Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

Charted: 13 2

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Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis wrote "Under The Bridge" about his days as a heroin addict and the loneliness that went with it. The bridge mentioned in the song is a place where he sometimes went to buy drugs and get high.
After four albums of unorthodox hardcore funk, Red Hot Chili Peppers landed a huge hit with the ballad "Under The Bridge," which was not at all typical of their sound. The song went all the way to #2 on the Hot 100 (behind "Jump" by Kris Kross) and got on playlists with the likes of Celine Dion and Michael Bolton. It remains their biggest hit.

The song was particularly challenging for Kiedis to sing during the Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour, but the Chili Peppers became comfortable with the sound and followed it up with more slower singles like "Soul to Squeeze" and "Breaking the Girl." It didn't feel like a sell-out because these songs were all very heartfelt, just a lot more vulnerable than their previous work.
This song was originally just a poem that Anthony Kiedis wrote. He didn't write it for the Chili Peppers - it was a very personal poem that he thought he might use somewhere else. Their producer Rick Rubin found it in one of his notebooks and told Anthony that it could be a great song. At first, he didn't want to sing it or share it with anyone, but he eventually came around.

Rubin recalled to Newsweek in a 2013 interview: "My thinking was that the Chili Peppers were not limited to being a funk band with rapping. And I remember Anthony was embarrassed to show the song to the other guys in the band. But he sang it to John [Frusciante, guitarist] and John came up with his part. Then he played it for Flea [bassist] and Flea came up with his part. And it ended up being a really good song—even though they didn't realize how good it was until people starting responding to it."
The band got a headlining slot on the 1992 Lollapalooza Tour when this song became a hit. The gig greatly expanded their fan base and showcased their skills as a very energetic live band, but beneath the surface, all was not well. The band was burned out and feuding; John Frusciante quit in the middle of the tour, and their bass player Flea crashed hard when they finally got off the road in October 1992. They took some time to recuperate (Flea kicked his drug habit) and returned in 1995 with the album One Hot Minute.
The "City of Angels" Anthony Kiedis sings about here is Los Angeles, where he lived since he was 12 years old. Much of the song deals with his relationship with the city. "It really repulses me these days," he told Goldmine in 1996. "Just sucking in that toxic cloud of hellish smog every day that I live... not a pleasant thought. But I do have a strong family tie to that city that I'll probably never be able to sever."
Guitarist John Frusciante's mother sang backup on this song along with two of her friends from church. They're credited on the album as "Gail Frusciante and her friends."
In his book Scar Tissue, Kiedis explains that he thought up the lyrics while he was driving from a session with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was sad because John Frusciante and Flea were getting closer as friends and Anthony was set apart from that, and he was also ruminating on the death of Hillel Slovak, his good friend and original guitarist in the band, who had a drug overdose in 1988. This is when the opening line came to him: "Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner."

"I started freestyling some poetry in my car and putting the words to a melody and sang all the way down the freeway," he wrote. "When I got home, I got out my notebook and wrote the whole thing down in a song structure, even though it was meant to be a poem to deal with my own anguish."
Flea shared his thoughts on this song in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "It was expressing a really honest, sincere, lonely feeling," he said. "Anthony really captured a feeling of being a lonely person in Los Angeles, and this is such a big city with so many people, I think a lot of people could relate to it. Especially the time that the riots happened. It was about being in Los Angeles and feeling totally alienated."
Before he left the band in May 1992, John Frusciante would sometimes improvise intros and exaggerate his background vocals when performing this song live because he was getting fed up with the song and with Kiedis. This is evident on their February 22, 1992 Saturday Night Live performance when he clearly throws Kiedis off at the beginning of the song, then screams his backup vocals later in the performance.
The music video was directed by Gus Van Sant, who went on to direct the movies Good Will Hunting and Finding Forester. The bridge in the video also appears in the "By The Way" video. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
The UK girl band All Saints covered "Under The Bridge" in 1998, transforming it into a run-of-the-mill love song. Notable changes were the line "City of Angels" to "City of cities," "I walk through her hills" to "I walk through his field," and a complete deletion of the last verse due to the drug references. It was released as a double A side single with another cover, "Lady Marmalade," and reached #1 on the UK singles charts. The Yorkshire singer-songwriter Richard Hawley played guitar on the All Saints version. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Nicky - London, England
In Weird Al Yankovic's "Bedrock Anthem" this song and music video is parodied in the beginning. It then switches to a parody of "Give It Away." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Matthew - Concord, NH
Guitarist John Frusciante's intro drew heavily on the 1971 David Bowie song "Andy Warhol." His guitar playing becomes more rapid until it reaches an E major seventh chord that halts the song. He borrowed the E major seventh chord technique from T. Rex's "Rip Off," a track from the British group's 1971 album Electric Warrior.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik was the first album the band released for Warners Records (they were previously with EMI). It was also their first album that had the same lineup from their previous album.

