Classics: Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Each week I'm going to be taking a look back at one of my favorite albums, movies, or TV shows in the portion of the blog titled Classics. This week's inagural edition will be examining Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the most well known and preeminent rock bands in the world today. They've sold millions of albums and toured in front of huge audiences in addition to earning enormous critical acclaim for over 20 years. They've made a number of great records, ranging from the grand return to form Californication, to the melodic epic Stadium Arcadium. None of their other efforts match up however with their career pinnacle, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is an album that exudes an heir of cockiness and pure energy that is hard to touch from most bands live, nonetheless on a studio recording. Produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, BSSM's 17 song tracklist is packed with classic Peppers tunes that range from raunchy, funked out jaunts to slow, mournful ballads. This disc is the Peppers at their absolute best and has been a personal favorite of mine every since I first heard it in its entirety.

Track by Track Analysis

1) The Power of Equality - This song starts the album off like a swift kick to the nuts. John Frusciante's unique style comes through at the start before Flea's classic bass tones drive this song to great heights. With a tight, locked in rythym section, Anthony Keidis spits biting rhymes with his classic rap/sing approach to being a front man. Instrumentally this song bring some serious funk and lyrically displays a great deal of angst towards the lack of acceptance and equality in our country. This is just an overall great song and a fabulous way to kick off an album.

2) If You Have to Ask - This track keeps the funk going, albeit at a bit of a slower pace this time. Frusciante plays a chunky guitar line over a smooth Flea line and Kiedis practically speaks the unique lyrics to this one. It's a good example of a quick fun song, that leaves an impression without being as crazy as some other cuts.

3) Breaking The Girl - An acoustic guitar drives the rythym to this track and represents a bit of a change in style from the first two songs. Departing from the funk and showing their diversity as they do so well on this record, keeps the listener engaged and flexes the band's songwriting chops. Good song.

4) Funky Monks - Did you miss the funk after "Girl"? Well it comes back heavy in this tune. As the title indicates, this song is funky as shit. The groove is tight as hell and we get some great vocal back and forth from Kiedis and Frusciante. The song chugs along until it builds into a classic slow-funk interplay between Flea and Frusciante. Another stand out track. What is shocking to hear is that this was only played live once between 1991 and 2006. Umm what?

5) Suck My Kiss - The title to this one always makes me laugh. But the song itself is no laughing matter. One of the heavier numbers on the album, Suck My Kiss is the type of front to back rager that makes you want to get drunk and punch someone in the face.

6) I Could Have Lied - Some songs hit you hard upon first listen. This is one of those. A complete 180 from what the Peppers had ever done up to this point in their careers, this song is a beautiful acoustic based number that shows Kiedis in a regretful mood about a blown relationship. This song has the "it" you look for in any form of music. Great lyrics and music, that includes wonderfully melodic electric guitar work in the middle and end of the tune. An underrated classic in their catalog.

7) Mellowship Slinky in B-Major - Not much to say about this song other than that it is another great funk number that invokes thoughts of Sly and the Family Stone mixed with Run DMC. This song shows how good the band is at mixing genres together to come up with a track that has a little bit of something for everyone.

8) The Righteous & The Wicked - One of the more underrated tunes on the album from fans, Righteous embodies the classic Peppers sound of this era. After being too raw and immature in the late 80's this album was the band finding it's perfect mix of their youthful energy and the mature songwriting that they'd go on to be more known for. This tune has great guitar and bass interplay, which is the key to the band musically, as well as a powerhouse performance by Chad Smith who drives it home on the kit.

9) Give It Away - What can you say about this song that hasn't already been said? A definitive RHCP song, I'll never get tired of Kiedis' quickfire delivery and Flea and Frusciante's almost circus like bass and guitar lines. Give It Away withstands the test of time and will always be one of their better tunes. People tend to underrate great radio songs because they get overplayed, but even if this has been spun too many times the song will always kick my ass.

10)Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Fucking Awesome comes to mind whenever I hear this song. Once you hear the drum beat kick in to start things off followed by the fantastic guitar riff I get amped. I also love Kiedis' deep, sexually charged vocal delivery on this song. It's got such a dirty feeling to it but it can't help but get your blood pumping. It's no surprise this was chosen as the title track because it captures the essence of the album very well. Amazingly well written lyrics, sing-a-long hooks, and powerful energy. Classic.

11) Under The Bridge - I can listen to this song on repeat and never get tired of it. It is that good. Probably the most well known RHCP song, this song is so honest and sincere that you can't help but be moved by it. You feel Anthony Kiedis' pain and yearning in this song. It is such a mournful, yet hopeful song that has everything a great slower song needs to be a classic. And although Kiedis wrote this in regards to his growing drug problem, it is a song that I can relate to and use as motivation or a pick me up. Everybody has experienced hard times and vow to themselves to not sink to the low level every again. This is such a remarkable song and it will be listened to long after we're all dead and gone.

12) Naked In The Rain - After slowing things down, the album picks up very quick with one of Flea's more insane bass lines. This song as a whole is not one of my favorites on the album but it does have some great instrumental work in the middle that makes it noteworthy. Following Under The Bridge is a tough act and this song does a good job at being a transitional tune to move the album back into it's classic sound without being to overbearing or too stark of a contrast from the previous tune.

13) Apache Rose Peacock - Yet another slower, funk heavy song, Apache Rose incorporates some good background horns and really showcases Kieis' vocals well. There are some really good little rap lines and rhymes sprinkled throughout and it's yet another strong number.

14) The Greeting Song - This bad boy starts off with an almost Incubus like guitar line and finds Kiedis again spitting angrily over some intense drum and bass rhythms. Overall it is a good quick tune that, while not particularly memorable, is far from filler.

15) My Lovely Man - This one is a tight jam. The band really shines with a number of different musical changes. Starting with a classic rock sounding guitar and bass interlude, it settles into an ambient outro that almost reminds me a bit of Venice Queen which would come 10 years later on By The Way. This song is the highlight of the run of songs that happen post Under the Bridge, which I feel may be the weakest part of the album. Of course, weak on this album is amazing compared to other music. My Lovely Man really just sets the table for one of my favorite 1-2 punches to end an album ever that starts with...

16) Sir Psycho Sexy - Good God, could this song be any more perfect? The short answer to that is no way. Flea drops bombs with some distortion and a wah pedal while Frusciante settles into a Hendrix like rhythm, but the really highlight to this song are the ridiculously awesome lyrics. Used as a way to show the voracious sexual appetite and exploits of Psycho Sexy (Kiedis), this tune is downright nasty, definitely something you don't want to play at your local coffeehouse. However, that is what makes it so damn fun to sing along to. You couldn't ask for a better last full track on an album filled with funky gems. This song takes the cake for raunchy and raw RHCP songs.

17) They're Red Hot - The album finished off with a lightning fast version of Robert Johnson's old blues tune. This is just over a minute long, but it's a very fun way to finish off the album and shows off RHCP's propensity for being humorous throughout their music well and most of all it leaves you with a big smile on your face. Just the way it should be when you listen to music.

Perspective

This is a really special, once in a career type of album. While I love a lot of the Pepper's catalog, this one will always have a special place in my heart and I strongly feel that it is their best work through and through. Thankfully, their recent outings have showed that they haven't lost their song writing chops, but Blood Sugar Sex Magik has a youthful exuberance marked by an intense energy that they will almost certainly never be able to recapture.