Comments: 100

• Brian From Pa Is... from Death ValleyThe Song is clearly about drug addiction.
• Brian from PaHate to break it to everyone, but, this song is about homosexuality and the struggles that ensue from the lifestyle.
• Karlee from CanadaI thoroughly enjoyed reading all the different perspectives from everyone! Great ideas and interpretations.
• Sayonara7 from TxWhen I first listened to this I thought it was about a battle with depression and suicidal thoughts because of the beginning lyrics, especially with the “slitting my throat” part, and i thought that the otherside would represent heaven or god, but it makes a lot more sense that this is about a battle with drugs
• Anthony from NyThis is an amazing song about the plight of an addict trying to recover. I feel "Otherside" is the state he's in after using. Other's feel it's death, I do not
  
  "I heard your voice through a photograph
  I thought it up and brought up the past"
  
  Here we have the addict in a meeting. Trying to come to terms with his past.
  
  "Pour my life into a paper cup
  The ashtray's full and I'm spillin' my guts"
  
  Medication is distributed at clinics and rehab centers are placed in paper cups. Here he's still talking in meetings
  
  "Scarlet starlet and she's in my bed
  A candidate for a soul mate bled
  Push the trigger and I pull the thread"
  
  Here, the "push the trigger" is push the plunger on the needle. I believe Scarlet is a user who "bled" meaning she used heroin
  
  "Turn me on, take me for a hard ride
  Burn me out, leave me on the other side
  I yell and tell it that it's not my friend"
  
  here he is trying to fight the battle and not use.
• Notorious Nick from Las Vegas, NvWhat's crazy about reading this is...I actually didn't know this song was about addiction. But, since I've been an off and on drug addict for many years and music can be interpreted in many different ways (sometimes lyrics just hit you and it totally makes sense to YOU), I felt in my soul that this song was about addiction...More specifically, heroin, since it's one of the hardest drugs to be addicted to, maintain, and get off of. My heart goes out to anyone out there fighting addiction and trying to make it back to the "otherside".
• Jack from Pittsburgh PaThis song is my favorite from the band I think it means something about A relationship or something else
• Casey Pace from Bentonville ArPersonally… some say this song has to do with drugs… and maybe a little bit. But it’s deeper then that. It’s speaking of the other side of yourself. It’s talking of hermetic principals and having to get rid of the other side of yourself. When he speaks of going near a cemetery and marrying the sea… he is talking about spiritual warfare.
  Dealing with a bigger picture on a spiritual level. What’s left in a cemetery? The dead parts that were once connected to a soul. Some good Some not bad. But mostly addictive spirits
• JoshuaPretty sad song but a good song and tbh it's one of the few songs on my playlist to help me cope with the struggles of my marijuana addiction, smoking and drinking which I plan on kicking the habit and starting fresh from the old. The song itself was sad and the lyrics describe some of their hardest moments in their life from the band members dying. I remember listening to this in 2006 on the way to a program that was in my city. Sadly two of the founding members of the program passed away within the same year it was really a struggle after loosing my grandpa the same year the program members died. This song really means something to me to the core of life and death struggle
  