Comments: 114

Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganI read somewhere that John, after reading Anthony’s lyrics, which were depressing, decided to put a happy sounding chord progression to it, something he liked to do a lot.
Jane Doe from Twin CitiesI’ve never really listened to the words until lately. I was very impressed Tony. My only friend is the city I live in etc. it’s quite beautiful even though it’s a depressing subject. This was a hit and this is what’s meant by turning your scars into stars. Very good song.
Oto from Slovakiaread more about this hit: https://medium.com/@blogofhits/rhcp-under-the-bridge-drugs-and-bridges-f05fa4de9f6e
Kate from MichiganThe director of this video is Gus Van Sant who directed the 1991 movie my Own Private Idaho in which Flea had a small role in. Flea's best friend River Phoenix was the leading actor in the movie and the band's song Transcending is about River and his death. There is also a small chunk of lyrics in Give It Away referring to River.
Pj from Dublin, IrelandThis song was the theme song of "92" ..It actually took the attention from the "The use your illusion tour" Guns n roses ..Whom i saw in Slane along with 60,000..........Thats how good this song is..............Need I say more!
Brandee from Santa Clara, NmThis song saved my life, no, I didn't have a drug problem, I related it to other problems in my life. It's very special to me, every time I hear it's rhythm it reminds me not to give up and that everything is going to be ok.
Kyle from Calgary, AbBSSM will always be the top Chili's album IMO. It just captures the band's sound so well. It's got their classic funk/punk/rap sound with the crazy bass slapping, but also the more melodic numbers like this song and I could have lied. Now days they've matured beyond the punk/funk thing, even when they try to emulate it on songs like Hump de Bump. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of their new stuff but for me BSSM was the perfect mix of all the things that make this band great.
Jonathan from Yuma, Azanthony himself put to rest all our interpretations of this song in his autobiography, "scar tissue." in the book he says that after he got clean for the first time, a lot of things changed in the band dynamic. He began to feel like a bit of an outsider, especially when the others were doing drugs. One day John and flea were smoking pot in the studio, and he looked into john's eyes and he knew he had lost him as a friend. On the bus back to his apartment, he began humming and wrote a few lyrics to suit his mood, "I don't ever want to feel/like I did that day" he shows the comfort his home city (la "the city of angels") gave him in the line, "at least I have her now/the city she loves me"
the bridge in the title is the one anthony went to to shoot up with mexican dealers and gang members this is one of the most beautiful, melodic and tragic songs about addiction, and it is consumated beautifully by the church choir at the end (not John f's mother!)
in their singing with kiedis, (kiedis's part in brackets)
Lily from Los Angeles, Cathis is a beautiful song, it makes me feel so at home in my city, and i didn't know it was about heroin at first..it was (is still just) a song about Los Angeles and its interesting kind of beauty,and I can relate to how he feels at home in the city and all that..
Joe from Santa Maria, CaSome people call them the Chili Peppers. If your cool you call them the "Peppers". But if your Really cool you call them "The Peps" Heard a D J say that years ago. I always think of it when I hear a "Peps" song.
Naomi from Toowoomba, Australia1981 L.A. Tony. murder, marijuana, mexico homeless, hippies, children, playing with syringes, under the bridge we temporarily called home.These are a few of my favourite things.
Naomi from Stanthorpe, Australia1981 under the bridge in L.A. homeless living with my family in a rented pontiac. Thank you for the song that helped me deal with the fear and repressed memories. It took a while but it all finally all came back, note by note, word by word. I know who I am now. The little blonde girl scared of nothing, now a woman fears no none.
Zach from G, OhAnthony Kledis WAS NOT on drugs when he wrote this song. He was before and after the song and has benn in and out of rehab, but he was not on drugs when he wrote this song. It says in his book Scar Tissue.
Spencer from Gig Harbor, WaThis song was written as a poem when Anthony was feeling left out of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea the bassist and John the guitarist where both extremely high and just ignored him. He also was having memory flashes about his ex girlfriend Ione who had loved him with all of her heart. He felt like he had the strongest bond with the city. Although he often went under a bridge to where he had to cover as a Mexican to do many of his drugs, he knew he was bonded to the city. the city is the "She" in the song.

