Greatest Hits (Red Hot Chili Peppers album)
Encyclopedia
Greatest Hits is the second compilation album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...

. It was released on November 18, 2003 by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...

. Aside from their cover of "Higher Ground", all songs on the compilation are from their tenure on Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...

 from 1991 to 2002, in addition to two newly recorded songs.

Greatest Hits was released along with a separately sold DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

 containing most of their music videos from the same time period.

The album was released with Copy Control
Copy Control
Copy Control was the generic name of a copy prevention system, used from 2001 until 2006 on several digital audio disc releases by EMI Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment in several regions...

 protection system in some European markets, but not in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Overview

While their first compilation album What Hits!?
What Hits!?
What Hits!? is a compilation album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1992 by EMI. The album contains tracks from the band's first four albums as well as "Under the Bridge" from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and the stand-alone single "Show Me Your Soul".This album was released on...

encompasses material from their 1984 debut to 1989's Mother's Milk
Mother's Milk
Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1989, on EMI America Records. It was the first album to feature the band's most well-known lineup...

, this collection of songs takes off from that point, including material from their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

up through their 2002 album By the Way
By the Way
By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

. It was during this period of their career that the band became a major commercial force in the music industry. Therefore this compilation includes the majority of hit singles released since their breakthrough cover of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

's "Higher Ground" (also included on What Hits!?). "Higher Ground" from Mother's Milk, an album released by EMI Records
EMI America Records
EMI America Records was started in 1978 by EMI as a second US label next to Capitol Records. It absorbed Liberty Records in 1984. In the late 1980s EMI America was consolidated with Manhattan Records to form EMI Manhattan Records, which later became known simply as EMI in 1990, then part of EMI...

, is included on this compilation through contractual negotiations: when the band switched from EMI to Warner Bros., both record companies agreed that one song from their contract was allowed to be included on the other company's compilation. On What Hits!?
What Hits!?
What Hits!? is a compilation album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1992 by EMI. The album contains tracks from the band's first four albums as well as "Under the Bridge" from 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik and the stand-alone single "Show Me Your Soul".This album was released on...

EMI chose to include the song "Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge
"Under the Bridge" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on March 10, 1992 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express a feeling of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on...

" from Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Sixteen songs were recorded for this compilation, however only two were included. The two that made the cut were the single "Fortune Faded
Fortune Faded
"Fortune Faded" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released in 2003 as a single, to coincide with the release of their Greatest Hits album. The song, along with "Save the Population" , was recorded at The Mansion and produced by Rick Rubin...

" and "Save the Population". "Fortune Faded" itself was a rerecording of a By The Way outtake that had been performed at some concerts in 2001. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 was filmed and released for "Fortune Faded" but was left off the DVD version. In addition, alternate mixes of "Californication", "My Friends" and "Higher Ground" are included on this compilation, with no explanation as to why. However, the version of "My Friends" had previously leaked as an 'unmastered version' of the song (it appears mastered here) and the version of "Californication" had been utilized by some radio stations instead of the original track. "Higher Ground" appears in a different mix, which may have been Warner Bros.' attempt at remastering the track, or it may have been a rejected 12" mix.

The names of the other fourteen songs are either unknown or unconfirmed except for Runaway which was included as a bonus track on the iTunes release of By the Way
By the Way
By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

. There are rumours that the songs "Leverage of Space" and "Rolling Sly Stone", which were included in Live in Hyde Park
Live in Hyde Park
Live in Hyde Park is a live album released by the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded over three record-breaking nights at Hyde Park, in London on June 19, 20 and 25, 2004 during the band's Roll On The Red tour. These three concerts became the highest grossing concerts at a single venue in history...

, were recorded at this time. Also, the song "Mini-Epic", which was performed on the 2004 tour and supposed to be on an anti-war album produced by Rick Rubin (a project that never came to fruition), is believed to be recorded at this time. One other song name, which Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...

 stated backstage at a performance for his Silverlake Conservatory of Music, is "Desiree". "Hump de Bump
Hump de Bump
"Hump de Bump" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2006 double album, Stadium Arcadium. The song is the fifth and final single released from Stadium Arcadium and final single the band would release with John Frusciante, who quit the band two years later...

" was also worked on for the first time during these sessions, as a jam named "40 Detectives". Allegedly, he recorded this on his phone and it was later recorded formally for Stadium Arcadium.

"My Friends" is the only track included from the 1995 album, One Hot Minute
One Hot Minute
One Hot Minute is the sixth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 12, 1995, on Warner Bros. Records...

.
It is known that Frusciante and the rest of the band are not fans of Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...