• Epileptic Fan from Los AngelesUsed to do drugs. Hope you and your family are doing well. Got clean after two suicide attempts after my epilepsy & drugs made my life worse and oddly better in a sense of having met certain people and learning things. Only smoke weed now. Dont even drink anymore cause I wanted to stick around longer to whoop some brain/epilepsy ass. You should feel deep in yourself to see what it is that started you down that path and see if staying on it is still worth it man.
• Rick from West Chester, PaBest wishes to Selena and the other persons suffering from addiction, I hope your fortunes are good. I am not a RHCP fan normally, but I liked this song and think the video for this song is one of the best ever made.
• Selena from Anchorage Alaska I'm in Recovery from the disease of addition.At one one point I was a heroin junkie Lowest part of my life .This song brought me back to that time.So powerless. I have been off that drug over 2 years now only because I started believing in something bigger and greater than my addictions. My drug of choice was Crack so I figure if I can overcome heroin I gave up crack a little over 2 months now..I heard this song,actually heard it about a week and a half ago.I havent been the same since.Ive been a slut,whore to dope,wanted to die so many times,especially at the beginning of my Recovery.So dark where my addictions takes me.It wants me dead. Anyway RHCP are Musical Geniuses. I only have one day at a time. Past is past.Once you know you cant go back.You can't not know. I wish I could communicate my experiences in such a way that these guys do.Thank God.Im not the only one that thinks and feels the way we do.I am not alone. I cant stay clean alone either. I need help so I ask for.I want to live my life without drugs cuz the way I've been doing it hasnt worked.Did I mention also suffer from bipolar disorder? .I have hope though.Thank youRHCP. To me you're living your purpose.You represent hope for me.
• Strat58cat from California"Scarlet starlet and she's in my bed. Candidate for a soulmate bled." This line clearly objectifies the male, denying her agency over his lifestyle choices such as drug addiction.
• Lala from TexasIts definitely about addiction...
  Push the Trigger and pull the threadis about shooting up. .Pushing in the rig and then releasing the tie...
  You tie up your arm with whatever and as you push in on the rig you release the tie so that it runs through...
• Rece from Wartace Tennessee Considering the meaning is explained at the top of the page, a lot of the comments are bordering ridiculous and fantastical. But what was surprising was comments like " a place we're meetings were held that allowed smoking" and "drugs that are harder than cigarettes ". Hell, u could smoke anywhere when this song was written, even on an airplane!
• Ally A from Sedro Woolley, Wa, UsPush the trigger and pull the thread is about shooting up push the trigger means the plunger on a syringe (obvi w/heroin inside) and pull the thread means releaseing the tourniquet you have on your arm to allow the drugs to flow to your brain giving you the legendary "rush " junkies seek this above food, sex self respect, f--king anything
• David from Pahoa HawaiiI just wanted to correct Natalie from Georgia who was stating that the line,"pour my life into a paper cup" is not referring to alcohol. It's referring to methadone. Which just about any methadone clinic uses and sometimes plastic but never anywhere is alcohol poured into a paper cup.
• Daryl from Boise, IdahoNatalie from Georgia: You offered a most excellent description, and helps me to understand the lyric and story of what is arguably my favorite RHCP's song off my favorite RHCP's album - one where they did change their sound quite a bit. Offering one more thing, on the Wikipedia page for Hillel Slovak, it's stated that this song was about Hillel. Maybe it's about Hillel as well as all that you said.
• Natalie from GeorgiaSomething that is obvious and should firstly be noted about this song is what the term “Otherside” is referring to. This refers to some form of death, however this could be by suicide OR drug overdose. It makes sense either way in the context. The song itself is about, of course, drug addiction. “How long will I slide, separate my side” is asking, how far away will be put himself from sobriety? Anthony Kiedis has spoken about relapses, and has said that every time he’s relapsed, it has been worse than before. So this line is basically asking the question, how bad am I going to allow my addiction to get with every relapse? Although there could be different interpretations of the death mention, I personally think that he is contemplating death in this song as a means to escape his addiction. He feels that unless he dies either by suicide or drug overdose, that he will never be free from the voice in his head pleading him to keep using drugs. He will never not be addicted to drugs until he is dead, on the Otherside. “I don’t believe it’s bad” refers to the fact that he doesn’t look upon his addiction in a negative manner. It has built him as a person and allowed him to appreciate his life more, so in that sense, he does not think his addiction has been a bad thing (this explanation can be found in his autobiography Scar Tissue). Now, in Scar Tissue, he also mentions that all of his relapses have been triggered by a breakup with a girl. So the lines “Heard your voice through a photograph, thought it up and brought up the past, once you know you can never go back” is referring to his remembering a girl that was once in his life that he had to let go, and how this recollection urges him to relapse. And once the urge is there to relapse, he can’t go back and he must give in to it to get rid of it. “Pour my life into a paper cup, the ashtrays full and I’m spilling my guts” is of course reference to two things: alcoholism, which is has also notably struggled with, and the ‘spilling my guts’ part refers to withdrawal. Drug withdrawal, alcohol withdrawal, whatever. However heroin withdrawal is probably what’s being mentioned, as this sort of withdrawal gives symptoms similar to the flu or a severe physical illness. And, obviously, “push the trigger and pull the thread” means either to shoot himself or hang himself, so... a blatant suggestion of suicide. In conclusion, the only way to escape his habits of drug addiction is to kill himself. Moral of the song.
