The Zephyr Song

Last updated

"The Zephyr Song"
Zephyrsong.jpg
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album By the Way
B-side
  • "Body of Water"
  • "Someone"
  • "Out of Range"
  • "Rivers of Avalon"
ReleasedAugust 17, 2002 (2002-08-17)
Genre Psychedelic rock
Length3:53
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Rick Rubin
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"By the Way"
(2002)
"The Zephyr Song"
(2002)
"Can't Stop"
(2003)
Music video
"The Zephyr Song" on YouTube

"The Zephyr Song" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released as the second single released from their eighth studio album, By the Way (2002), on August 17, 2002. The song, as a single, was released in two parts. Both editions held two previously unheard-of B-sides, making it, collectively, hold four non-LP tracks. The single peaked at number six on the US Billboard Modern Rock chart, breaking the band's streak of three straight number-one hits.

Contents

Composition

The song is about nature's healing power and human connection. [1] In April 2017, it was revealed that John Frusciante unintentionally interpolated the song "Pure Imagination" from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory . The song's opening three guitar notes are the same as the first three sung notes from "Pure Imagination". [2]

Music video

The music video, which was released on September 30, 2002, [3] [4] was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The couple previously collaborated with the band on other videos and would continue to work with the band through the middle of the 2000s. It is generally reminiscent of a kaleidoscope, by utilizing circular and intertwining figures to achieve the psychedelic feel the band was aiming for. Kiedis would later say of the video:

John and Flea wanted something incredibly, just kind of obscure and psychedelic. Finding true psychedelia in this day and age is really hard to do, because everyone wants to rely on computers and all the stuff that really doesn't know how to find the core of psychedelia. So I had my reservations, but there are some moments in this video where I think it's captured. [5]

The music video also features Flea's partner at the time, Tobey Torres. [4]

Track listings

CD single 1
No.TitleLength
1."The Zephyr Song"3:52
2."Body of Water"4:41
3."Someone"3:24
CD single 2
No.TitleLength
1."The Zephyr Song"3:52
2."Out of Range"3:58
3."Rivers of Avalon"3:39
CD single 3
No.TitleLength
1."The Zephyr Song"3:52
2."Out of Range"3:58
7" vinyl
No.TitleLength
1."The Zephyr Song"3:52
2."Out of Range"3:58

Personnel

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "The Zephyr Song"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [33] Gold400,000
United States (RIAA) [34] Gold500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "The Zephyr Song"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
United StatesAugust 17, 2002 Maxi-CD Warner Bros. [1]
September 16, 2002 [35]
AustraliaOctober 7, 2002CD [36]
United KingdomOctober 21, 2002 [37]
JapanOctober 23, 2002 [38] [39]

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