Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

#virginrock #redhotchilipeppers #californication
I always enjoy when someone has fun playing around with words. This title says it all!

Here’s the link to the original song:

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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.

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Credits: Music written and performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers

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[karmacamilleon]

Synopsis of RHCP's entire discography: "Heavy on the bass"

[WayneKitching]

I think Amy would enjoy "Under the Bridge."

[LeeKennison]

I loved your reaction. I have been eager for you to hear the RHCP, so I was thrilled to see this. I think the sense that you get from the backing vocals that you shouldn't quite feel comfortable here is intentional. The song is expressing both the California dream, along with the reality of the dark, hypocritical and phony side of the LA/Hollywood scene through some great lyrics and cultural references. Good catch on the Kurt Cobain reference. I am glad you noticed the 'powerful' bass. Their bass player Flea is considered one of the best of his time. Although this song doesn't display his incredible chops and versatility like some of the other songs, particularly the funkier ones where he plays in a slap bass style. Great reaction.

[eliottcook]

How serendipitous it is that you did your first Red Hot Chili Peppers and and I am going to see them in concert in a few hours. It's wonderful that you have finally got to experience them😊

[AyyyGabagool]

You mentioned something in this video that I often think about, and it's something that I've never seen anyone else who reacts to new music comment on before- The fact that the artist may not be fully aware of what exactly it is that makes their composition work so well, or why exactly one of their songs will become a hit. It is the raw intuition within the talent they possess which lead them to ideas and executions which they themselves may be unable to explain.

Every time I think I've cracked the case on the meaning or message behind a song, or see a consensus online, I always have this thought in the back of my head of whether or not the artist was fully aware of what they'd done to convey this meaning or if it was simply what "felt right" that lead them to the very same place.

Great reaction and analysis as always, Amy.

[DravenxEyeless]

The "Cobain" part is so multilayered it's genius:

Kurt Cobain was the frontman of Nirvana who killed himself rather than deal with the “Californication” lifestyle. Following Kurt’s death, Nirvana’s drummer Dave Grohl became the lead singer of the Foo Fighters, a band named after unexplained spheres of light found behind U.S. planes in WW2.

Nirvana covered “The Man Who Sold The World” by David Bowie in the MTV Unplugged recorded shortly before Kurt’s death. So the Foos doing songs from Bowie’s album Station to Station would be a fitting tribute (although they had done with Bowie himself another song). Put this all together, and you get Anthony asking his former friend Kurt if he can hear his old bandmates playing songs for him in his memory.

[grahamokeefe]

It's cool that you're becoming familiar enough with the repertoire to start catching references. "Station to Station" is a David Bowie album.

[omniversalll]

Soul to Squeeze would be a wonderful song of theirs to react to. Probably my favorite song of all time.

[Vrealita]

A real gem of theirs is "Soul to Squeeze". Great beautiful bassline

[tomgould]

When the soft voice, the one you thought was a little different, comes in it seems to have a touch of sorrow to it. There is the dream of California, yet it somehow doesn't live up to one's expectations.

[Chris-ioiz]

I'm enjoying the channel so much. I'm a classically trained singer, but I also grew up with rock music and folk music alongside the classical repertoire. I'm glad to see that you're starting to pick up on the references. Rock music is highly referential, and I'm not sure you can understand it completely without understanding the lyrics along with the music. Songs like this are engaging in a long dialogue with past songs. I see many people have explained the Bowie reference that is tied up with the Cobain reference here, but I do want to add another piece of context: Cobain was already dead when this song was written.

[lisar]

Finally😂❤ firstborn unicorn refers to Dorothy another reference

[AyyyyUhhhh]

The way you interpret this music is so amazing, not just this video but all of them, you are very in tune with music and its fun to hear your thoughts. thank you!

[HylianHer]

I sub’d to the channel because of this incredible POV and breakdown of this iconic song.

[UrsaMajorPrime]

Dang Amy, your insights continue to amaze me; at the first pause your analysis after only hearing the first verse and chorus were spot on.

[jesperborglund]

I always enjoy your in-depth interpretation and analysis of a song 🙌 it's a great song

[lacidawson]

I love to watch you bring your thoughts and emotions to life.

[alphaomega]

It's interesting that you can pick up on choices that would of been instinctive & artistic and relate them to your own understanding of a very different musical style. I guess musicians are musicians whether they are classically trained or not and their instincts will often make sense to other musicians.

[barriehull]

Bass guitar, Flea was born in Melbourne, Australia; his family moved to Rye, New York when he was four.

[jovana_r]

I have a soft spot in my heart for RHCP even though I've never listened to them much. They are great musicians. I especially love Chad Smith, the drummer. What a great guy he is and what a hell of a drummer he is! Maybe you cannot really tell it from RHCP songs, but that's only because he has always played only what's suitable for a song.
And, yes, bass is a signiture sound of the band. You cannot miss it in their music.