• Anna from MalaysiaI love this song as this is how I faced my life before. I was not a junkie but was a hooker, who addicted to sex and loved doing it but hate doing it. Money was just a bonus. I had bad childhood as sexual victim, and it felt like everything kept on became worst and worst. I was think about suicide every single day and plan on doing it. Then this song came out. I was crying when I listen to this song. And when I got to know about Anthony of how he can recover after being years in drugs, I was thinking, I too can do it. And just like that, I quit my job. And started to recover. It was hard, but I made it. Still it's a long battle, and I'll still fighting.
• Bruce from New YorkI always thought that this song was so obviously about drugs, and the length to which junkies will go to aquire them... as in taking it on the other side.... ya know selling your ass for money for drugs ever watch the basketball diary with Leo decaprio? Yea this song sooo should've been played during that movie when he was getting f--ked in the ass by the old dude in the bus station bathroom.
• Circe801 from Rock Hill, ScJust to add my two cents--im not sure about this, but from the rest of the gist of the song, the "otherside" is probably the drug-free side vs. the drug-addicted side. could be wrong, but I'll try to find out for sure.
• Circe801 from Rock Hill, Scto all of you who are making assumptions--did you even read the top of the page?? what you think doesn't matter, as the songwriter himself tells what it's about. clearly about heroin addiction and the struggle to overcome it when it beckons you back. the line "pour my life into a paper cup--the ashtray's full and i'm spilling my guts" is about methadone and the counseling that usually comes with it. another difficulty in stopping, even though friends have died and you know what it's doing to your soul, is the fact that it's not even about getting high--you need it to function and might beat yourself up every time you do it, but the fact is, you have to do it to be normal. that makes it even harder to give it up, as even though your mind might not want it, your body now needs it.
• Kate from MichiganAnthony had said before that even when he was addicted to drugs that he had no suicidal tendencies and he's always loved life and never thought of ending it. The song is about the Chili Peppers late guitarist Hillel Slovak and him losing his battle with drugs. The "otherside" is referring to the afterlife. The song is sung from Hillel's point of view. The lyrics "I yell and tell it that it's not my friend, I tear it down I tear it down and then it's born again " tells of Hillel's struggles with addiction and how he gets over the drug and then keeps coming g back to it.
• Keelan from Ollie, IaIt's about heroin because "take it on the other side" means banging heroin. "Bang it on the other side" means the other arm - Anthony Kiedis was a heroin addict.
• Nks from Pune, IndiaI think this song is about losing virginity before marriage. All you have to do is see it that way. Once's you loose your virginity you can never go back. the otherside is after lost virginity.
• Anna from Seattle, WaAlways thought it was about both drugs and suicide. Never used much street drugs past age 18, but really enjoyed Rx's 10-15 years ago, somehow thought it wasn't "real drug use". Now have severe pain condition and to answer all ?'s about methadone, it can be liquid but it is also rx'd for pain in tablets. Opiate suck cuz you can never attain "highs" again once you've gone so far,but you must take them or you will vomit ("throwing up" is when u dont take them, not when u do, hence the term "dopesick") U just feel dead inside an have to take those things (in my case opiates and benzodiazapines, all rx'd)My take on the term "Otherside" is just what I thought I heard in the song. I thought it meant suicide, either active or passive. I attempted it when married to a very violent spouse who periodically threatened to shoot me and sadly at the time I thought the only way to escape was to kill myself. I failed miserably by being found when no one should have been around. They called 911 since they couldn't wake me. To me (just me here) "taking it to the otherside" was first the idea I could deal with it "over there", then the horrible feeling I had at the moment I was going down that my soul was going somewhere even more lonely and lost than I was here and I would wander there in the cold until the end of time, fearing there would be no end of time. This was at the time that this song was out and I took comfort in it becuz it seemed to sympathize rather than condemn feelings of such desperation. My spouse (he felt my life was for him to take, not me) read that into it too and just hated it and forbade it being in the house or my car.
• Vicky from Chesapeake, VaLoved this song since I was five!
• Christina from Sacramento, CaI almost followed this song toooo far...
• Kr1 from Akureyri, IcelandThis song along with others that Red Hot Chili Peppers made have helped me through some tough time of depression and suicide spculations. Now I am not as depressed and started thinking alot more about the music that is begin made in the world, listen more too lyrics.
  
