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User
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Last Active 09-04-11 4:11 am
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| Top 20 RHCP Tracks with John Frusciante
John Frusciante's coming back to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with the cringily-titled LP "Unlimited Love" streaming April 1, 2022. Will the new material simply be a retread of the glory days, or can the band recapture some of the old magic of yesteryear? In any case it seems like a good time to revisit the band's Frusciante catalogue.*
Only studio releases will be considered | | 21 | Red Hot Chili Peppers
Higher Ground
Ok, so I cheated and included 21 songs on a "Top 20" list. Despite being a cover of an already-excellent Stevie Wonder track, the band puts a distinctive stamp on the track in their breakthrough hit. Flea's unforgettable slap bass intro sets a rocky drive to the track, but just as a quick reminder: John Frusciante was a teenager when this song was recorded. His frenetic-but-smooth effort on this track was a confident statement to usher in the band's new era. | | 20 | If You Have to Ask
A dry slice of funk-rock that, along with "Power of Equality," is a perfect tone-setter that sets aside the band's punk/metal influences in favor of a mix of swaggering and melodic sounds that would be their calling card in the Frusciante iterations of the lineup. | | 19 | Breaking the Girl
A totally off-brand track, the guys cast aside the funk rhythms and dry riffs in favor of a rolling, 3/4 drum rhythm, a 12-string guitar, flutes, and other instruments giving this a distinctly Zeppelin-esque feel. | | 18 | Otherside
Anthony Keidis' unconventional vocal tone is a great fit for this melancholic track about the challenges of self-improvement. Featuring a great drum groove, tasteful and spare guitar, and thunderous outro, this track is one of the band's biggest hits and a worthy successor to the band's 90's-era melodic and meloncholic hits "Under the Bridge" and "My Friends" | | 17 | Venice Queen
The closing track off of By the Way is an epic, unconventional showcase for the band’s more experimental tendencies. It gets knocked down a few spots because it rehashes elements of “This Velvet Glove,” but it’s an effective album closer and the song that best encapsulates what the band was going for on “By the Way.” | | 16 | This Velvet Glove
One of the few Peppers songs with both a lead and rhythm guitar, this song features some great melodic bass work, propulsive drumming, and some of the most touching, haunting lyrics of Anthony's career. An underrated gem off of Californication. | | 15 | Sir Psycho Sexy
I consider myself a feminist, which means I have a complicated relationship with Anthony's oversexed, libido-driven lyrics and public persona. The band has an unfortunate history of misogyny in their lyrics and their behavior, and that's an undeniable, inextricable part of the band's repertoire (and sadly, for some, its appeal). When I'm in a mood to compartmentalize all that and enjoy that facet of the band on its own terms, though, "Sir Psycho Sexy" is the song I turn to as a shameless, epic celebration of the male id. | | 14 | I Could Have Lied
A snarly breakup song elevated by the finest melodic guitar solos of John's first stint with the band. | | 13 | Turn it Again
A Talking-Heads-ey main riff, hard-rock chorus, horn-infused bridge section, and absolutely bonkers solo section are standouts from this forgotten gem off Stadium Arcadium. | | 12 | Get on Top
Funky, rocky, with a dash of hip-hop, melodic guitar, and bongos (cuz why not); this is a classically Chili-Peppers track. Apparently inspired by Public Enemy's "You're Gonna Get Yours" (also produced by Rick Rubin), this is one of the many songs that showcases the chemistry between John's guitar and Chad's drums. | | 11 | Wet Sand
This track showcases what might be Rick Rubin's finest work with the band. It’s incredibly dynamic, a clinic in slow-build tension that absolutely explodes in the final section. The perfect farewell to John's second stint with the band. | | 10 | Give It Away
This is probably the band's signature song. Anchored by a spare bass riff and splashed with all kinds of weird flavors (dry, funky guitar, Jewish harp, backwards guitar solos, Anthony's signature percussive vocals), this song is a showcase for the band's blend of weird, eclectic, energetic sound. | | 9 | California
Apparently, Anthony Keidis likes to sing about California. This is the only song in the band's catalog, though, where he truly convinces me that I should care too; the lyrics are the piece that propel this ambitious track to one of the band's best. | | 8 | Mellowship Slinky in B Major
