Californication and a Girl’s Guitar
by Michael S. Rulle Jr.I have been trying to figure out how to work the Red Hot Chile Peppers’ (RHCP) 1999 hit, Californication, into a blog. I had known and liked the song for some time. Who doesn’t? But other than simply liking the song and having a general sense of what it was about, I had never listened closely. Of course, the title itself has almost the entire meaning of the song within it. I had recently read economist Russell Robert’s Hayekian novel, “The Price of Everything.” It is a simple yet spiritual characterization of the mystery of what Hayek called the “spontaneous order” in human organization.
Then, when on my Stairmaster one day listening to the song, I heard a phrase that could have been written by the Capitalist philosopher, Joseph Schumpeter. I replayed the song and then also picked up the same spiritual sense I got from the Robert’s novel. Now, when the endorphins get going in exercise, many strange thoughts come to mind. But I needed to take a closer look at the song.
Given my belief that the economic and political philosophy of the real California is responsible, not only for its own bankrupt and corrupt condition, but for a good percentage of America’s current condition, I wondered what RHCP lead singer and lyricist Anthony Kiedis saw about California back in 1999—right at the height of its power and wealth during the technology boom. Upon reading the lyrics, (really, listening to the song) one is brought into a dark world. The escape hatch is hard to see, but it is there. While its diagnosis is damning, it also provides a spiritual message of hope. And yes, it can relate to everyday decisions about many things, including even politics. Thus, I decided the best way to work it into a blog was simply to “interpret” it and see what happens. In doing so, I also get to have fun with it like the other, uh, geeks on SongMeanings.
The “portmanteau” word, Californication, could be replaced with “Californification” (or Californization). This would be the equivalent of saying “beautification” in discussing “beautifying” the world. But the coincidence of California’s spelling produces the delightful extra feature of putting the word “fornication” inside this blend word. In other words, the “Californification” of the world can equally be re-written as the “Californication” of the world. Pretty clever by Kiedis. “Californication,” for RHCP, represents the false “premise” and false “promise” offered by a decadent and amoral culture. It is not just California, but it definitely is also California.
Interpretation of poetry or song lyrics is of necessity subjective. Great lyrics have such a clean structure, they permit great interpretive latitude. Not that “anything goes,” because it doesn’t. However, a well structured and dense “metaphorical” lyric provides room for the reader/listener to fill in some of their own content. While I do not know what Anthony Kiedis exactly had in mind, I believe my “interpretation” is consistent with the song’s prose and structure. So here goes my full exposition.
First, here’s a link to a recording of the song with lyrics embedded in the YouTube video:
–
The following are the lyrics in full.
Psychic spies from China
Try to steal your mind’s elation
Little girls from Sweden
Dream of silver screen quotations
And if you want these kind of dreams
It’s Californication
It’s the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It’s understood that Hollywood
sells Californication
Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin is this your chin
Or is that war your waging
[Chorus]:
First born unicorn
Hard core soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Marry me girl be my fairy to the world
Be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside
Getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard
It’s Californication
Space may be the final frontier
But it’s made in a Hollywood basement
Cobain can you hear the spheres
Singing songs off station to station
And Alderon’s not far away
It’s Californication
Born and raised by those who praise
Control of population everybody’s been there
and
I don’t mean on vacation
[Chorus]:
Destruction leads to a very rough road
But it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl’s guitar
They’re just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn’t save the world
From Californication
Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Sicker than the rest
There is no test
But this is what you’re craving
I will approach this interpretation by verse by verse initially, then conclude with a summary.
Psychic spies from China
Try to steal your mind’s elation
Little girls from Sweden
Dream of silver screen quotations
And if you want these kind of dreams
It’s Californication
We are introduced to our Californication world without too much fanfare. One can imagine walking down the streets of any big city and seeing the various tarot card readers, “Eastern” mystics, and fortune tellers. These “psychic spies” prey on the naive who willingly give up their freedom, for cash of course, to find out their fake destiny. There is also the classic fantasy going back 90 years of heading for Hollywood to become a “big star.” But these “little girls” from Sweden (or Detroit, Des Moines, New York) will likely get a dose of Californication for their trouble instead.