  This is the best band in the world. I would cry if they would come to do a show on Iceland, no joke.
• Nate from Lambertville, MiIn my own words this song to me feels like its in Limbo the bridge way between life and death. I think it's about limbo because the video the guy seems not really dead yet but seems pretty lively but at the end of the song he dies. That is what I think!
• Dave from Depew, Nyi truly think this song is about taking it in the ass. switching from straight to gay or being raped by another dude. dont laugh, have an open mind, interpret the lyrics thru a gay
• Ivy from Springfield, NeThis is song is for Jacob
• Anthony from Long Island, NyThis song has special meaning as a very close relative of somebody who was addicted to heroin.
  
  "Pour my life into a paper cup, the ashtray's filled and I spilling my guts..."
  
  Methadone is served in paper cup and it seems as if he is therapy for the addiction.
  
  "She wants to know am I still a slut."
  
  I wonder if this is literal or asking if he is still using.
• Peter from Ottawa, OnA lot of people think this song is about suicide or drug abuse, but I see a different and much darker interpretation. This is a song about Hell--rock 'n roll is the Devil's music, so why not? "Take it on the otherside" refers to taking your punishment in the afterlife. Once this basic idea is established, the meanings of other lines in the song follow easily, such as, "you can never come back," or "how long will I slide?"--it's Hell, so things are only going to get worse--abandon all hope ye who enter here... "Slitting my throat," refers to the self-abuse that would both precipitate such a fall and serve as the final punishment.
• Abbey from P-town, InTHESE ARE NOT MY THOUGHTS. I found them on another site, and I think it is by far the best interpretation of this song ever.
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  'otherside' as a single word is common slang for the afterlife. If it meant something else, it would have been spelled as two words. The voice is actually supposed to be slovak's as sung and written by anthony. The rhcp's intended this album to be in tribute of him. Slovak was a former band member who overdosed on heroin. The song describes slovak's personal struggle with drugs, at a point when it has just become a terminal crisis. Slovak realizes heroin now has complete and total control over him and that he is a helpless slave to it. Like other severe addicts to this drug who eventually overdose and die, it's gotten to the point where sub-lethal doses of the drug are no longer satiating his cravings, making a lethal overdose not question of 'if', but 'when': "how long can I slide?"
  
  slovak is conveying that the only way to take back control is to end his life. To do this, he must come to terms with suicide. The repeated line, "I don't believe it's bad" is of great significance. It's essentially slovak finally taking back control from the drugs, and resolving in his mind that suicide isn't bad under the circumstances (drug overdose). It's interesting to note that at time index 3:59 anthony switches to saying "I don't believe it's sad."
  
  when anthony (singing as slovak) says, "i've got to take it on the otherside," it means that he (slovak) is craving the drug, but that he'll have to take the drug in the afterlife, because he's putting an end to the chaos by killing himself. "burn me out, leave me on the otherside"... This specifies drug overdose as the method of suicide. In effect, in order to both satiate his craving for the drug and to bring an end to the suffering, he's going to take a megadose that will leave him both satisfied and dead.
  
