this could just be another lament of love lost from the womanizing Chili Peppers but instead it’s a lovely testament of a friend and icon gone too soon—Kurt Cobain. The chorus provides a perfect description of Cobain’s final moments. Kiedis, who strips things down completely, further recalls meeting him backstage in a dress and his whiskers, among things. The song is just another testament to Kurt Cobain’s influence as a musician, but also as a human. “Tearjerker” could have very well been any of those guys’ death songs, its proof of the fragility and mortality of the musician.
"Tearjerker"- Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Transcending,”
Chorus:
"Somethings gonna happen,
Something very soon,
Transcending flesh could be a breeze
Sending me over the moon."
Sounds like a LSD trip. However, against the contrary, this is a delicate, yet equally funky song isn’t just a jumble of drug-influenced lyrics (like the rest of the album could be seen as), but a memoriam to the late River Phoenix. A close friend, Flea fulfills the songwriting position for one of the first times, to make sense of River’s death. Once informed, the recurrent lyrical metaphor, “in a loving stream” becomes quite obvious, while other things such as “said your brothers a real punk rocker,” are not as obvious (last time I checked Joaquin was trying his hand at rapping). Another wake up call for the band? Perhaps. Overall, the heartfelt tribute is still there, and ultimately provides another example of how short fated living a hard lifestyle can be.
"Transcending" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
And while there is justification in not ever wanting to listen to One Hot Minute, now if you decide to, the two tracks above will contain more meaning, showing that even in their worst moments, the Chili Peppers still have a heartfelt side.
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