's time with the band, and this is likely to be the reason why other hits from the period, such as "Warped
Warped
"Warped" is a song by the American alternative rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers, from their 1995 album, One Hot Minute. It was released as the first single from the album. It is the first track on One Hot Minute, beginning with an unusually quiet intro, before suddenly kicking into a very heavy,...

", "Coffee Shop
Coffee Shop (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)
"Coffee Shop" is a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers and was the fifth and final single from their 1995 album, One Hot Minute. Despite the CD single being released only in Germany, the music video was aired in the United States. The music video featured the album track playing over live footage...

" and "Aeroplane" are not included. Despite the popularity of the song "Love Rollercoaster
Love Rollercoaster
"Love Rollercoaster" is a song by American funk/R&B band The Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey. The song was a hit upon its initial release, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts. It still sees wide airplay on classic funk and R&B stations...

", it could not be included because it was recorded on Geffen Records rather than Warner Bros. - an ironic twist, given that WB used to distribute Geffen. However, the music video for "Aeroplane" is featured on the DVD version of the compilation. A possible reason for this is that bassist Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...

's daughter appears in the video.

Also absent was the top ten hit, "Around the World
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....

" from 1999's Californication
Californication (album)
Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

although the DVD contained the music video.

Of their eight U.S. number one singles on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart up to that point, only one of them, "Can't Stop", from their 2002 album By the Way
By the Way
By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

, was excluded though again the music video was featured on the DVD.

To date, worldwide sales show that Greatest Hits has outsold six of the band's nine studio albums including One Hot Minute
One Hot Minute
One Hot Minute is the sixth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 12, 1995, on Warner Bros. Records...

and By The Way
By the Way
By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

making it the band's fourth highest selling release.

In 2011, Chad discussed the recording sessions for Greatest Hits saying they recorded sixteeen songs and wanted to release a new album of that material after a brief tour however by that time John was against doing this because the style he was playing had changed and evolved as had his musicial influences. Chad said there is an entire Red Hot Chili Peppers album out there that nobody will likely ever hear.

Track listing

All tracks written by Kiedis
Anthony Kiedis
Anthony Kiedis is an American vocalist/lyricist, and occasional actor best known as the lead vocalist of the Grammy-winning American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis spent his youth in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mother before moving, shortly before his 12th birthday, to Hollywood,...

/Frusciante
John Frusciante
John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...

/Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...

/Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...

 except where noted

  1. "Under the Bridge
    Under the Bridge
    "Under the Bridge" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on March 10, 1992 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Vocalist Anthony Kiedis wrote the lyrics to express a feeling of loneliness and despondency, and to reflect on...

    " – 4:33 (from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

    )
  2. "Give It Away" – 4:44 (from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

    )
  3. "Californication
    Californication (song)
    "Californication" is the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fourth single and sixth track from their seventh studio album, Californication. Released in 2000, the song reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA, and #16 on the UK charts, and hit #1 on both US Mainstream Rock Tracks and US Modern Rock Tracks...

    " – 5:29 (from the album Californication
    Californication (album)
    Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

    )
  4. "Scar Tissue
    Scar Tissue
    "Scar Tissue" is the first single from the American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' seventh studio album Californication, released in 1999...

    " – 3:35 (from the album Californication
    Californication (album)
    Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

    )
  5. "Soul to Squeeze
    Soul to Squeeze
    "Soul to Squeeze" is a song by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was originally recorded during the production of their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik...

    " – 4:50 (from Coneheads: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  6. "Otherside
    Otherside
    "Otherside" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in 2000. It was the third single from their album Californication, and confronts the battles ex-junkies have with their prior addictions...

    " – 4:15 {from the album Californication
    Californication (album)
    Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

    )
  7. "Suck My Kiss
    Suck My Kiss
    "Suck My Kiss" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released as the third single from their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The "Suck My Kiss" single was released in 1992 in Australia only; a music video was made for the song using footage from the Funky Monks documentary...

    " – 3:35 (from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

    )
  8. "By the Way
    By the Way (song)
    "By the Way" is a song by American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is the title track and the first single released from the band's eighth studio album of the same name...

    " – 3:35 (from the album By the Way
    By the Way
    By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

    )
  9. "Parallel Universe
    Parallel Universe (song)
    "Parallel Universe" is a promotional single by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1999 album, Californication. Although it never was released as a tangible CD single, it charted on the US Modern Rock Tracks at number 37 during the week of March 24, 2001, and appeared on Greatest Hits.It is the...