It’s the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It’s understood that Hollywood
sells Californication
Dual meanings here as Kiedis starts increasing his complexity. The literal meaning is simple. The “West” is generally considered to be Europe and North America (although to be accurate it culturally includes New Zealand and Australia). The (almost) most western part of “Western Civilization” is California. The “East” is Asia. In our world of time, the first morning sunlight happens just west of the international date line in the Pacific Ocean. More metaphorically, however, it is understood that Civilization began in China 5000 years ago. He now introduces his first hint—more to come– that Civilization’s final location “in time” may occur in “California.” The “edge” of the world is also the edge of time, not just a physical location.
Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin is this your chin
Or is that war your waging [Chorus:]
First born unicorn
Hard core soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
He now begins to personalize and it is clear that the initial tone of sadness has now changed to mockery. He taunts the purveyors of Californication as desperate beings try to deny time in a vain and futile attempt for immortality (”Celebrity Skin” was a Grammy-winning hit on the same topic of plastic surgery released in 1998 by Courtney Love’s group, Hole. Her late husband Kurt Cobain is referenced later in the song). The “chorus” is, I think, pretty clear. The “unicorn” is an ancient fictional beast and appears throughout literary history. The one that seems to fit here is as a symbol of purity. The unicorn was often represented as being tameable only by a virgin maiden. In Catholic mythology, from late Antiquity (300-600 AD), it represented Christ being incarnated. It was depicted in art having its head on the Virgin Mary’s lap. Later, in a non-religious framework, it represented chaste love and faithful marriage. So we are born to have love in a relationship, monogamous love—but our culture drives us to Californication’s “hard core/soft porn.”
Marry me girl be my fairy to the world
Be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside
Getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard
It’s Californication
This verse, which at first does reveal an island of hope in a world of despair, also describes the fatal attraction of Californication. It is impossible to know whether this verse is really “first person” or just a representation of two people. I chose the latter. He depicts a presumably young couple. The man/boy promises devotion as his teenage bride discovers all she can about pregnancy, “getting high on the information”. But Kiedis describes the groom getting distracted and will do anything—what could be more despairing than “buying” recognition?— to get his “star on the boulevard”. That’s Californication.
Space may be the final frontier
But it’s made in a Hollywood basement
Cobain can you hear the spheres
Singing songs off station to station
And Alderon’s not far away
It’s Californication
This verse’s overall meaning is clear, although the specifics have multiple interpretations (maybe by design) and have too many “degrees of separation” to go into all the details. The overall meaning is that Californication threatens the existence (spiritually, if not physically) of our civilization. The first two lines refer to the media’s ability to create illusions and distort reality. Cobain is Kurt Cobain, Kiedis’ friend. “Spheres singing songs off Station to Station” is difficult to get precise. David Bowie had a hit album in 1976 called “Station to Station.”Nirvana (and their spin-off band “Foo Fighters” after Cobain’s death) often appeared together with Bowie. Nirvana covered a Bowie song The Man Who Sold The World. But that song was not on the Station to Station album, but an earlier album. Who and what are the “spheres”? Pythagoras was the first to link music, math and the universe into a “mystical” image called the “music of the spheres”. This is the most plausible meaning as the next line, “Alderon’s not far away” clearly refers to the home planet of “Princess Leia” in Star Wars which was destroyed by a “Death Star”—(its “Californication”).
In World War II, Allied pilots would often see strange fiery sphere like objects in the sky which they could not shoot down. This happened throughout 1944. This, by the way, is a phenomenon that has never been explained. Pilots and their command originally thought these were new German weapons so they called them “kraut-fireballs”. When they realized the UFOs were unlikely to be of German origin they were then called “foo-fighters.” So are “the spheres” the Foo Fighters? Maybe, but they never sang songs “from Station to Station.” In any event, the main character in “The Man Who Sold The World” is a timeless demonic figure “who sold the world”. The main character in the song “Station to Station” is the “Thin White Duke”, a character who “makes “white” stain”. These “characters” were dark, mysterious and seemingly demonic—of the Californication world.
So where do we stand? The lyricist seems to be missing his deceased friend. Cobain is likely one who shared his vision of the world, as did, presumably, Bowie. But the bottom line of this verse is “Alderon’s not far away” i.e., the “destruction” of the earth. (The original sheet music apparently uses the spelling “Alderon.” But the planet in Star Wars is spelled “Alderaan”).
Born and raised by those who praise
Control of population everybody’s been there
and I don’t mean on vacation
Kiedis is unambiguously criticizing our culture’s obsession with birth control and/or abortion. It could also mean a critique of those in power. But “those who praise” are all of us to some extent. “Those who praise” are also the the purveyors of the values of Californication. We have all been to “California” and “I don’t mean on vacation.” We cannot just point fingers at others but we need to look in the mirror.