  Slovak explains that he's tried to fight the addiction, but it was futile: "I yell and tell it [drugs] that it's not my friend; I tear it down , and then it's born again." this refers to the inevitability of relapses. "once you know, you can never go back": this means that the addiction is never over. Once you've become hooked, you're craving it forever. It's permanent.
  
  In a nutshell, the song is about getting people to understand slovak's state of mind and the hell he was going through. The lyrics aren't meant to be cryptic. The song is about getting the listener to empathize and understand the mind of someone who was suffering terribly. It's about getting people to understand the misery and why he took his own life.
  
  The song "savior" is also in reference to slovak.
  
  Everything about this song is ingenious: the music, the poetic lyrics, the whole production. One of the very best rock songs ever, imho. -ryan, lansing, mi
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• Layton from Paris, TxIn this song he talks about how he feels that drugs are not necissarily bad, but just how they bring you down. You can tell in the line "I don't believe it's bad". He talks about it in his auto-biography "Scar Tissue".
• Jennifer from Anywhere, CaI think the song is about suicide,drug addiction and recovery. The phrase "Ashtray's full and i'm spilling my guts" could be refering to a recovery meeting that allows smoking..... Anyway, Addiction/Suicide....they so often go together. Great Song.
• Laura from Palmerston North, New ZealandThis song isn't about suicide. I read scar tissue and it's partly about Hillel and His drug addiction, how he doesn't want to die like Hillel ("I heard your voice through a photograph").
• Matt from Mansfeild, OhI like listen to this song one a day. I guess I makes me feel better in a weird way
• Brian from Vancouver, CanadaThis song sounds really good but the meaning's a little rank.
• Michelle from San Diego , Cai agree with everyone. amazing, amazing, AMAZING song. its so beautiful.
• Michelle from Johore , MalaysiaI think the song is about Anthony Kiedis tried to quit from being a drug addict. u know..."how long, how long will i slide, seperate my side" i think maybe he didn't wanted to be a drug addict, but he's already addicted by it, so he couldn't resist. and I agree with lazer when he said that Kiedis may saying that he remembered about Slovak..., maybe he miss him.. maybe Kiedis scared that he might end up just like Slovak. "once u know u can never go back, I got to take it on the otherside".
  "poured my life into paper cup" these two lines used to confusing but, when i know about this song, i think it's all gonna be okay.
• Niki from London, United KingdomAwesome song and video. Get so many meanings off it. Made me cry.
• Katerina from Thessaloniki, GreeceMost of you think this song is about drugs or suicide. Taking drugs is like committing suicide, so the one thing leads to the other.
• Emma from San Deigo, CaThis song and music video is amazing!
  I love this song it is one of my favorites!
• Me from San Marino, CaMost beautiful song in the world. I think the line "slit my throat, was all I ever" means that by taking drugs all he ever did was slowly kill himself.
• Jack from Claremont, MnThis is easily my favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers song. And I believe most of the people commenting here have made incredible points. My opinion of the people on the internet has gone up about 20 percentage points. Thinking back, I think that this song IS about his drug abuse and trying to kick it. Ashtray's full and i'm spilling my guts could refer to overusing tobacco to help kick more illicit drugs, and throwing up from withdrawal. just my opinion on the matter....
• George from Jackson, NjThe lyrics suggest that its about drug use, suicide, and a loved one that died, I think for the most part you're all right. I've always thought the ashtray's full and I'm spilling my guts was talking about dumping blunt guts into a full ashtray and spilling them, I imagine hes so depressed and high that even dumping an ashtray seems like to much work, when I do opiates I become extremly lazy cause moving ruins the high, overflowing ashtrays with spilling blunt guts are common in my house. Just thought I'd share that.
• Fani from Avlon, GreeceI think that when talking about the othersude means the other side of life (good)or the end of life.
• Corey Maller from Roslyn Heights, NyUnbelievable song. I think the lyrics "I heard your voice through a photograph. I though it up and brought up the past. Once you know you could never go back," mean looking at a photo of Hillel Slovak and remembering the past and never wanting to relive the past.
• Jess from Lowell, Mathis is an amazing song. it could be interpreted in many ways though.
