The sounds of English…
a listening experience
Under the bridge Red Hot Chile Peppers
River Thames, London, UK
Under the bridge Red Hot Chile Peppers
Under the bridge is of the many songs written by the Red Hot Chile Peppers. Even though it’s not one of their major hits, the album does mark the beginning of their popularity and their new role as the most important alternative rock band.
Red Hot Chile Peppers is an American band from Los Angeles, California. In a way, this song talks about their hometown and the problems that they faced in the beginning of the successful career.The lyrics are simple and have no major difficulties for the listener. Their are more than 60 cover versions of this song, but most of these interpretations were made by little known amateur and beginner solo artists and bands. Still, I think that the different renditions included in the lesson, provide alternative ways of interpreting this song.
The lyrics
Under the bridge
[Verse 1]
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry
I drive on her streets ’cause she’s my companion
I walk through her hills ’cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy
Well, I never worry, now that is a lie
[Chorus]
I don’t ever wanna feel like I did that day
But take me to the place I love, take me all the way
‘Cause I don’t ever wanna feel like I did that day
But take me to the place I love, take me all the way
[Post-Chorus]
Yeah, yeah yeah
[Verse 2]
It’s hard to believe that there’s nobody out there
It’s hard to believe that I’m all alone
At least I have her love, the city, she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry
[Chorus]
I don’t ever wanna feel like I did that day
But take me to the place I love, take me all the way
‘Cause I don’t ever wanna feel like I did that day
But take me to the place I love, take me all the way
[Post-Chorus]
Yeah, yeah yeah
Oh, no, no, no, yeah yeah
Love me, I say, yeah yeah
One time
[Outro]
(Under the bridge downtown) Is where I drew some blood
(Under the bridge downtown) I could not get enough
(Under the bridge downtown) Forgot about my love
(Under the bridge downtown) I gave my life away
Yeah, yeah yeah
Oh, no, no, no, yeah yeah
Here I stay, yeah yeah
Here I stay
Vocabulary
City of angels This expression refers to Los Angeles City, California. I was driving through the freeways of the City of angels.
Kisses me windy Probably, this expression refers to a seasonal wind in California called The Santa Ana winds. The hot Santa Ana winds have caused many fires in the state of California.
Drew some blood This refers to injecting heroin or some other drugs. It is said that the song was written after the death by overdose of the original guitarist of the group. They were drawing some blood and getting high under the bridge!
Gave my life away Possibly the lyrics are talking about the death of the co-band member because of an overdose. He threw his life away and died at the age of 23.
I could not get enough In the context of these lyrics, it can mean that they could get enough drugs to satisfy their need for more. We had been drinking all night, but still felt we couldn’t get enough, so we went out for more beer.
To score To buy drugs. We got some money to score something for tonight.
To shoot up To use drugs by injecting into your vein. When we saw him he had been shooting up all afternoon.
Seedy part of a city It refers to the dangerous part of a city where there is poverty, violence and crime. We would go to this seedy part of the city to score.
The Listening Exercises
Under the bridge, Red Hot Chile Peppers First Version
The song is about the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis. It talks about the period in his life when he walked around Los Angeles, sad and very alone. He was thinking about his dead friend, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak, and his death by heroin overdose. They both had smack habits and used to score – and sometimes shoot up – “under a traffic bridge” in a seedy part of the city. In this song, he also talks about his hometown, Los Angeles. In some way, walking the city streets gave him comfort during this difficult period of his life.
Pol Solonar feat THE HARDKISS – Under the bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers Cover)
I found it hard to find famous bands playing a cover version of this song. Still, I did come across this interpretation and found it an excellent, professional production. There is not much information about the artists, so I will let the recording speak for them. The song is played in a slow, soft way, and the lyrics are quite accessible.
Under the bridge Cover with Carlos Santana
Andy Vargas, the vocalist, teams up with world-class guitarist Carlos Santana. Together, they bring us this version with excellent vocals and guitar backing. I was surprised to find this version and happy to be able to include it in the lesson. The lyrics are clear-cut, and the sound of the guitar is, with no mistake, Carlos Santana’s unique rendition of Under the bridge.
Under The Bridge – Yerry Rellum, Velvet Vox (RHCP Cover)
This is a very easy-going interpretation of Under the bridge. The band has a good rhythm and good backup vocals. The listening exercise should be quite simple and straight-forward. Again, it was hard to find information about the artists, so let’s just enjoy this cover version.
Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Violet Orlandi & Sarah Jane cover)
In Violet Orlandi’s own words: “I began to sing even before I had begun to talk…”. Violet was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I have heard other interesting cover version she has released mainly through her YouTube channel. Here she is backed by guitarist Sarah Jane, who also jumps in with the chorus. Between both, they create an interesting cover rendition of Under the Bridge. By the way, she is not a native English speaker, but her English is impeccable! At the end of the video, she mentions that this is the 100th video production she has recorded. Celebrating this, the video includes her cover version of Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.This video has been viewed almost two million times.
Under the bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers cover – Covid Session 2020
I decided to include this version, as a testimonial of the Corona Virus worldwide situation in the year 2020. At the time I was creating this lesson, the world was facing a lockdown, never seen before. The different members of the group are recording from their home and mixing the tracks together in a post production. As I write this lesson, I am also locked down at home and living this historical moment of global change.
Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chili Muppets (RHCP cover)
As I mentioned in a previous lesson, I didn’t grow up watching The Muppets during my childhood days. When I ran across this version, I thought of the many generations that did watch these puppets, laughing and learning with them. So I’m including this kinda weird version of Under the bridge. If you are a Muppet generation, enjoy it!
(Red Hot Chili Peppers) Under The Bridge – Gabriella Quevedo
No lyrics? Well, this is the farewell version for this lesson. Gabriela Quevedo plays an acoustic guitar version of this song. She has almost three million viewers of this video. It’s an excellent opportunity to relax and unwind from the stress of the day! Both Gabriella and Violet Orlandi have created a strong, numerous following through the social media.
There are a variety of different voices singing the same beautiful lyrics. Each voice with its own pace, inflection, and personality. Listen to these different versions, and exercise your English listening skills, remember that learning is fun, so enjoy!
All photographs by ©edudelcorral
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