Destruction leads to a very rough road
But it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl’s guitar
They’re just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn’t save the world
From Californication
This verse lead me to this insane attempt to “interpret” this song. The first two lines make the point made by many philosophers and artists, but made most famous by Joseph Schumpeter’s phrase “creative destruction”. The term, in economics, means progress happens through the destruction of old industries/businesses/technologies to make way for better use of man’s creative talents. (There are no more buggy whip makers, as they say). What is the author getting at? The second two lines are a representation in specifics what is meant by the first two lines. It also is an image of “infinity,” “perspective,” and “relativity.” The “single fact” of a plucked guitar string (or any “fact” or “set of observations” of life) should be viewed from many different angles. At the level of the infinitesmally small, in this case, the vibration of the guitar, we have catastrophe. At the level of the Universe (”music of the spheres”) it is just another “good vibration”–ha. This is not related at all to the concept that all values are “relative.” Quite the opposite. Its just that “things” are more complex than they may at first appear. One constantly is required to step back and view life from different “relative” angles to see the full truth. These first four lines are timeless and represent one of the two strands of “hope” in the song.
The last two lines of the verse are a biblical reminder and warning. Even Noah’s Flood (which cleansed the world to start anew), or “tidal waves” cannot save the world from Californication. Now that is harsh.
Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Sicker than the rest
There is no test
But this is what you’re craving
We close out with a final sarcastic burst. You better pay up a lot to stop time (already known to be impossible). He seems to be goading the “Californicators” to just do it, “this is what you’re craving.” But why, he asks, “There is no test” and you cannot break the “spell of aging.”
Lets put it all together. We know this “Californication” thing is “bad” but what is it? Californication is libertinism, crass materialism, solipsistic interactions and spiritual emptiness. It is our modern secular world, in short. Who knew RHCP shared something in common with cultural conservatives? What is the “better way”? The “unicorn” and “teenage girl with the baby inside” point the way. This is the first strand of the message. It is natural and beautiful to have a loving monogamous relationship between a man and a woman. Not exactly new “news” but in a Californication world it almost seems radical. The second strand of the message, the “earthquake in the girl’s guitar”, provides clues on how we should view the world. It is mysterious and beautiful and we have lost sight of the “wonder” that is really omnipresent. The song is trying to reintroduce a sense of wonder, awe, humility, “simple” complexity and mystery into our world. It is all around us—-but we do not see it at all. We may as well be Alderaan. It’s Californication.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Tips & Feedback
68 Comments
Better off putting this kind of effort into parsing Shakespeare.
What?
All I remember is that the Video reminded me of two classic Sega games, Shenmue and Crazy Taxi. I miss my dreamcast.
I know you're going to get some razzing for putting so much effort into a Red Hot Chili Peppers song, so I want to let you know that I enjoyed the post. It was fun to work those parts of my brain again (my BA is in English).
One minor point (that may send this comment to moderation)–Celebrity Skin is also a magazine that is exactly what it sounds like. That's where Hole got their album and song title from. Keidis is likely referencing both the song and the magazine.
[...] Go here to see the original: Californication and a Girl’s Guitar [...]
I remember when my friends and I used to do this sort of thing with "Stairway to Heaven" and "American Pie".
[...] rest is here: Californication and a Girl’s Guitar Author: admin Categories: Art Work Tags: Art Work, entire, figure-out-how, hypebeast, [...]
[...] here to see the original: Californication and a Girl’s Guitar This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
I agree with vatz, great post.
The spheres might refer to heavenly spheres, or more generically, things you find in space, which is what the stanza is about. Either the Aristotelian spheres that each planet and the fixed stars spun on over earth, or else spheres meaning all the spherical bodies in space — planet, stars, moon. So Cobane being dead, and therefore in heaven (space) should be able to hear the spheres singing. The real interesting thing is where exactly is the afterlife the song imagines Cobane to be in, is it above in the heavens of space or maybe below in the Hollywood basement that contains space, in this stanza. It's kind of a discussion of nihilism and the ultimate meaninglessness even of death in Californication. There's no final judgement when even space and death are contained in the interpretive dreamworld of Hollywood basements (hell). That Cobane's death was also meaningless makes it even more poignant.