• Soso from Somewhere, United StatesTruly the most beautiful song ever written. I heard it the first time, I was in love. It was my first RHCP song. It is about drugs. If you have seen the video, the part where he is fighting with that one monster thing. It shows he is fighting against somethings horrible and big, and in the end he realizes he must fight himself (when he fight himself) drugs do horrible things to you.
• Em from Gold Coast, AustraliaI think this song is about him looking at his life after Hillel Slovak's death in the 80's. Taking things on the otherside could mean that he's trying to move on but is struggling. The ashtrays full and I'm spilling my guts? he's trying to kick it and is struggling. How long will i slide? How much time does he have if he continues and doesn't think its fair. Of course everyone will interpret the song in different ways but thats mine. only anthony and the band will ever understand it. One of the best songs on the planet. Love the tune.
• Emir from Sarajevo, BosniaOtherside (not Other Side) is what every great song is about: going home. And home is not here, intuition tells us.
• Rei from Birmingham, AlI found it humorous how many posts seem to focus on AK referencing his apparent bisexuality through these song lyrics. The song is very obviously about drug abuse and not sexual orientation. It addresses the ramifications of such for those alive and those dead. This is a great RHCP tune that once again amazes me about this bands ability to spin great lyrics to an awesome tune. You have to love this song but mourn what it really meant to AK.
• Mirza from Toronto, CanadaThe idea behind the song is that Anthony is talking about his obsession with drugs, which is still alive today however he is able to fight it. When he states "I don't believe it's bad", he's saying that as much as he hates what drugs did to him, he wouldn't trade in his drug using past in for anything. "Slit my throat" is referring to how it was slowly killing him. There are also references to John's drug use, but it's mostly about how his obsession was so extensive that he would eventually push it to the point where he'd have to stick the needles into his other arm due to bruises. It has nothing to do with suicide.
• Nikie from Stockholm, SwedenI also have to disagree with you Mike.. And I've read "scar tissue", but I guess you can interpret it differently ;)
  Anyways.. I read something someone wrote about this video.. "It's like a bad dream you can't get out of!". That thought had NEVER crossed my mind.. It connects so well to the song.. It's so sad and interesting in interpretation ways or how to say it, think you get it.
• Mike from Los Angeles, CaAnthony admits he is the type of person who loves meeting physical pleasure. That was his primary use for drugs.
• David from Lakeview, Nc"He was always happy and just had a drug addiction"? What? Because it's common for people who are happy with their lives to be addicted to heroin. I agree with the guy earlier; the line "Push the trigger and pull the thread" is an obvious suicide reference. It's about drug abuse too, obviously (just liek a lot of Chili Pepper songs), it just happens to reference suicide.
• Mike from Los Angeles, CaThis song has nothing to do with suicide. "how long will i slide" refers to sliding down by drug abuse. the "otherside" refers to the clean side of being drug free. The sides kiedis refers to are the side of drug abuse and the clean side. The song is pretty much about hillel's death and how something that hurts anthony so much still can not stop him from doing what killed hillel which is drug abuse. "i heard your voice through a photogragh....a cemetery where i marry the sea, a stranger thing that never changed my mind" that means he still goes to the cemetery to see hillel and it is like marrying the sea which means marrying lonliness with nothing around. A feeling that bad still does not change his habbits. "she wants to know am i still her slut" the she in this song refers to the drugs. he is asking whether he still a slut to the drugs. "scarlet started and shes in my bed" AK would randomly go on a drug binge and get hotel and just lay in the bed for days. "slitting my throat its all i ever had" simply means without his voice he probably wouldnt be alive right now. If you read scar tissue this will all make sense. It has nothing to do with suicide. AK was never depressed and was always happy, he just had adrug addiction. Go read his book and you will see
• Chris from Lincoln, NeThis song is mainly about heroin abuse. Push the trigger and pull the thread refers to pushing the plunger down on the syringe, pull the thread is releasing the cord/ tie around the upper arm after the drug is ingested. Pour my life into a paper cup refers to methadone, ashtray's full and spillin my guts is withdrawl,take it on the otherside refers to injecting into the other arm because the one he usually uses is all infected and sh1t. Anyone who says this song is about kiedes being gay/bisexual obviously has a great deal of confusion about their own sexual identity.