John and Flea have out-of-this-world chemistry across a range of styles. This song is probably the best showcase of their funk chemistry. And while there are great bass and guitar licks throughout, their intertwined verse riffs are an all-time highlight, bolstered by some crisp drum work from Chad. | | 7 | Can't Stop
This song (and video, for that matter) is pure, unadulterated fun. Highlights include John's raw funk main riff, some lyrical gems from Anthony, a reggae-tinged bridge section, and an explosive outro. | | 6 | Nobody Weird Like Me
Chad Smith has chops, y'all. As time has gone on, Chad has embraced a subtler and more restrained style, holding down basic grooves as a backdrop to the interplay of John and Flea's guitar and bass. But if you've ever wondered how the band could sound if they let their drummer loose, look no further than this metal-infused track off of Mother's Milk. Spoiler: it's pretty f***in' sweet. Also, that Kashmir-inspired outro is insanely fun. | | 5 | Under the Bridge
Catchy, soulful, and deceptively simple, it’s an alt-rock classic that’s iconic for a reason. | | 4 | Funky Monks
That intro riff is my favorite guitar riff of all time, full stop. But even apart from that, the bridge features some great, Hendrix-esque guitar soloing and earworm funk bass riffs. It could be argued the song doesn't add up to more than the sum of its parts, but what incredible parts they are.
John defends the song's honor and gives some fun backstory to that central riff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJGbJD3z4P4&ab_channel=j | | 3 | Around the World
A ferocious, kinetic bass riff kicks things off, with Anthony providing some quasi-rapped word-salad vocals in the verse and a melodic chorus. But it's the interplay of the guitar and bass that make this such a quintessentially-RHCP track; what other band can make a lead-bass and rhythm-guitar coupling so seamless? With the signature funk/punk/rock sound intact, this is my personal favorite of the band's on-type offerings. | | 2 | Hey
No, I don't mean "Snow (Hey Oh)". The closing track on the "Jupiter" section of Stadium Arcadium is an under-the-radar classic. Flea's spare, jazzy bass riff holds together one of the grooviest and against-type tracks the band has released. John's guitar dances around that bass riff with some well-chosen doublets, and apes Santana in the solo sections with some fantastic, high-pitched wah guitar. This track is criminally underrated and deserves to be considered among the band's all-time-best. | | 1 | Scar Tissue
The first single off of Californication was a melodic departure from the dry funk/rap/punk of the band's earlier days. All 4 band members are on-point here, with Anthony a surprising standout, showing off some soulful lyrics and unexpected vocal range. John, though, is the one who elevates this from a groovy slice of alt-rock to an all-time-great. He pitches in an iconic central riff and some of the most memorable backup vocals of his career. But to me, it's all about those slide-guitar solos. Elevated by Flea's excellent melodic playing, John doesn't let a single note go to waste as he tears at your heartstrings with surgical precision. His playing becomes even more powerful when considered against the backdrop of John's recovery from the depths of heroin addiction. Those solos, and this track as a whole, capture the soul lurking beneath the band's swaggering cock-rock, and elevate this to be the best track in the Peppers' discography. | |
JKing92
02.05.22 | I'd definitely rank 5 at 1, personally.
I'd also rank 14 and 19 higher and include "The Power of Equality" on this list. | whitecastle142
02.05.22 | Near-Misses:
- Hard to Concentrate
- Desecration Smile
- Fortune Faded
- Power of Equality
- Parallel Universe
Notable omissions:
- Dani California, Snow (Hey Oh), By the Way - fine but a bit overrated
- Soul to Squeeze - nice track but a bit too close to "Under the Bridge" for comfort
| Storm In A Teacup
02.05.22 | Yeah Johns the man. Empyrean is the best thing he’s ever done IMO. The Empyrean is one of my top 50 albums of all time. | benkim
02.05.22 | Great list but it would be too hard for me to make! Mellowship is probably their best track | MonumentsOfParalysis
02.05.22 | I love this list! Some good cuts on here. I would personally add Don't Forget Me to this list.
Looking forward to new Peppers with John again. | rockarollacola
02.06.22 | Hate it when a group of very talented musicians come together and record obnoxious music. Man is one hell of a guitarist, but I seriously can't stand any of RHCP's music. |
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