Under the Bridge

"Under the Bridge"
Song
B-side	"Sikamikanico" "Search and Destroy" "Soul to Squeeze" "Fela's Cock" (1994 re-issue)

"Under the Bridge" is a song that was written and originally recorded by the rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers. More than two decades into the California band's career, it remains their most successful U.S. hit single, having reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992. Released on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the music video, directed by Gus van Sant, won an MTV Video Music Award and propelled the band to stardom.

"Under the Bridge" is an introspective reflection on vocalist Anthony Kiedis' drug addiction. The title comes from the verse lyric, "Under the bridge downtown/Is where I drew some blood," reportedly referring to an experience in which Kiedis used drugs under a bridge with a member of a Mexican gang, although Kiedis himself refuses to reveal the exact location. The song almost did not make the album, because the lyrics and nature of the song made Kiedis reluctant to show it to producer Rick Rubin and also to record it. It has been noted that the bridge shown in the "Under the Bridge" video is the same one shown in the "By The Way" video. Some fans believe that the man in the taxi that took him to the bridge was portrayed as a drug dealer trying to get him back into drugs by stirring up old memories from under the bridge.

"Under the Bridge" originally reached #26 in the United Kingdom; a re-issue in 1994 reached #13. Two music videos were actually shot for the song, the alternative one is similar, but when the choir vocals come in, on the alternate version, it focuses on Anthony Kiedis' face, rather than the shot of him running towards the camera in the official video.

Guitarist John Frusciante's playing is one of "Under the Bridge"'s most distinctive elements, recalling Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing"; an iconic image from the video features Frusciante playing the signature melody on a turquoise-colored Fender Jaguar in the desert, wearing a ski cap. The song's coda features a mass of high-pitched background vocals, sung by a church choir containing Frusciante's mother. (Frusciante himself is noted for providing high, keening background vocals on a number of Chili Peppers songs.)

The song is a staple in most of their concerts ever since its release, as it was their signature song. The Red Hot Chili Peppers would always play the song near the end of the concert. However, in the world tour supporting their latest album, Stadium Arcadium, the band has excluded the song to leave room for more of their other popular singles, though they have played it as an encore in some of their shows. Anthony Kiedis stated in a recent interview for T4, a UK television show, that he went through periods where he would hate performing "Under the Bridge".

Covers

Australian jazz musician/singer Frank Bennett (real name David Wray, pseudonym derived from obvious "Rat Pack" heroes) released a successful big band swing version of Under the Bridge in 1996.

The song became a hit again in 1998, when UK girl group All Saints re-recorded it for their debut album and released the song as a double-"A"-side with their cover of Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," reaching #1 on the UK charts. Notably, the All Saints cover of "Under the Bridge" left out the final verse, which includes the only drug references in the song – likely done to maintain the girl group's "clean" image.

The hip hop band Gym Class Heroes covered the song for the compilation album Punk Goes 90's.

Trivia

• The song also references the City Of Los Angeles, where the band originates.
• In the video Anthony is wearing a D.O.A. t-shirt which is one of the band's influences.
• Hip-hop artist Mos Def used the first eight lines of this song for the intro of his song "Brooklyn", changing the line "City of Angels" to "Is beautiful Brooklyn."
• Gym Class Heroes covered this song on Punk Goes '90s. Like Mos Def, they change the line "City of Angels" to "this big rotten apple" to reflect their upstate New York origin.
• Music video was directed by Gus Van Sant, a long time friend and collaborator of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea.
• The beginning part of the song, along with the opening segment of the accompanying music video, was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic for his Red Hot Chili Peppers/Flintstones parody song, "Bedrock Anthem" ("Give it Away" was the other RHCP song that Yankovic parodied from to make the song), which appeared on Yankovic's 1993 album, Alapalooza.)
• Gail Frusciante, John Frusciante's mother, appears with her friends from her choir performing backing vocals on this track.
• When the song is performed live, John Frusciante usually performs the choir vocals alone, his falsetto voice being a good substitute.
• At one of his solo shows John Frusciante said that the guitar is a rip off of Andy Warhol by David Bowie and ironically Rip Off by T.Rex

Track list

CD single (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album Version)"
2. "Give It Away (Album Version)"

European CD Single (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge"
2. "Sikamikanico (Previously Unreleased)"
3. "Soul To Squeeze (Previously Unreleased)"
4. "Search And Destroy (Previously Unreleased)"

German CD Single (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge"
2. "Sikamikanico (Previously Unreleased)"
3. "Give It Away (12" Mix)"
4. "Give It Away (Rasta Mix)"

UK Single CD1 (1994 UK re-release)

1. "Under The Bridge"
2. "Sikamikanico"
3. "Suck My Kiss (Live)"
4. "Search And Destroy"

UK Single CD2 (1994 UK re-release)

1. "Under The Bridge"
2. "Fela's Cock"
3. "I Could Have Lied (Live)"
4. "Give It Away (In Progress)"

7" (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "The Rightous And The Wicked (Album)"

7" version 2 (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Give It Away (Album)"

7" version 3 (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Give It Away (Single Mix)"

7" version 4 (1994)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Suck My Kiss (Live)"

12" (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Search And Destroy ( Previously Unreleased)"
3. "Soul To Squeeze (Previously Unreleased)"
4. "Sikamikanico (Previously Unreleased)"

12" version 2 (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Under The Bridge (12" Mix)"
3. "Give It Away (Rasta Mix)"
4. "Sikamikanico (Previously Unreleased)"

Cassette single (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "The Rightous And The Wicked (Album)"

Cassette single 2 (1992)

1. "Under The Bridge (Album)"
2. "Give It Away (Album)"

External links

• Lyrics