I did the same thing with Guy Clark's "Dublin Blues" – best country song most of you've never heard, sung by the best country artist most of you've probably, well, never heard of. The effort is appreciated Michael.
Californication is best recognized in Colorado. It "ruined" Aspen, Telluride and Breckenridge, and it's ruining much smaller hamlets like my favored spot, Creede. To me, it's not the infusion of money, ridge-lining and higher property prices, it's a very specific attitude: We're here to make things better, better being defined as the lofty, limo-lib ideals of We Know Better Than You. The culture of Western individualism is being ruined by this in Colorado – if there's a simple phrase to sum it up, it's Nanny Statism.
It has and will continue to ruin a wonderful, rural part of the country.
It's interesting the way you can find meaning in the strangest places. I like RHCP, but I never really tried to get anything meaningful out of most of their stuff. I just like the sound. Great post.
lol!
As I've gotten older, I'm more like you on this topic. Folks used to go nuts with Dylan and sometimes with the Beatles trying to find a deeper meaning in their lyrics. Dylan would even laugh at some of the meaning that was attributed to some of his songs. I'm not saying it isn't there or that some meaning was not intended, or that there has not been a ton of incredible poetry set to music. More often than not though, it's some kind of inside joke and I am more focused on the quality of the music itself.
As I've gotten older, I'm more like you on this topic. Folks used to go nuts with Dylan and sometimes with the Beatles trying to find a deeper meaning in their lyrics. Dylan would even laugh at some of the meaning that was attributed to some of his songs. I'm not saying it isn't there or that some meaning was not intended, or that there has not been a ton of incredible poetry set to music. More often than not though, it's some kind of inside joke and I am more focused on the quality of the music itself.
[...] See original here: Californication and a Girl’s Guitar [...]
Good post!
I think you overlooked something with the Alderon line though. First line in Star Wars: "Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…"
Kiedis: No it ain't!
Wow…this feels like it belongs in a college paper back in 1999. Sounds like you smoked the good s**t, bro!
I loved it dude. Somebody said it made his brain work. DITTO. I think most Poets and Song Writers always make an attempt to have meaning to there material. Californication is one of those. It's deep. And I love the way your carved into it like a butcher and his meat. VERY thought provoking. I always find time to do the same, as you have done here. You know, try to decipher a songs meaning. Anyway, EXCELLENT work!! ….I hope to see more of this type of blogging soon. keep up the good work. ps.. Don't mind the dummies that reply with stupid posts…they just don't get it.
[...] Excerpt from: Californication and a Girl’s Guitar [...]
It's f__king up Arizona too, though at a slower rate — even most liberal Californians wouldn't make the mistake of moving here to get away from the heat. We have a bunch of rich losers who drive worse than us (and that's saying something) moving to all our tony spots like Biltmore Estates and Paradise Valley, and slowly but surely trying to turn the state blue.
Perhaps "Station to Station" is referring to radio stations, giving an image of universal emptiness. Cobain's songs, his creative energy and effort, has become like DeLillo's "white noise," a mere physical signal bouncing back and forth between planets and radio towers until the Earth is destroyed. So, the verse's context, in a sense, is about the destruction of meaning, either by deconstructing illusions or by physical entropy.
Great post. I'd love to see this sort of thing become a regular feature of BH.
I didn't like this song when it came out, it was right in the thick of the rock/rap hybrid craze and I had gotten sick of it and anything that sounded like it. It's grown on me over the years, partly because I don't hear it 12 times a day. I like your interpretation of the lyrics, most people would give it a quick listen and think he's singing about the world wanting to absorb the California culture, "It's Californication" and "Dream of Californication" are repeated several times. In reality, this is a dark song set to some misleading, cruise the coastal highway music.
Me too, but with different tunes. Then we put the bong down and sobered up.
This is mental masturbation on stilts.
Red HOT Chili Peppers, another example of the long slippery slope we in America have descended upon. If you listen to what they really are about and the vile diatribe they resort to, it would make you sick. I was a roadie/Head of Security for many different tours of different bands, includin' RHCP, they are a totally disgusting lot. The amount of hedonism they wallowed in is truly disgusting. Pervesion abounded. And this is what they are trying to suck in our children at an early age. I have come to realize that this a form of validation for their evil, black souls, they try to bring the audience down to their own de-based level
Don't harsh his buzz, dude!
