Breaking the Girl
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| "Breaking the Girl" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers | ||||
| from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik | ||||
| B-side | "Fela's Cock" | |||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Format | CD, 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | May - June 1991 at The Mansion in Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:55 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Anthony Kiedis, John Frusciante, Flea, Chad Smith | |||
| Producer | Rick Rubin | |||
| Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology | ||||
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"Breaking the Girl" is a song by the American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was released in 1992 as the fourth single from their studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk. The song's bridge is marked by a percussion break that builds through the use of increasingly complex rhythms. The percussions instruments consisted of junkyard debris found by drummer Chad Smith , guitarist John Frusciante, and bassist Flea. The song also makes use of a Mellotron, using the flute patch. It is one of only two songs the group recorded in the 6/8 time signature, with the other being "Porcelain" on Californication.
The music video was released in 1992 and was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, who had previously made a video for the song "Give It Away". It makes heavy, experimental use of vibrant colors, with the background and costumes changing constantly. The Chilis themselves also adopt surreal appearances and behavior, with Kiedis for example having an overall Princess Leia-esque look, complete with robes and a "donut" hairstyle. The "Breaking the Girl" video is one of only two videos to feature Arik Marshall (who briefly acted as a replacement for guitarist John Frusciante) the other video being for "If You Have to Ask" - though he didn't play on either track. The video also features a brief cameo by River Phoenix, who was good friends with members of the band. The woman in the video is model/actress Patricia Velásquez.
Chad Smith said in "The Chad & Flea Show" that his drumming in the song was totally inspired by Mitch Mitchell-
[edit] Cover versions
- Anna Nalick recorded an acoustic version of the song for her Shine EP, released April 2008.
- British acoustic band Turin Brakes recorded a version for their 'Napster live' session; a version also appears on the 2007 compilation album, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show
[edit] Track listing
CD single (1992)
- "Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
- "Fela's Cock (Previously Unreleased)"
- "Suck My Kiss (Live)"
- "I Could Have Lied (Live)"
CD single version 2 (1992)
- "Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
- "Suck My Kiss (Live)"
- "I Could Have Lied (Live)"
7" single (1992)
- "Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
- "Fela's Cock (Unreleased)"
12" single (1992)
- "Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
- "Fela's Cock (Previously Unreleased)"
- "Suck My Kiss (Live)"
- "I Could Have Lied (Live)"
Cassette single (1992)
- "Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
- "The Power of Equality (Album Version)"
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 19 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 15 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 41 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 19 |
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 30 |