• Kika from Nyc, NyI think it's one word isn't it? Otherside? that's how it is on the album anyway.
• Handah Jane from Grafton, United Statesthis song is about taking drugs, depression and finally suicide
  the line push the trigger, pull the thread
  a gun and a noose-suicide
  slittin my throat-suicide
  take it on the otherside-drugs
  its such a soulful song
  i love u RHCP
  u rock this world
  i love u
  Handah Jane
• Amelia from Denbighshire,britain, EnglandIt's about Anthony taking drugs or suicide because it says in the book! look it up you people who think he's a bisexual! but he is still georgeous!!! he is amazing! so let's leave it at that!
• Sarah from Lancaster, PaIt's about living a fast paced life on the edge. He and many of his bandmates have lived dangerous lives, espshaly in relation to illeagal drugs.
  It's about relizing that he or someone eles hasn't done any thing with their life except these distructive habbits and is now very depressed.
  oh poo if you guys want to think the entier thing is one big drug referance go ahead. but its a beautiful song with soo much power and if your that ignorant to meataphore be that way.
• Jo-c from Lima, PeruKiedis said on an interview, "This is the song that makes John cry."
• David from Longview, TxI think this song is about being bisexual as well I mean come on " Take it on the other side" what else can that mean. She wants to know am I still a slut, I got to take it on the other side" He is obviously coming out of the closet.
• Leuty from London, EuropeI think the line "The ashtray's full and I'm spillin' my guts means that he's throwing up after a joint.
• Leuty from London, Europei agree with steven, i think otherside is death, or the afterlife. maybe meaning should i take it on the other side? as in should i kill my self or just ive gotta kill myself
• Gary from Manchester, EnglandI always figured the scarlett starlett bit was about sleeping around, 'candidate for the soulmate bled' perhaps meaning that the girl next to you could be 'the one'. but i only like the tunes, i know little about the band as such, but am willing to learn!
• Lp from New York, NySort of technical, but the name of the song is "Otherside", not "Other Side."
• Josh from Palmerston North, Alanthony kiedis says in the book that the song is about drugs and not about being a bisexual. thanx
• T-par from Ashaway, RiThis Song is about depresion because of hillels death and his heroin addiction anthony was depressed about hillels death but he was also depressed that he was still doing heroin and new he needed to stop
• Kaveh from Toronto, CaI think this song is about overdosing on heroin or whatever. "Turn me on take me for a hard ride
  Burn me out leave me on the otherside".
• Louise from DurhamYea I think this song's about suicide. "Slittin my throat is all I ever..."
• Luc from Athens, Ontario, Canadathis song to me is about being bisexual. "Slit my throat" means not saying anything about his lost love for somebody else. "She wants to know am I still a slut" means she wants to know if he's still bi and fooling around. "How long will I slide?" means how long will he keep his secret safe. "Seperate my side" means going back and forth from man to woman. Blatantly, it has to mean something about a bisexual experience.
• Louise from DurhamI've got this song on now and it seems to be about suicide.
• D from Van, CanadaKedis says that it is about heroin but that is a blatant coverup for his homosexual/bisexual indiscretions.
• Cheb from Losangelas, NhThis song is about Kiedis' heroin addiction. "Take it on the otherside" refers to him having to inject heroin into his other arm. Also, "pour my life into a paper cup" refers to methadone.
• Andrew from Eldersburg, MdI read in his book "scar tissue" that it is about drugs and his addiction. How long will i slide means how long will he continue to feed his habit, and he felt like killing himself sometimes. but suicide is not the main focus of the song
• Josefina from Orense, SpainI think that it's about fitting in a place, cause when it says, "How long, will I slide" I think that It's about a person who doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere.
• Alex from Narberth, PaI'd agree this song is about suicide and I think its influenced by Cobain.
• Patrick from St. Paul, MnI must say RHCP really finds the abuse of drugs influential to their music. Aside from John's addiction, they could've also been influenced by Cobain's death, but that's just a theory of mine since Californication was also influenced largely by Cobain's suicide.
• Kati from Superior, CoYeah, this song is definately about suicide, but i don't think it's about completely about Anthony killing himself. I think its another song about band member and close friend to anthony, Hillel Slovak's death in the 80's.
  