He had wanted the song to be for himself but his manager Rick pushed him to show the band, in the end he did. After he presented it different ways they went to their interments to find the beat without saying a word. Singing the song was always difficult to Anthony because it was emotional. When he recorded it his friend Brenden talked to him in his headphones to keep him going with the song.
Eddie from Oradell, Nj****he wrote this song...****
Eddie from Oradell, NjTiago was very close, but he wasn't on drugs when he wrote this, actually. I wrote the song after leaving the recording studio and he was feeling isolated from the rest of the band because john frusciante and flea became much closer together. he was reflecting on all of the horrible things he had done in LA. he was more thinking about how much he had lost through his lifestyle, not just his drug use.
Austin from Smallsville,new England, --Gym class Hero's covered this song.
Mark from Worcester, MiRobert Hansell, from london that's a real good point IMO. I doubt he felt compelled to bare his emtional soul. More likely he felt a parial explanation would keep the questions at bay.
Tyler from Traverse City, MiBen from Wisconsin lied...this song was not at all inspired by desperado.
Jack from Claremont, MnI like the RHCP and this song is one of my favorites, but they're kind of weird like how they put socks on their genitals. All in all a great song.
- Dan, Lee, NH

How can you not appreciate sockman?
Wayne from Las Vegas, NvI did this song at my school talent show. My friend played the guitar, and i sang. Very hard for me. I have a deep voice. Great song,though!!
Robert Hansell from London,Is there anybody who hasn't quoted from scar tissue the book?

I think we get a good idea what this is about but the great thing i find is that it is fairly mysterious and this enhances us to want to understand it better, when really we probably wont as its a personal song for anthony, who i dont think is going to sell all of his secrets... do you?
Olivia from Perth, AustraliaSo many great Chili Peppers songs, but I think this has to be my favourite
John from Plainfield, NeThis is a great song. Unfortunately some people who are writing here do not know the full meaning of it. Yes, it is talking about Anthony's heroin addiction but what people do not know is that at the time he was not using. This is when John and Flea were becoming great friends because they were both using drugs and they were becoming more distant from Anthony. He states all of this in Scar Tissue.
Bertrand from Paris, FranceIt's ironic that a gentle ballad became the breakthrough hit for a band best known for blending classic uptempo funk with alternative rock. The song emerged out of lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis' struggles to overcome heroin addiction. After the addiction destroyed a number of his personal relationships, Kiedis' reflected on his relationship with the city of Los Angeles itself. "Under the Bridge" made it all the way to #2 on the pop singles chart."
Adam from Columbia, MdRead 'Scar Tissue'. Tiago explained it exactly as the book did. For whoever said Anthony never took drugs, think again. He's been in and out of rehab several times over the past decade. He's since cleaned up.
Emma from San Deigo, Cai think that iin the begging city of angels=los angelos and he is talking about how much he loves there (Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels &
I drive on her streets cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy)

then later at the end when he says :
under the bridge downtown;is where I drew some blood
under the bridge downtown;i could not get enough
under the bridge downtown;forgot about my love
under the bridge downtown;i gave my live away

