My Friends (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)

"My Friends" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and the fourth track on their sixth studio album, One Hot Minute (1995). 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 for "Aeroplane" appears on the DVD. It became the band's third number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for four consecutive weeks, and their first number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, making it the band's first single to top both charts.

"My Friends"
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album One Hot Minute
B-side
  • "Let's Make Evil"
  • "Stretch"
ReleasedOctober 9, 1995 (1995-10-09)
GenreAlternative rock
Length4:02
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rick Rubin
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"Warped"
(1995)
"My Friends"
(1995)
"Aeroplane"
(1996)
Music video
"My Friends" on YouTube
Music video
"My Friends (Version 2)" on YouTube

The single features two unreleased B-sides. "Stretch" (originally titled Stretch You Out) was intended for the album following the fade out of "One Big Mob". The two were planned to be one song titled "One Big Mob/Stretch You Out" however "Stretch" was not included.

Music videos

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The surreal original music video depicts the band in many incarnations on a small boat, stranded in a large stretch of treacherous water. This video was directed by Anton Corbijn.[1] Anthony Kiedis admits that he thought this video was not very good, as it was not realistic.[citation needed] A second video was made for the song, directed by Gavin Bowden,[2] where they were in a studio performing the song. The video was shot in late 1994 at the start of the recording sessions for One Hot Minute, hence Flea had a beard in the video. It appears on their Greatest Hits DVD.[2]

Live performances

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"My Friends" was performed regularly during the One Hot Minute Tour. However, it hasn't been performed in full since 1996, only teased.

On October 2, 2021, Chad Smith and Dave Navarro performed "My Friends" together for the first time in 25 years at the Ohana Festival. They were joined by Taylor Hawkins on vocals, Pat Smear on guitar and Chris Chaney on bass.[3]

Track listings

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CD single (1995)

  1. "My Friends" (album)
  2. "Coffee Shop" (album)
  3. "Let's Make Evil" (previously unreleased)
  4. "Stretch" (previously unreleased)

CD version 2 (1995)

  1. "My Friends" (album)
  2. "Coffee Shop" (album)
  3. "Let's Make Evil" (previously unreleased)

12-inch single (1995)

  1. "My Friends" (album)
  2. "Coffee Shop" (album)
  3. "Let's Make Evil" (previously unreleased)
  4. "Stretch" (previously unreleased)

Personnel

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Red Hot Chili Peppers

Additional musicians

Charts

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Release history

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Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States "My Friends" September 26, 1995 Warner Bros. [27][28]
United Kingdom October 9, 1995
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[29]
Japan "Warped" / "My Friends" October 10, 1995 CD [30]

References

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  1. ^ "the Red Hot Chili Peppers – "My friends"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Red Hot Chili Peppers – Greatest Hits And Videos at Discogs
  3. ^ "Chad Smith Playing "My Friends" With Dave Navarro, Taylor Hawkins And Chris Chaney! (Oct 02, 2021)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2858." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 2821." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 43. October 28, 1995. p. 24. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  8. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  9. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.12. '95 – 8.12. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 2, 1995. p. 58. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  11. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  16. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  17. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  18. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  19. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  20. ^ "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. ^ "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1996. p. 25. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  22. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-77.
  23. ^ "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  24. ^ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  25. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-76. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via Google Books.
  26. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 24.
  27. ^ "September Tunes". Radio & Records. No. 1110. September 1, 1995. p. 71.
  28. ^ "Selected New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1113. September 22, 1995. p. 32.
  29. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. October 7, 1995. p. 47.
  30. ^ "ワープト | レッド・ホット・チリ・ペッパーズ" [Warped | Red Hot Chili Peppers] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 31, 2024.