I bought the album shortly after it came out and played it over and over back in the day. LOVED Red Hot Chili Peppers, this song and that entire album. They're an incredible band in my opinion with a lot of music produced that seems timeless.

I'm probably in the minority here. But I was way off on the lyrics of this song. Has anyone ever went back, read the lyrics to this song and came away a little shocked? I say shocked as in, this guy was so right in so many ways and called it when the rest of us didn't see it.

Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation
And little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotation
And if you want these kind of dreams it's Californication
It's the edge of the world and all of Western civilization
The sun may rise in the East, at least it settled in a final location
It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication
Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin, is this your chin, or is that war you're waging?
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Marry me, girl, be my fairy to the world, be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard, it's Californication
Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement
And Cobain, can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station To Station?
And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication
Born and raised by those who praise control of population
Well, everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Destruction leads to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar, they're just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn't save the world from Californication
Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging
Sicker than the rest, there is no test, but this is what you're craving
First born unicorn
Hardcore soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

Yeah, the lyrics are great and very true.

On the other side of the coin, the most unimpressive band I've ever seen in concert - except for the drummer Chad Smith. He was awesome. In fairness, I saw them in Singapore after the 2019 Formula 1 race so, they might not have been able to get their normal amount of good drugs.

HollywoodBQ said:

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Yeah, the lyrics are great and very true.

On the other side of the coin, the most unimpressive band I've ever seen in concert - except for the drummer Chad Smith. He was awesome. In fairness, I saw them in Singapore after the 2019 Formula 1 race so, they might not have been able to get their normal amount of good drugs.

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I've seen them 3 times. Two of the concerts were amazing and the other was awful.

RHCP is kind of like the Beatles imo in that it doesn't matter what age group, genre, or lifestyle you have, you can find a song you like. It is very timeless.

I don't process words in songs so let's go with all songs?

Claude! said:

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On "hardcore soft porn" I thought he was saying "hot coals are born"

Crazy how dead on those lyrics proved to be. Borderline prophetic. Some deep deep stuff that just took me a little time to get.

El Gallo Blanco said:

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Crazy how dead on those lyrics proved to be. Borderline prophetic. Some deep deep stuff that just took me a little time to get.

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Yes! After reading the lyrics I came away with that AND how far off I was one some of what he was saying to begin with.

What is it that you guys think he is saying?

Quote:

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And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication

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Clearly this is a Nostradamus-like view on the changes occurring in the Star Wars universe.

While not being far away from Alderaan (The original trilogy and subject matter) the Californication of the newest series has led to the woke lesbian space witch saga that is being pushed upon us now.

BigAg95 said:

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What is it that you guys think he is saying?

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His message or the lyrics? I never knew the meaning. But..

"Hardcore soft porn," hot coals are born
"Pay your surgeon very well," Hey there Sergeant Mary, well

Many of the other things I was simply mumbling through

What's the meaning of firstborn unicorn? I feel like I've been rolling my eyes at that lyric for 20 years now. It's very fake-RHCP, like "don't get scammed by the Alabama Scamma".

rhutton125 said:

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What's the meaning of firstborn unicorn? I feel like I've been rolling my eyes at that lyric for 20 years now. It's very fake-RHCP, like "don't get scammed by the Alabama Scamma".

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I would take it as, the most special of all the specials. I also didn't know he was saying "First born unicorn," though

A unicorn is a symbol of purity and "Californication" is stripping that away.

I swear they just troll with the lyrical nonsense.
One of their latest:

Platypus are a few, the secret life of Roo
A personality I new knew (get it on)
My Greta weighs a ton, the archers on the run
And no one stands alone behind the sun

-RHCP, Black Summer

Quote:

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Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement

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Flat Earthers/Moon landing deniers like to quote this verse.

Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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BigAg95 said:

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What is it that you guys think he is saying?

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His message or the lyrics? I never knew the meaning. But..

"Hardcore soft porn," hot coals are born
"Pay your surgeon very well," Hey there Sergeant Mary, well

Many of the other things I was simply mumbling through

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I was asking that regarding the comments about him predicting something or being prophetic.

HollywoodBQ said:

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Yeah, the lyrics are great and very true.

On the other side of the coin, the most unimpressive band I've ever seen in concert - except for the drummer Chad Smith. He was awesome. In fairness, I saw them in Singapore after the 2019 Formula 1 race so, they might not have been able to get their normal amount of good drugs.

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They are all sober and have been since the Clinton administration. I have seen them a few times and they are really good. A band playing at a sporting event is not going to be on point. The sound system, the energy, etc are just not the same as a festival or arena show.

While the lyrics seem prophetic, they are what he has seen after he spent most of his life living in Hollywood around stars and hopeful stars and the rot in Hollywood.

This song is actually the best song I have ever heard live of any band. I remember how in sync they were playing this song live and how incredible it sounded.