i think he is talking about his addiction and how that effected him possibly losing the people he loves and giving his life away to drugs! possibly getting into fights also (where i drew some blood?)
Lester from Ontario, CaSee this song could have a meaning for anyone really, because it practicly explains why he wrote this song and its about his buddy who died in 1990, and he came up with lyrics to this song because he was confused with what really happened with him. It kinda relates to me and my cousin Joey. I felt i lost everything after he left, but i continued on my ways. Just like anthony did. Its a message in life that means you shouldn't give up life because another is lost, you should keep on living life at the fullest because you might end up missing something or someone valuable in life.
Renee from New York, NyI LOVE THIS SONG!! it gives me goosebumps just listening to it... and anyone with ANY addiction problem knows..
Jelle from Ghent, BelgiumThe intro of this song is not played by John Frusciante, who is by the way a very good artist....check his solo work, but by Richard Hawley.
Ben from Northampton, Englandmany of you may have noticed links to Nirvana's songs and that is because kurt and anthony were friends infact 'Tearjerker' on 'One Hot Minute' was actually about kurt's death.
Also yes, it was a poem originally, but he also didnt really like the song much to begin with, but he grew to like it and he also couldn't even sing it sometimes because it was too hard for his vocal abilities.
I loved this song from the moment i heard it. i can't remember how old i was [very young] and i heard it playing on the radio in my brothers room.

and a many people have said, you realy should read scar tissue [his biography] it's an amazing insight into his past adn how his mind works and you will almost feel you know him after reading it.

Awesome song. awesome band.
Jonc from Wolverhampton, EnglandGreat song, there are obvious references to heroin abuse though:'under the bridge downtown...is where i drew some blood...i could not get enough..forgot about my love...gave my life away'
V from None Of Your Business, GaLook man he WAS on drugs get over it. at least he isnt anymore!! so get brush up on your chili peppers knowledge
Stephen from Claymont, Dehe admitted he was on drugs so oviously he was
Jak from Columbus, OhAnthony was never on drugs, YOU GUYS ARE GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Desiree from West Hempstead, United Statesi luv this song so much..i luv the feeling that they use in this song...rhcp is simply the best band that was ever formed
Inge from Melbourne, AustraliaA great song by the chili peppers, when i was young and the song first came out i thought it was a very different song from there other songs but when i got older i found out that the song is about anthony's drug problems and that the bridge mentioned in the song is where he use to go and shoot up on heroin. Even though it about drugs it still is a very good chili pepper song.
Jimmy from Oakdale, CtOne of my favorite RHCP songs
Emmie from Long Island, NyThe choir part at the end really brings the whole song together...it's awesome.
Max from Boston, Mathis song is actually about feeling lonely when john and flea became close friends and anthony was feeling left out and alone
Spencer from Equinunk, PaLyrically, this is their best song. Definitely the best to that point, at least.
Jeremy from Downingtown, PaI love when Kiedis and Frusciante did this in 1991 in Amsterdam, with just Frusciante on acoustic
Amay from Edison, NjI really hate this song. One of the most overplayed songs ever, and it's not even that good of a song. Probably their worst song ever.
Magnolia from San Francisco, Ca-B from Philly, you dont know that its about drugs. it could not mean that at all, you didnt write the song
Magnolia from San Francisco, Cathis is just such a pretty song!
Luke from Manchester, EnglandJamie, New York...

This song is good but to say it's the best song ever means you havent heard many other songs.
Mitch from St. Louis, MoUnder the Bridge is the most amazing song i have ever heard. hearing it live live was such an experience that i believe it could make anyone fall in love with the chili peppers for life
Jamie from New York, NyUnder the bridge is a song which i feel like i was talking woth anthony when he wrote it or i wrote it by my self....every single lyric is dedicated to me and how i feel ....The song is THE BEST SONG EVER and the chilis rule....AND WILL ALWAYS RULE NO MATTER WAT>>>>anthony , flea,john ,chad >>they rock!
Jennifer Caldwell from San Jose, OtherThis is my fav song ever!!The Red Hot Chili Peppers always gave a lot of soul in every song and every phrase its perfect!!
Max from Austin, TxI find it really interesting how Under the Bridge, and Something in the Way (by Nirvana) both have references to a bridge, and they're both loosely related to overcoming an extreme hardship in life.
Mark from Johnstown, CoThe bridge in the song is about where anthony spent many days doing drugs ...He spent alot of time under the bridge shooting heroin, its all in "scar tissue"..Read it, it is very interesting
Grace from Fairfax Station, VaI really love this song. It's beautifully simple. Maybe it's just me being perverted, but I thought this song was about sex. Didn't anyone else think that?
Chris from Wellington, New ZealandMash Melbourne I don't know how you could be more wrong. Firstly Anthony Kieldis wrote it. Secondly John Frusciante was even in the band when they made One Hot Minute and thirdly One Hot Minute was released after Blood Sugar Sex Majik which Under the Bridge was on. So in conclusion you lose at this and everything in life.

