What Hits!?

What Hits!?
Greatest hits album by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Released	September 29, 1992
Recorded	1984–1991
Genre	Funk rock, alternative rock
Length	67:28
Language	English
Label	EMI
Producer	Various
Red Hot Chili Peppers chronology
Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) What Hits!? (1992) Live Rare Remix Box (1994)

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Allmusic

What Hits!? is a compilation album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1992 by EMI. The album contains tracks from the band's first four albums as well as "Under the Bridge" from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and the stand-alone single "Show Me Your Soul".

This album was released on EMI/Capitol records through a deal with Warner Bros. Records. The labels agreed that EMI/Capitol would keep all rights to any material the Peppers recorded there except one song, and Warner Bros. would then give EMI rights to one song recorded during the Peppers career there, so each company could produce a greatest hits compilation. EMI chose "Under the Bridge" for What Hits!? and Warner Bros. chose "Higher Ground" for the 2003 compilation Greatest Hits.

The title of the compilation is a joke alluding to the relative lack of success achieved by the Red Hot Chili Peppers during their tenure with EMI, highlighting the irony that many of the tracks included on what is supposed to be a 'greatest hits' compilation were generally singles that peaked notably low in the charts, arguably too low to be considered 'hits' (and even in some cases, such as "The Brothers Cup" and "Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky", were never released as singles at all). Most of the material released on this album were songs taken from Freaky Styley (1985) and Mother's Milk (1989).

"Behind the Sun" was released as a single to accompany the release of this compilation, originally appearing on the band's 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. Although a music video was also made, the Red Hot Chili Peppers had no involvement in its making since it was produced by EMI. The video reuses segments of the band performing taken from their earlier video for "Higher Ground". The album includes The Abbey Road E.P. and 13 others.

Track listing

1. "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder) – 3:21
   • From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
2. "Fight Like a Brave" – 3:47
   • From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
3. "Behind the Sun" – 4:45
   • From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
4. "Me & My Friends" – 3:05
   • From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
5. "Backwoods" – 3:06
   • From the 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
6. "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" – 3:36
   • From the 1984 album The Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. "Fire" (Jimi Hendrix) – 2:01
   • From the 1988 EP The Abbey Road E.P. and Mother's Milk
8. "Get Up and Jump" – 2:50
   • From the 1984 album The Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. "Knock Me Down" – 3:43
   • From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
10. "Under the Bridge" – 4:24
    • From the 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
11. "Show Me Your Soul" – 4:22
    • From the 1990 motion picture Pretty Woman
12. "If You Want Me to Stay" (Sly and the Family Stone) – 4:06
    • From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
13. "Hollywood (Africa)" (The Meters) – 4:58
    • From the 1985 album Freaky Styley.
    • Listed as simply "Hollywood" on packaging
14. "Jungle Man" – 4:04
    • From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
15. "The Brothers Cup" – 3:24
    • From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
16. "Taste the Pain" – 4:34
    • From the 1989 album Mother's Milk
17. "Catholic School Girls Rule" – 1:55
    • From the 1985 album Freaky Styley
18. "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky" – 5:10
    • From the 1989 album Mother's Milk

Video/DVD

A video and later, DVD version of What Hits!? was also released, containing the following music videos:

1. "Behind the Sun"
2. "Under the Bridge"
3. "Show Me Your Soul"
4. "Taste the Pain"
5. "Higher Ground"
6. "Knock Me Down"
7. "Fight Like a Brave"
8. "Jungle Man"
9. "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes"
10. "Catholic School Girls Rule"
11. "Fire"
12. "Stone Cold Bush" (live)
13. "Special Secret Song Inside" (live)
14. "Subway to Venus" (live)

Personnel

Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Anthony Kiedis – vocals
• Flea – bass, trumpet
• Hillel Slovak - guitar (on tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
• John Frusciante - guitar (on tracks 1, 9, 10, 11, 16, 18)
• Jack Sherman - guitar (on tracks 6, 8)
• Jack Irons - drums (on tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, )
• Cliff Martinez – drums (on tracks 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
• Chad Smith - drums (on tracks 1, 9, 10, 11, 18)

Additional musicians

• Philip "Fish" Fisher – drums (on track 16)
• Dave Coleman - cello (on track 16)

Recording personnel

• Michael Bienhorn – producer
• George Clinton – producer
• Norwood Fisher - producer
• Andy Gill - producer
• Rick Rubin - producer