Track Listing

1. Under the Bridge
2. Give It Away
3. Californication
4. Scar Tissue
5. Soul to Squeeze
6. Otherside
7. Suck My Kiss
8. By the Way
9. Parallel Universe
10. Breaking the Girl
11. My Friends
12. Higher Ground
13. Universally Speaking
14. Road Trippin'
15. Fortune Faded
16. Save the Population

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #131189 in Music
• Released on: 2008-01-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Explicit Lyrics, Import
• Dimensions: .15 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Greatest Hits attempts to sum up the history of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but its focus is firmly in the second half of their career. Early on, in the late 1980s, the Chili Peppers were an LA band who played a unique fusion of punk and funk--four guys, united by a love of partying and playing music. But they had a problem: although they were developing an underground following, nobody was buying their albums. Their first three albums failed to set the charts on fire, though they finally had a bit of a breakthrough with 1989's Mother's Milk. It wasn't enough--their label, EMI, dropped them.

EMI's A&R department must be kicking themselves now because the Red Hot Chili Peppers have since gone on to become one of the most popular bands in the world. Their next album. Blood Sugar Sex Magik, was a massive, worldwide hit, containing such huge singles as "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge". It's follow-up One Hot Minute was frankly a bit poor, but it hardly stalled their upward trajectory. These funky punks had matured and they found a whole new audience on albums such as Californication and By the Way. On them, there's the perfect marriage of playful innuendo, blistering musicianship (Flea is--quite rightly--considered one of the finest bassists in rock) and thoughtful songwriting. Greatest Hits focuses on these later years of the Chili Peppers' career (only the Stevie Wonder cover "Higher Ground" predates Blood Sugar…). It may not please all of their fans, but it's certainly a great starting point for the casual listener. --Robert Burrow

Customer Reviews

what is going on?
I mean, I love the red hot chili peppers, they are one of the greatest bands of all time but this greatest hits is a bit disappointing. i mean, none of the songs on here are bad, but they could have made a 2CD greatest hits bringing the whole 20 years of great music together, [and yes I know *What Hits?* And the other greatest hits '84-'89 could be bought for that] but to have a greatest hits that doesn't include anything off *Freaky Styley* or *The Uplift Mofo Party Plan* is just wrong.

Good idea to put videos for the singles on the Greatest Hits though

A Red Hot 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' Album
What can I say? One of the greatest rock bands in the world collaborates their best songs on one album. It's got to be good!!

The album includes amazing songs from the albums "By The Way", "Californication", "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". It also has a song from the five year period in which their brilliant guitarist, John Frusciante, left the band and was replaced with Jane's Addiction guitarist, Dave Navarro. You'll also find a few songs that don't appear on any other album.

However, I feel that some great songs have been missed off, such as:
"Warped" from One Hot Minute
"The Zephyr Song" from By The Way
"Can't Stop" from By The Way
"Around The World" from Californication
"Nobody Weird Like Me" from Mother's Milk
"Knock Me Down" from Mother's Milk

Unfortunately, they have chosen to concentrate on the latest line-up of the band (with Chad Smith on drums and John Frusciante on guitar), so there are no songs from the band's earlier period with (among others) Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons. This period includes such funky tunes as:
"Fight Like A Brave" from The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
"True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" from Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Behind The Sun" from The Uplift Mofo Party Plan

Although, I can't criticise this album too much as the bands founder members, Anthony Kiedas (vocals) and Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), have been in the band since they began making records, so they're on every song!

With the band's raw energy, talent and in some cases downright craziness, this album definitely deserves your attention - and your money!

My RHCP's Greatest Hits Review
Actually, this album is not very disappointing. I can hear some of my favourite songs from their albums in just one album. Yet, there are great songs which aren't included in this album:
1)"Aeroplane" -Great song, I like the children voice, also the ending bass.
2)"Can't Stop" -It's much funkier than "By The Way".
3)"Love Rollercoaster" -Where the hell can I find this song in their album?!
4)"I could die for you" -Their most romantic song. EVER!!!
5)"All Around The World" -Why didn't they put this on this album???
6)"Shallow Be Thy Game" -It ROCKS!!! But it's a bit underrated.

I don't know why, but "My Friends" is the only RHCP's song with Dave Navarro. And we can also find "Higher Ground" in their old hits album "What Hits!?". Anyway, this is still such a great album to buy, because it contains great songs such as "Under The Bridge", "Give It Away", "Soul To Squeeze", "Road Trippin'", and also 2 (why's it only 2??!!) new songs, "Fortune Faded" & "Save The Population", which are really great to hear. I really hope this WON'T be their last album ever (as we can see in other bands/groups greatest hits albums which mean their FINAL album).