- Steve Mitchell, Where the viaduct looms like a bird of doom
Dan from Lee, NhI like the RHCP and this song is one of my favorites, but they're kind of weird like how they put socks on their genitals. All in all a great song.
Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScGreat song. Great band.
Jackey from Detroit, MiI don't feel like reading through all these posts, so this may have been said, but Mos Def (a very good rapper) used a variation of the first four lines on his song "Brooklyn."
Moi from Mountain View, CaI know this may not be "right", but whenever I hear it I think about homeless people because not only do they sometimes live under bridges, many are alone in the world, so it kind of makes sense.
Dan from New York, NyThe song that All Saints did is not even comparable to RHCP's version.
Sum Sum from New Delhi, IndiaAll saints' also sang it equally well....
Joseph from Sydney, United StatesAnthony wrote this song about his drug use prior to 1991. However, he started to use drugs again and became an addict. He broke a 5 and a half year promise to his former best friend Hillel Slovak who died of a drug overdose. Shame on you Anthony Kiedis.
E from Vancouver, CanadaKiks, the city of angels is Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is spanish for 'The Angels'
Josh from Palmerston North, New Zealandthis song is a slow ballad that kiedis in his car about his heroin addiction and how it was driving him and his bandmates apart. The lines "sometimes i feel like my only friend is the city i live in the city of angels lonely as i am together we cry" refer to LA being his only friend because his bandmates were pissed off with him and considering giving him the boot
E from Vancouver, CanadaThis is one of those songs that everybody (with the exception of Lloyd) can enjoy... theres just nothing unpleasing about it... exept i just wish it were a bit longer and had a longer guitar solo.
Ash from Charleston, WvDan in London: LOL!! Excellent use of a South Park reference.
Jarred from Narre Warren, Victoria, AustraliaThe city of angels is Los Angeles, when he talks about under the bridge he means just that, under the bridge shooting heroin. This song brought me mtowards the peppers, i never knew it was them and one day i found out and started listening to them, now i have 9 albums on my mp3 player and im just waiting for the day that they release the new album. Because they have already released their "Greatest Hits" so to bring out another album afterwards is a pretty big statement and the peppers themselves must know it's going to be a big success, and maybe even make up for the half assed effort of "By The Way" in 2002. And one last thing, for all of yous out there that say they dont like the chili peppers because they refer to drugs, they are not just referring to the drugs but the problems thta lie within, it means so much more that just heroin. If they had never been addicted in the first place then they wouldve had absolutely nothing to write about, so technically heroin and the death of hillel MADE chili peppers into what they have become today. RHCP Rule!!!
Kiks from New York, Nyi really like this song but im not rele sure EXACTLY what he means. is he talking about is addiction? under the bridge? whats the city of angles?
Danno from Sussex, EnglandWhenever I listen to this song, i can just visualise pages from 'Scar Tissue' and the processes involved and personal events that shaped the future possiblity of the song.. the herion addiction and death of Hillel Slovak in a way a large part of the subconsciously premature conception of the song.. Ive learnt the song on bass and guitar just so I can attempt to reproduce it whenever I can, the intro alone is so full of meaning and imagery that I could sit and play it forever. It really does give a sense of unrivalled fulfillment to replicate a song like that in front of a crowd, to spread the chili's music to as many fresh ears as possible.
BloodSugarSexMagik is one of the best albums of all time, the Red Hot CHili Peppers are one of the best bands of all time, and they deserve all the appreciation this world can muster.

