Around the World (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)

"Around the World" is a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers released as the second single from their 1999 album, Californication. The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and number sixteen on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.

"Around the World"
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Californication
B-side"Teatro Jam"
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1999
Genre
Length3:58
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Flea, Frusciante, Kiedis, Smith
Producer(s)Rick Rubin
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"Scar Tissue"
(1999)		 "Around the World"
(1999)		 "Otherside"
(2000)
Music video
"Around The World" on YouTube

In 2007, the song was heavily edited and used as a new soundtrack for the Rockin' California Screamin' ride at Disney California Adventure, as part of their "Rockin' Both Parks" campaign. The song was also used as the opening theme for the 2010 live-action film adaptation of Beck.[1] In 2011, a live version was one of the thirty songs by thirty different artists featured on the Songs for Japan charity album.[2]

Meaning

Anthony Kiedis has stated that in the lyrics for the verses he is telling about his journeys and his experiences on them, about being a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and living an extreme life. He also noted that Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful was a lyrical inspiration.

John Frusciante came up with the music for the song while playing at his house and told the other band members they would have to hear it but he had to play it with somebody because of its deceptive downbeat. Chad Smith kept time on the hi-hat while Frusciante played. Band members liked the outcome and Flea came up with his bass part.

The different final chorus originates from a request from Flea's daughter. While writing the album in Flea's garage his daughter would listen to their songs. At the time of writing, Kiedis was struggling to come up with lyrics for the songs, so just filled in with scat. When a final draft of the album was made and Flea's daughter listened to the final version, she was disappointed that the scat had been removed. So, on the final version of the song in the last chorus, the original scatting vocal was used instead.[3]

When recording the song John Frusciante played a '66 Fender Jaguar which he had borrowed from their engineer Jim Scott. He played it through two Marshalls: a JTM 45 and a 100-watt SuperBass. Frusciante told that he liked Jaguars because of their "real cool cheap sound".

Flea played on a Modulus Flea Bass (Silver Flake) on the song. He also uses the Modulus in the music video.

Music video

A music video was made for the song, directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, who had previously made videos for other Chili Peppers songs such as "Breaking the Girl", "Scar Tissue" and "Give It Away". The latter in particular, with its unique, chaotic visual style, is similar to "Around the World"; Sednaoui used similar visual techniques in the video for R.E.M.'s song "Lotus". The video was featured on an episode of MTV's Making the Video.

Live performances

"Around the World" has remained a constant staple on the band's tours since 1999, making it one of their top ten most performed songs.[4]

The band Mr. Bungle performed a mock version of the song in 1999, as part of a halloween concert parodying Red Hot Chili Peppers.[5]

Personnel

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Additional personnel

  • Greg Kurstin - keyboard

Track list
CD 1
  1. "Around the World" – 3:58
  2. "Parallel Universe" (demo) – 5:33
  3. "Teatro Jam" – 3:06
CD 2
  1. "Around the World" – 3:59
  2. "Me and My Friends" (live) – 3:08
  3. "Yertle Trilogy" (live) – 7:10
Maxi-single
  1. "Around the World" – 3:58
  2. "Parallel Universe" (demo) – 5:33
  3. "Teatro Jam" – 3:06
  4. "Me and My Friends" (live) – 3:08

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 49
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[7] 18
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[8] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 69
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 35
Scotland (OCC)[11] 30
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 35
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[13] 8
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[14] 7
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 16

References
  1. "Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis to Do Beck Film's Themes". Anime News Network. 2010-03-30. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  3. Thompson, Dave (2004). By The Way. Virgin. p. 242. ISBN 0-7535-0970-9.
  4. "Red Hot Chili Peppers Tour Statistics - setlist.fm". Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  5. http://exclaim.ca/music/article/five_noteworthy_facts_you_may_not_know_about_faith_no_more
  6. "Australian-charts.com – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Around the World". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  7. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 10022." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  8. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (7.9 – 14.10 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 8, 1999. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Around the World" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  10. "Charts.nz – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Around the World". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  11. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  13. "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  14. "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  15. "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
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