I forget where the Wizard of Oz interpretation reference is from—Some Beatles song? Let me know–thanks
I don't mind the sarcasm–that much—but it is usually the case that poets or lyricists mean something by what they write. Your comments (all 4 of them) almost imply that authors have no meaning—or that Kiedis is too stupid to have any substance. In any event, I did say I was basically filling in the blanks and trying to be consistent with his prose. Did you ever take a English literature course?
You know the Wizard of Oz references Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, right? Ok, ya got me, I rose to the bait, what can I say? I'm up too late and the Haagen Dazs is kicking in.
I think it's that your analysis comes of as sort of…obvious if you read the lyrics. You write with enthusiasm, definitely, but the song's just not that good…or deep. You remind me of the enthusiasm I had for the profound truths in "Memory" from Cats…when I was 16 years old.
WoO references Pink Floyd & Dark Side… Kiedis is too stupid to have any substance. Good authors/poets get their meaning across, otherwise, what's the point? They may as well write pop songs. Only authors/poets lacking depth set out to be "deep" (Kiedis, Cobain) Only took 3 Russian Lit. courses, and 2 Hist & Devel. of the Engl. Lang. And it would be "….take AN English lit……"
3 Russian Lit. courses, 2 Hist. & Devel. of the English Language courses.
3 Russian Lit. courses, 2 Hist. & Devel. of the English Language courses. Kiedis is too st**upid to have any substance. Good authors/poets get their meaning across, otherwise what's the point? May as well write pop songs. And it would be "Did you ever take AN English literature course?" or "Did you ever take a course in English literature?"
Wiz reference is about Pink Floyd & Dark Side.
We fly into Ft. Lauderdale, pick up a Mustang convertible and leave out in the a.m. for Key West. I lost the debate over who was going to drive, it turns out that was a GOOD THING. On the south side of Miami, Kelly says "the radio sucks, let's get a CD." OK, we buy RHCP "Califonication" and proceed. Let me tell you, a convertible, a sweet looking driver and a vodka, soda with a sqeeze of lemon, that's the way to drive the Keys. Oh ya, the CD was an ok buy…
Take it from someone who studied songwriting intently – perfect rhymes, imperfect rhymes, plosives, fricatives, dual meanings, open-ended intent – you're spinning your wheels.
"Interpretation of poetry or song lyrics is of necessity subjective."
As soon as you had that revelation, you should have realized it was time to give up this idea. It's a waste of time and effort. Besides, RHCP couldn't organize a brilliant lyric if their lives depended on it. If you're going to follow this folly, at least dissect lyrics by the greats. That might be at least interesting enough to stimulate some creative debate.
Let me guess… slow news day!
I wonder what the song means if you start playing it backwards while starting the 'Wizard of Oz" at the same time, after doing a couple of tabs of acid, sitting in a dark room with a blaklight staring at a velvet poster of dogs playing cards? Outta site! Deep man, very deep.
Wow, first thing I did when I saw that you were going to analyze the lyrics was to download them and give it a stab myself. Didn't get much. But I figured California's been headed toward the financial dumper for a while now and it was a good time for even the teenagers to "get it" back when this was written.
When I then read your analysis, I have to admit, I think you give them too much credit. Why would they make the meaning so inaccessible? I think rather that they were freeform criticizing California ( with a butter knife rather than a filet knife).
He's referring to the Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. Though, I've heard the same "ZOMG CONSPIRACY BECAUSE MUSIC MATCHES PERFECTLY TO THE SCENES IN WIZARD OF OZ" said about other songs and albums. I've never really seen it when people have shown these things to me.
I think Dom's just butthurt because someone got meaning out of something. We're so saturated with over-analysis that I can see where he might be coming from, but your interpretation seemed fairly grounded and rational to me. I now find things like this to be nice mental exercises, but I was turned off to them for a long time too; because in college it seemed that the more insane and irrelevant the interpretation, the better your grade (or as the instructors I had in literature said "we saw more of the innate truth of the piece")
If you start the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon when the MGM lion roars, it syncs up to the movie Wizard of Oz.
I tried this once, and it was pretty freaky…..
Dom! And your comment made it thru and my was moderated! ha-ha! ( I was not the one that subtracted points)
Lol!
Yeah, that's pretty much the truth.
Don't credit the Peppers with coining the word- as far back as the 80's bumper stickers around Phoenix read "Don't Californicate Arizona."