And the All Saints cover IS naff btw...
Ashley from Moncton, CanadaAmazing Chili peppers song, one of my all-time favourites
Dan from London`, EnglandI'm learning this song on my guitar the the moment.
Originally i did this because i thought it was a cool sounding track, but now i know the meaning behind it, this song means much more to me.
i like the way Anthony puts:
"under the bridge downtown, i gave my life away"
this, and:
"i dont ever want to feel, like i did that day"
sums what heroin addiction can do to you. the second quote i think relates to how Anthony felt after his friend and fellow bandmate died from an overdose, though it doesnt tie in with the lyrics

drugs are bad. . . MmmmKay

Dan Mason
Graeme from Hampshire, EnglandI once read a great quote regarding the All Saints cover. It was something like: 'When the Chili Peppers sung it [Under the Bridge], it was about pain, addiction and loneliness, when All Saints sung it, it was about a bridge. They obviously didn't understand the personal feeling, and depth of the song.
Ashley from Winnipeg, CanadaHas anyone read the book "Scar Tissue", written by Anthony Keidis? He devotes about a page of it to explaining what the lyrics are about, when he wrote them, and why he wrote them. Great song, great writer, great band.
Indie from Birmingham, United StatesI first heard the all saints version of this when i was younger and all though i didn't understand it i loved the melody.
It eventually faded off the radio stations after about six months when all saints released their new single. However a few years later i was a new fan of the red hots and heard it again on their greatest hits album and fell in love with it once more, this time for the lyrics.
I heard the all saints version a few days ago and all though i still like it, it doesn't have the same feeling as the origional. The girls have never been through this and don't know the pain and lonliness Kiedis felt and so can't put the exprssion and feeling into the song. Plus nothing is ever as good as the origional
James from Somwhere In Canada, CanadaWho sings the part where it goes UNDER THE BRIDGE DOWNTOWN i am really interested who is singing it with detail plz
Mistik from Sydney, AustraliaI just joined becuase i couldn't help myself. This song is deep and really painful.. everytime i liten to it, it brings a whole load of pain, but you feel sort of cleased after listening to it, i'm learning how to play the song right now and its beautiful melodically, i've loved this song for ages and yes.. the Chili's are what made me stop liking crap music. I have never heard of the All Saitns cover.. but i'm a die hard fan so i'd probably hate it and bag it out.. their that brit girl band right? never really liked their music, and most likely if i heard their cover i won't like it. did you notice in "Funky monks" that AK mixed the lyrics up a bit.. it was pretty new to him then. I agree John (he's my favourite guitarist) shaped their sound quite a bit and had an influence on what they were playing but John had mentioned once that when he found out flea was into other stuff that he was into too, it just felt right to try out new things (which led to the shift in creativity and sound). I will have to listen to that all saints cover.. mind you, i doubt i'll enjoy it. Under The Bridge is INTENSE
Elliot from St. Louis, MoIt is weird, when my band played this song for my school, around 30 people came to me after the show and told me they thought it was a R.E.M. song. I find that hard to believe. Does anyone else think or no people who think that it is a R.E.M. song?
Murray from Shellharbour, Australiayou all should read the anthony kiedis autobiography "scar tissue", it is very good. it talks alot about his heroin and cocaine addictions over the years. very interesting and eye-opening read. great band. awesome song.
Michael from Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThis song rocks. Whoever this Loyd guy is who wrote right below me should not listen to "bad music" is he's going to complain. Half the songs now of days are impossible to understand anyways so why complain about that you can't understand them. This song rocks... This band rocks...even with the bad (sarcasm) lyrics.
Lloyd from La, CaI really do think this song is awful, and I don't like the refrences regarding heroin. The music is not that good.
Fer from Valencia, SpainI see many of you have no idea about this song. 1º:the guitar track is a huge influence from the Hendix´s style,as John said.2º: Obviously speaks about the feeling of emptiness you have while you´re addicted,and need to shoot up (experience that I had to experience myself!).It was wrote by john and Kiedis for the lyrics.And really lovely song to play in the guitar,now I´m gonna keep playing RHCP songs!! Ouch!! And was wrote 1991,with blood sugar!!
Chad from Arvada, CoI like this song alot. It reminds me of the time I really started getting into rock music...Kind of a turning point in music interest...I see that turn point happening in my younger brother, and its do to rhcp. two things.
Obviously the songs about heroin.
I used to think the song was about a vampire. Like Lestat.
