Music Debate Number Two

It's time for the second installment of the music debates! If you don't know how it works, check the blog from February 1st. (But, all in all, it's self-explainatory.)


Debate topic: Top 5 favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers songs
guest blogger: Ben Muehleisen, aka manfriend.
(On a sidenote, you can check out Ben's blog @ http://todaysawesomeness.blogspot.com/.)


So, here's my (Janelle's) opinion:


There are only two basic compontents that absolutely MAKE a Chili Peppers song: really weird lyrics, and a kickin' bass line. (And I believe that bass line to be the most important part.) I have to note a few things before I begin my top 5.


The first RHCP song I ever heard was "Knock Me Down" (from Mother's Milk maybe?). I forgot exactly how the sampler CD was obtained by myself, but I know I got it for free. It would be a few years until I heard more CP and knew there had to be a connection. From there, the love is endless. Also, "Under the Bridge" is NOT on my list. I know a lot of people enjoy that tune, but for me it's a tad bit overplayed. One more thought: This list was much harder to compile than the first music debate... With that said, on to my list.

5. "Hump de Bump"

from Stadium Arcadium

Listen to Hump de Bump [Album Version] by Red Hot Chili Peppers : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/16698169

I had to include one of my favorites from Stadium Arcadium. That album is just supurb. I do think that there are better songs on that album overall (can you say "Hard to Concentrate", "Snow", "Readymade", "Dani California", "So Much I", and "Tell Me Baby"?), but "Hump de Bump" is by far most danceworthy, and I like to dance. It's fun to sing as well. The lyrics do not necessarily make a lot of sense, but they're fun. Some days, that's about all you can ask for in a song. Hence, it is kicking off this awesome list.

4. "Soul to Squeeze"

from Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Listen to Soul To Squeeze [Album Version] by Red Hot Chili Peppers : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/12872251

Sometimes I have no idea why I really like this song. It starts off pretty slow, and stays slower most of the way throught the tune, but I still like it. That's strange for me sometimes, because I prefer the harder RHCP songs. That is why it had to be on my list. While it's slow, I can still dance to it. And when I don't feel like dancing, I can chill out to it as well. It has duel usage, and that's really great in any song. I have yet to see the band in concert, but I would so whip out my lighter during this song and do the "white sway". (Off topic, I learned about how white people dance at concerts by reading Stuff White People Like. I'd offer to lend it to anyone, but my dad has it. He will probably never read it, but also tell me I can't have it back because he's "still reading it".)

3. "Higher Ground"
from Mother's Milk

Listen to Higher Ground (2003 Digital Remaster) by Red Hot Chili Peppers : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/16102066

Yes, I know this is a cover. Which is why it's on my list. I love Stevie Wonder. And I love cover songs. In my opinion, there are times when you just don't mess with classics. This is one time I'll make an acception. This song is a great cover. Plus, let's think about the impact on music in the 90s as far as this song is concerned. Wonder's version was released in the early/mid 70s (correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was '72 or '73), and when the Peppers covered it, most of us youngins had not heard the original anyway. Way to bring back the classics, boys.

"Higher Ground" is also on Guitar Hero, and the credit is given to the Chili Peppers, which I find a little strange. But I didn't make that error, so whatever.

2. "Suck My Kiss"
from Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Listen to Suck My Kiss [Album Version] by Red Hot Chili Peppers : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/12872255

This song probably gets off to the second best start (see number 1). Again, you have to have that smooth bass line to have a great CP song, and this song has it. Everytime after they finish a chorus, and rip back into the song, that second-long pause just gets you all excited for what's to come, and that's pretty cool as well. This song also makes me want to start a mosh pit, and that's saying a lot for a girl who has gotten semi-crushed in a few pits along the way. (Thank you extra huge guy at a Goldfinger show, crazy people at an Urge show, and hoodlums at Pointfest during Avenged Sevenfold, to name a few.)

1: "Aeroplane"
from: One Hot Minute
Listen to Aeroplane [Album Version] by Red Hot Chili Peppers : http://free.napster.com/player/tracks/16497838 (Not the entire track... darn it!)
This is hard-core, my favorite RHCP song. Really- that opening line? "I like pleasure spiked with pain"? Yes. Just yes. (In my opinion, one of the best lines in any song, really.) Also, this song is way dance worthy. Flea and that bass line are just awesome. The bridge just pushes the song along into that sweeeeet bass solo, and it ends with some children singing. The world is happy. I am as well, every single time I hear this song. No questions asked.

As I said before, this list was way harder than the epic list. I feel the need to list the "honorable mentions", because I know Ben will as well.

Other songs in consideration were:
"Blood Sugar Sex Magik", "Cabron" (dance away, people!), "My Friends", "Walkabout", and the song that would have come in at number six, "Fortune Faded".

Thanks to Ben for the idea of debating the Peppers, being an undeniably awesome other half, and hopefully getting me back on track as far as posting something daily goes. The end.