Dom. Just pulling your chain on Pink Floyd/Wizard of Oz. It is very similar to the concept of "Equidistant Letter Sequencing" one finds in various "Bible Code" interpretations, except applied to music. It is an "illusion". Certainly the Bible Codes are illusions. Among a virtual infinite number of combinations, one can always find patterns, which, in fact, are random occurrences. Interesting field of study. "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest".
Re: the essay. Its just a song. Just having a little fun with it. I am not trying to start a religious movement. There are a few lines which are inspired–even if in the "ELS" (see above) way–hence the essay.
Dom. Just pulling your chain on Pink Floyd/Wizard of Oz. It is very similar to the concept of "Equidistant Letter Sequencing" one finds in various "Bible Code" interpretations, except applied to music. It is an "illusion". Certainly the Bible Codes are illusions. Among a virtual infinite number of combinations, one can always find patterns, which, in fact, are random occurrences. Interesting field of study. "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest".
.
Re Essay. Hey, its just a song. I'm not trying to start a religious movement. A few lines were inspired, even if in an "ELS" (see above) kind of way.
Just saw this post on Sunday morning. WAY too much to read first thing in the morning. Oh well, back to midget porn for now.
[...] Californication and a Girl’s Guitar Comments (0) Tags:chile, karin, most-agencies, presented, publishers-trying, rights-reserved, [...]
Great stuff, Michael. I've always said that that Southern California punk ska movement was at its heart conservative, and your analysis strengthens my point. Could you turn your critical eye to Fishbone's "V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F" and explain its meaning? I've always wondered about that one, but I don't have the intellectual firepower to do it. That would be great.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO, LOS ANGELES – NIGHT
Musician ANTHONY KIEDIS (long hair, mostly-bare body streaked in neo-tribalist tattoos) lounges, lost in a creative (or whatever) haze. Across room, musical partner FLEA hunches at a laptop, casually skimming conservative movie blogs.
FLEA
"Heh. Hey, Ant? You hear you're a Republican now, man?"
KIEDIS
"I am? Wild."
(beat)
"Hey… is that a sulfur-candycane-Jesus-ninja on the counter?"
FLEA
(looks)
"No, that's a Snuggie, Ant."
KIEDIS
"Snuggie… right. Wild."
(beat)
"Rhyme that first thing with something West Coast-y, though. That'll be a good one."
You are interpreting the mindless ramblings of a Junkie who's been high since he was old enough to walk. You are dumber than he is. There's nothing else to write about? No other insights?
This quote is attributed to both Buckminster Fuller and Tim Leary: California is what you get after 20,000 years of people saying, "Screw this, I'm headed west."
The Peppers are South American now?
Bohemond (above) is correct. Don't credit the Peppers with the term Californication. Folks in the Pacific N.W. have been complaining about Californication since the 70's.
I suspect you are giving the Peppers a little too much credit. Though people did the same for Jim Morrison, the Beatles and Dylan as well. All seeking to imitate Rimbaud and the Symbolists. The earlier poster was right, time spent with Shakespeare would be better spent. However, this is probably more identifiable to more people, and therefore more relevant.
I don't think you need to spend too much energy proving the Bowie and Station to Station connection. Bowie is a standard in the form, Rock and Roll, and Station to Station a classic album pushing a similar alientated theme. The connection, though not necessarily deep, seems pretty apparent to me as well.
Nice effrort, but to put a damper on it, part of Californication is to think that the secrets of the universe can be found within pop lyrics (no they can't),, musicians are deep social thinkers (no they aren't), and that social maladies need to be explained in long-assed articles. Try greed, sloth, pride, gluttony. Very succinct.
Who are you? Are you looking for people to provide you with "insights". Good luck with that. At least guys like Dom and Movie Bob are pretty funny–in fact, they provide insight. You, unfortunately, do not.
I am pretty sure you wouldn't know Schumpeter or Hayek from the horse's ass you see in the mirror every day. Or the quantum physics reference. Even if there by accident–which I grant is possible–it is still intriguing. Plus ITS JUST A SONG INTERPRETATION. How do you get angry over this? Did Flea not sign an autograph for you when you were 13?
You are welcome to link to my website. If you can write at least 300 words on any subject, and provide some "insight", I will be happy to post it.
The closest I ever got to California was Phoenix, AZ, and the entire time we lived there I was obsessed with this song and the whole Californication album. I used to listen to it on the way home from work. Coming from the midwest I had never lived somewhere like Phoenix, and the level of debased, materialistic behavior was shocking and disgusting to me. I wanted no part of "californication", so we returned home to Ohio. Thanks for the breakdown of the song, though…it's something I've done many times in my head.
wow …that was deep woman!