Soph from Bangeldesh, EnglandI love this song, but i have to disagree with the people who hate the All Saint's cover version. It was brave to redo such a classic & they did it in a different but sexy way & i love it. The chili peppers version is that edgy one that makes you contemplate stuff, but the Saints is perfect for chilling out to and I do all my art homework with it on repeat. Sorry all you diehard RHCP fans, I just wanted to stand up for the song you lot are slagging off. I'm not saying All Saint's is better - just good, in a different way.
Aaron from Sheboygan, WiWell Im in the process of reading the book and pretty much its a safe place to shoot up and where he could get it. Its about the darkness and the feeling of doing heroin. Continuing to do it after his best friend died of an OD. Just a darker side of his life.
Sarah from Aberdeen, ScotlandUnder the Bridge is an excellent song and even though the Red Hot Chili Peppers were together long before i was born, my mates and myself think they're music is fab. Under the Bridge is really good and has alot of meaning to it. All Saints version was alrite but i do prefer the Red Hot Chili's as it has a deep and personal meaing to them. So Under the Bridge.... Fabulous!
Truerhcpfan from Hamilton, AlTorrance....the song is not souly about John...in fact it was about his girlfriend at the time who he truely loved, Ione. This song was originally just a poem Anthony had written, however, his friend, I think his name was Bill or Bob looked through his book and told him it should be a song...so next thing..it was a hit song...and definitely a great one!
Torrance from London, EnglandThis was written by Anthony Kiedis, and although it is influenced by his drug addiction, it was written mainly about how he felt he was growing apart from John Frusciante and he was feeling lonely because of it. I totally agree with Tom, the All Saints version is absolutely horrific. If you guys like this site, please go to songmeanings.net, coz no offence to the guys n girls here, but that has so much more on it, and is way easier to use.
Kelly from Brisbane, AustraliaI am loving this site. Under the Bridge definately impacted me, I mean personally it was like a bolt of lightning, this song and the Chili Peppers sound completely changed my perception of music and defined my taste. Whatever, you think Anthony meant in the song matters, but what I think is truly awesome is how so many people get their own spin off on the song. It's great.
Tom from K-town, NjI like RHCP and all but every1 listen to "achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin the guitar parts are very similar. It annoys me to think they ripped of LZ.
Drew from Sydney, AustraliaAlong with the previous comments, "Soul to Squeeze" is also on an lp that was released along with "blood sugar sex magiik" as a double cd/tape pack, the second cd being called "the plasma shaft" and as far as i know is as rare as hens teeth. It also contains an inprogress take of give it away, radio edit of if you have to ask, radio edit of breaking the girl, instrumental called "fela's cock", remix of "if you have to ask, and soul to squeeze, my fav rhcp track
John from La, CaUnder The Bridge is about Anthony Kiedis's battle with heroin addiction.
When Anthony retreated to mexico to recover from Hillels death, he made a friend that had contacts with a mexican gang.
He took him to a bridge where the gang reguarly did heroin. His friend knew that they would'nt allow Anthony to go under as they did not know him, so his friend told the gang that Anthony was dating his sister. They let Anthony under the bridge to do heroin.
Im not sure if this is what the song is souly about but i heard Anthony say this in reference to it.
I think the song is about the loneliness that leads people to drugs.
Fabian from Stockgolm, SwedenIts written by Anthony Kiedis, and it was written a long time before "One Hot Minute", the song is on the album "Blood Sugar Sex Magic".. i don't understand why everybody says it was when "One Hot Minute" came out. :).. Its about he's own drug use, and the text "sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner.", he begun singing that when he drove he's car through L.A, the song with first was a poetry text its about he's friend Hillel Slovak who diead to, and he's drug use under the bridge in the city of angels.
Gavin from Sydney, Australiasoul to squeeze appears on the greatest hits album and the coneheads soundtrack - the video is about a freak show run by chris farley who also starred in the movie.
Dj from Peoria, IlI liked the All Saints version of it. But, now that I think about it, I think they ruined the song. The only way you can get the full effect of the song is to have RHCP playing it, and have Anthony sing it. I don't think they wrote it to have someone redo it or try and make it better.
Bob from Antrim, Irelandok mash... we need to sort things out about this:
1) Like Louis said, Anthony wrote the lyrics.
2) I believe this song was released on 'BloodSugarSexMagik' which was both before John's (major) drug abuse and before the 'One Hot Minute Album'
3) It was written about Anthony's own drug addiction and that hurt him when Hillel Slovak (former guitarist) died of drug abuse.
Marlow from Perth, Australiatom........ those lyrics you mentioned is all refernces to shooting up, drawing blood is when you pull the plunger back on a syringe to check to see if the needle is in your vein. could not get enough, you never can when your an addict. forgot about my love, well nothing else matters when your an addict. i gave my life away. my soul controlled for the need of a fix!
Tom from Jefferson Township, NjI think this part:

Under the bridge downtown
Is were I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away (yeah yeah)
Ooh no (no no yeah yeah)
Love me I say yeah yeah

Is about suicide, because when you commit suicide you draw blood and you give your life away. "I could not get enough" may be a drug reference.
George from Altoona, PaThis song is about heroin hun sorry to break it to ya...however, this is my favorite RHCP song and i can really relate to it
Cheryl from Melbourne, AustraliaThe only album that "Soul to Squeeze" is on is on their latest 'Greatest Hits'
Meryl from Somewhere, EnglandAnthony first realised how famous they had become when some guy next to him by the urinals started singing Under The Bridge...
Jenny from Bedford, Uk, EnglandI actually found the All Saints version a bit worrying! In my town, there were 7 year old kids singing this because they thought it was a love song! Trust me, there is nothing more disturbing than hearing a 7 year old sing "Under the bridge downtown, is where I drew some blood"!!!
Lou from New York, NyThis song is a great ballad. The words are great and I just love the music.
Nick from Paramus, NjKind of off topic, sorry, but where can the song "Soul to Squeeze" be found, just curious.
Eric from Park Forest, Ilthis song is explained on the VH1 show "true spin"
Louis from London, Englandand it was on blood sugar sex magic which came out years before one hot minute and had a different guitarist, so i dread to think where your information is coming from
Louis from London, Englandmash, the words were written by anthony kiedis, the rest of the band made their parts up themselves.
Josh from Los Angeles, CaThe bridge mentioned is where he wrote the song, which is located in the yard of the ceo of immortal records.
Mash from Melbourne, Australiafantastic song. i heard it was written by john frusciante(the guitarist) about the time when the chili peppers did 'one hot minute' and he was on drugs.
Alatriel from Lothlorien, Otherthe best chili peppers song ever. so simple and lovely...moving too: i cried the first time i heard it.
Travis from Sacramento, Camany say that the chili peppers' songs sound the same. Even if they do sound the same that sound kicks ass. angie is right when she says this is a beautiful song. RHCP 4ever
Jessy from Kettering, Ohoriginally a poem written my kiedis and kind of put to the side. but one of the band mates read it and they decided to put it to music.
Austin from Holly, MiFrusiante's mom's church choir sing on it
B from Philadelphia, PaI saw a pretty cool cover band do this song. They were all kinds of messed up. But when he sang, "Under the bridge downtown, is where i drew some blood" ...Sorry, angie it really is about drugs... (for the simple minded folks, he drew blood from the heroine needle on his arm.)
I Duno from Nowhere, United StatesI know this has nothing to do with it, i'm just pointing it out. kurt cobain wrote a song called "something in the way" about when he lived under a bridge during his youth..its kinda ironic.
Scott from Bismarck, NdI think that the Chili Peppers music got a lot better after John Frusciante joined and helped write the music, because you can see a huge difference between their earliest stuff and albums that Frusciante had a hand in (blood sugar sex magic, Californication, By the way)
Angie from Rockville, MdB E A U T I F U L SONG.. just simple.
its not about this or that. its about how when one feels lonely and thinks that no1 else is loving them.. therefore they start realizing how much they're worth. and think to drive themselves down to the point where you control and mak eyour own love.. hence, love will come.

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