    " – 4:29 (from the album Californication
    Californication (album)
    Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

    )
  10. "Breaking the Girl
    Breaking the Girl
    "Breaking the Girl" is a song by the American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was released in 1992 as the fourth single from their studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend,...

    " – 4:54 (from the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik
    Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

    )
  11. "My Friends
    My Friends (song)
    "My Friends" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the fourth track on their 1995 album One Hot Minute. It is a melodic ballad and was released as the second single from the album. It is the only song from One Hot Minute to be included on their Greatest Hits compilation, though the music video...

    " – 4:09 (from the album One Hot Minute
    One Hot Minute
    One Hot Minute is the sixth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 12, 1995, on Warner Bros. Records...

    ) (Kiedis/Flea/Navarro
    Dave Navarro
    David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...

    /Smith)
  12. "Higher Ground" – 3:22 (from the album Mother's Milk
    Mother's Milk
    Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1989, on EMI America Records. It was the first album to feature the band's most well-known lineup...

    ) (Wonder
    Stevie Wonder
    Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

    )
  13. "Universally Speaking
    Universally Speaking
    "Universally Speaking" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2002 album By the Way. It fifth and final single from the album and was released solely in the UK...

    " – 4:16 (from the album By the Way
    By the Way
    By the Way is the eighth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released on July 9, 2002 on Warner Bros. Records. It sold over 286,000 copies in the first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The singles from the album included "By the Way", "The...

    )
  14. "Road Trippin'
    Road Trippin'
    "Road Trippin" is a song by the American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1999 album, Californication. The single was released only in Europe. A music video was also made but never released in the United States until the band released their Greatest Hits album in 2003...

     – 3:25 (from the album Californication
    Californication (album)
    Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, Californication marked the return of John Frusciante, who had previously appeared on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to replace...

    )
  15. "Fortune Faded
    Fortune Faded
    "Fortune Faded" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released in 2003 as a single, to coincide with the release of their Greatest Hits album. The song, along with "Save the Population" , was recorded at The Mansion and produced by Rick Rubin...

    " – 3:21 (previously unreleased)
  16. "Save the Population
    Save the Population
    "Save the Population" is a Red Hot Chili Peppers' song from their 2003 Greatest Hits album. It was chosen with "Fortune Faded" for the compilation. The track itself is the last of the album....

    " – 4:05 (previously unreleased)

DVD

Greatest Hits and Videos is a package that was also released with the tracks above plus a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

 (which is available as Greatest Videos) containing the following music videos:
The DVD omitted the following Warner Bros. era music videos:
  • "Breaking the Girl
    Breaking the Girl
    "Breaking the Girl" is a song by the American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was released in 1992 as the fourth single from their studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend,...

    " (Blood Sugar Sex Magik)
  • "If You Have to Ask
    If You Have to Ask
    "If You Have to Ask" is a song by the American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik in 1993. A music video was made, but merely consists of live footage of the band from their 1992/1993 tour overdubbed with...

    " (Blood Sugar Sex Magik)
  • "Warped
    Warped
    "Warped" is a song by the American alternative rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers, from their 1995 album, One Hot Minute. It was released as the first single from the album. It is the first track on One Hot Minute, beginning with an unusually quiet intro, before suddenly kicking into a very heavy,...

    " (One Hot Minute)
  • "Coffee Shop
    Coffee Shop (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)
    "Coffee Shop" is a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers and was the fifth and final single from their 1995 album, One Hot Minute. Despite the CD single being released only in Germany, the music video was aired in the United States. The music video featured the album track playing over live footage...

    " (One Hot Minute)
  • "My Friends" (original version from One Hot Minute)
  • "Love Rollercoaster
    Love Rollercoaster
    "Love Rollercoaster" is a song by American funk/R&B band The Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey. The song was a hit upon its initial release, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts. It still sees wide airplay on classic funk and R&B stations...

    " (Beavis and Butt-head Do America soundtrack)
  • "Fortune Faded
    Fortune Faded
    "Fortune Faded" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released in 2003 as a single, to coincide with the release of their Greatest Hits album. The song, along with "Save the Population" , was recorded at The Mansion and produced by Rick Rubin...

    " (Fortune Faded single)


Both the "Breaking the Girl" and "If You Have to Ask" videos were omitted because they feature Arik Marshall
Arik Marshall
Arik Marshall is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, poet, and author, best known as a one-time member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has earned the respect and praise of artists as diverse as Joe Strummer, Prince, Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow, and Carlos...

 who temporarily replaced Frusciante following his departure. Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn
Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for more than a decade...

's original video for "My Friends" was left off because the band thought it was too "arty" and thus detaching for fans, as revealed in the commentary.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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