Foo Fighters reminded me of a site I was trolling about Project Paperlcip. I had no idea what a foo fighter was.
http://www.project1947.com/articles/arwwr.htm
Just some interesting info.
That was deep, elizabethe! Interesting insight from you.I enjoyed this post very much as I am a music and words fan. I love to hear interpretations of songs, poems, books, movies, etc. Thanks for taking the time to put all of that down, not just for us, but for yourself.
While that was highly, and i do mean highly entertaining MB, I doubt anyone who has listened to or followed RHCP think they are "republican." Could they have at times a more conservative view of life? Sure, why would that be beyond the realm? Even mass murderers love their familes sometimes. Besides, who says anyone has to interpret the lyric in the way they were laid out? After all they are subjective. I found it very interesting, sorry you didn't.
P.S. Interesting doesn't mean I agree with everything that is written. Just that it is interesting.
I just want to say I am almost rendered speechless. That was a par excellent smackdown. Heh. Now that is interesting, Movie Bob.
[...] A potential overanalysis of song lyrics. [...]
RHCP were politically prescient too, after all, they did lyricize.."…I must warn ya', 'bout the Motherf$&king government of California."
The expression "Californication" started in Colorado in the 1970s, when the bumper sticker "Don't Californicate Colorado" was popular.
Incidentally, on behalf of all Californians, I want to plead not guilty to the natural commercialization of attractive rural properties. We aren't the criminals, just the first victims of an almost-inevitable process.
wow, chill on those endorphins bro… giving the druggies too much credit! Cali "FORNICATION" … the song is about sex!
Brilliant post. I'm so happy you gave it such a good shot.
@Hucbald: This is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. It is the first song they worked on with Frusciante back in the fold… and the last one of a double album to be completed (so it took 9 months to get it right). The lyrics may fall a bit short in places… but 10 million people bought and LOVE this record. That makes it "great"… regardless of your elitist prejudices.
Thanks MovieBob!! I laughed out loud at your imaginary conversation. Good stuff
Don't let this country turn into California.
Join us in calling for Chris Dodd's resignation by posting on the internet your own call for his resignation.
This is a word of mouth and grass roots campaign by Americans who are concerned about the direction of this country and we feel this is a very effective way to send a message to the Senators who will be voting on Card Check, Health Care and Cap and Trade.
Please join us.
You can also tell other friends who are concerned or carry signs at Tea Parties that call for Chris Dodd's resignation NOW
I'm astounded by the critical comments about this article. Music, poetry, and other forms of creative expression are what you make of them. Indeed, the original author of a work may have a certain frame of reference when preparing it, but that doesn't mean an opposing interpretation is wrong (which is why it was pointed out that it is all subjective). That being said, the interpretation of the author in this instance is valid. In fact, the analysis makes a lot of sense, more so than those of you here who discount the group simply because they "do drugs."
Indeed, those who find themselves entrapped in drug culture experience feelings of greater highs and lows than most of us ever will. Many of those we consider the greatest within literature, dating back to antiquity, had drug habits or feelings of depression. Music has the ability to effect us in ways that we do not fully understand. Most people give hardly a moment's notice to what they are singing along with. An excellent example of this was the episode of "Arrested Development" where an uncle and niece are singing karaoke together (the actual song eludes me at this point, but I believe it was something to the effect of "Afternoon Delight") only to realize how inappropriate it was. It's part of the effect of pop music. We assume nothing means anything anymore.
I, like many others, have always appreciated the "sound" of RHCP, dating back to when they were a pure funk band, but I appreciate the in depth analysis of the song and would appreciate seeing more of this in the future.
"And tidal waves couldn't save the world
From Californication
The last two lines of the verse are a biblical reminder and warning. Even Noah’s Flood (which cleansed the world to start anew), or “tidal waves” cannot save the world from Californication. Now that is harsh."
Wow, tidal waves couldn't save the world means that tidal waves COULDN'T SAVE THE WORLD. Now that is some deep analysis, brutha. Thanks for clearing that up. Does the Bible now have a monopoly on tsunamis?
I love this. La dee da, I'll begin with my fixed ideology and MAKE the song fit it, authorial intentions be damned. There's a reason you can't spell analysis without anal.
You must be logged in to post a comment.