Scar Tissue
"Scar Tissue" is the first single from the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' seventh studio album Californication, released in 1999. It is one of their most successful songs, spending a then-record 16 consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart as well as 10 weeks atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and it reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also successful in Iceland, New Zealand and Canada, reaching numbers one, three and four, respectively. In the United Kingdom, it charted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Scar Tissue" | ||||
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Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers | ||||
from the album Californication | ||||
B-side |
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Released | May 25, 1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:35 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Rick Rubin | |||
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Scar Tissue" on YouTube |
"Scar Tissue" is considered to be representative of the new, more melodic rock sound the band experimented with on Californication (in contrast to the psychedelic One Hot Minute, and dry funk of Blood Sugar Sex Magik). The song is notable for its mellow intro guitar riff and for its slide guitar solos throughout. Guitar World placed the guitar solo 63rd in its list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos". "Scar Tissue" won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2000.
In 2004, Anthony Kiedis published a book named after the song. Co-written by Larry Sloman, it was an autobiography with the principal theme of sex, drugs and rock-'n-roll. In the book he talks about the consequences of drugs (especially heroin) and in which way this can destroy somebody's life.
Music video
The music video for "Scar Tissue" was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, who also directed the video for "Give It Away".
The opening shot is of John Frusciante driving down a strip of desert highway, a metaphor for Frusciante's return to the band (he does not drive in real life). But the four of them are battered, beaten and bandaged. They are traveling in a rusty wreck and playing broken instruments on the comeback trail. The video ends after an emotional thirty second Frusciante guitar solo at the moment of sunset, with John tossing the broken, stringless guitar from the car. The car Frusciante drove for the video was a 1967 Pontiac Catalina convertible. A very similar concept was considered, then scrapped, for the earlier "Soul to Squeeze" video. Prior to the video shoot, Kiedis had his hair cut and bleached his brown hair to platinum blond, a look he kept throughout the promotion and tour for Californication. It was filmed in California's Mojave Desert.
Live performances
"Scar Tissue" has been a live staple in the band's setlists since its first performance in 1998 making it the band's fifth most performed song overall.[1]
The band Mr. Bungle performed a mock version of the song in 1999, as part of a halloween concert parodying Red Hot Chili Peppers.[2]
Personnel
Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Anthony Kiedis – lead vocals
- John Frusciante – slide and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Flea – bass, backing vocals
- Chad Smith – drums, shaker
Track listings
CD single (1999) (Catalogue Number 9 16913-2)
- "Scar Tissue" (album) – 3:37
- "Gong Li" (previously unreleased) – 3:42
- "Instrumental #1" (previously unreleased) – 2:48
CD single (Slipcase) (1999)
- "Scar Tissue" (album) – 3:37
- "Gong Li" (previously unreleased) – 3:42
Cassette/Jukebox single (1999)
- "Scar Tissue" (album)
- "Gong Li" (previously unreleased)
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[35] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[36] | Platinum | 50,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] | Platinum | 600,000 |
United States (RIAA)[38] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
See also
References
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Live". The Side. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- http://exclaim.ca/music/article/five_noteworthy_facts_you_may_not_know_about_faith_no_more
- "Australian-charts.com – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Ultratop.be – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7279." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8358." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 8375." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16 no. 25. June 19, 1999. p. 15. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers: Scar Tissue" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Lescharts.com – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Íslenski Listinn (1.7–8.7. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). July 2, 1999. p. 11. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Scar Tissue". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 31. July 31, 1999. p. 70. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 37, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Charts.nz – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Notowanie nr 917" (in Polish). 27 August 1999. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- "Major Market Airplay - Week 26/1999" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 June 1999. p. 19. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1999". ARIA. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
- "1999 – The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. 138. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- "Top AFP - Audiogest - Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- "Italian single certifications – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 15, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Scar Tissue" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
- "British single certifications – Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Scar Tissue". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 26, 2021. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Scar Tissue in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American single certifications – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Scar Tissue". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 24, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.