  "the ashtray's full and I'm spillin' my gut" could be reffering to Slovak's drug-induced death. "i heard your voice through a photograph, i thought it up and brought up the past" Could also be about him.
  
  The video also helps alot with the meaning of the song. I think the song and the video are both amazing.
• Graeme from Hampshire, EnglandI'd say it definately has to do with suicide. Think about the line 'Push the trigger and pull the thread.' If you PUSH a trigger of a gun, the barrel must be facing you, hence, suicide. I guess 'Pull the thread' refers to tightening a noose around one's neck...pretty morbid, but a fantastic song and video. I absolutely LOVE the harmony after the cresendo towards the end.
• James from Edwardsville, IlI love the music video for this song, I think that it was very original. And also I have to whole-heartily agree with drew, that was a very philosophical thing to say.
• Mel from Uk, EnglandI always thought it was about being gay, but being depressed and suicidal about it.
  "Once you know you can never go back
  I gotta take it on the other side..."
  But maybe I'm wrong.
• Rachel from Raleigh, NcGreat song and great band!
• Jake from Miami, FlI think Ant was talking about how he has avoided death so many times, ("how long, how long will I slide?) he thinks its better to take his own life then have his life taken from him (separate my side, I don't, I don't believe it's bad.) Then he says that his band is all he has, so that would be the only thing he loses if he dies (slit my throat, it's all i ever.) great lyrics, great band.
• Tyler from Tallahassee, FlThis was one of Red Hot Chili Peppers most famous song,
  Hitting #1 for 3 weeks.
  
  The song is talked about in Anthony audo Scar Tissue, ITs basicly about Johns heroin addiction and how he was loseing his battel to it it also has though what the long term effect of heroin is to you which is suicide.
• Emily from Morehead, KyI must agree with Drew. You can take out of this song what means something to you. It's a great song. Of course it is probably about drugs or suicide, but I got something else out of it too, something that means more to me.
• Rob from Castaic, CaOverall though, great song -- really cool video.
• Drew from Sydney, AustraliaAny song can be about drugs or anything if you want it to be, if you think hard enough. Music is all about interpretation. To try and justify music by saying its about this or that is to take whats precious away from it. This song could be about longing for drugs, or longing for someone who has passed on, or longing for your life to end. Its all interpretation.
• Lauren from Maryville, MoOk, my question: Does "Pour my life into a paper cup" refer to methadone treatment? After all, methadone is generally drunk in orange juice, right?
• John from Kearny, NjKiedis said it was about John's drug addiction, though I can't remember what interview I saw that on. I believe it was a Behind the Music.
• Glenn from Mildenhall, EnglandThe Other Side refers to the other arm. When one arm becomes bruised from all the needles, you have to take it to the other side.
• Tiga from Mount Carmel, PaSteven has a point. Look at the line "The ashtray's full and I'm spillin' my guts" which could mean he's been doin his drugs and now he's throwing up because of them, which I've heard is a side-effect of some.
• Steven from Toronto, CanadaI always thought it was about a guy after rehab doin drugs and his only option is to commit suicide. apparently 'slide' meant to do drugs after going to rehab. 'hearing your voice' meant that he was remembering all these memories while he's trying to kick the habit. 'i yell and tell it that its not a friend i tear it down i tear it down and then it?s born again' well talks about the addiction. and i think otherside refers to the other side of life aka death.
• Nick from Paramus, NjMy dad figured out what the song was about the first time he heard it.

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