Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #613929 in Music
• Released on: 2002-07-10
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The problem Anthony Kiedis and his supremely dysfunctional musical family faced when beginning work on their eighth album, By the Way, wasn't so much how to top (or even compare) to the critical and commercial euphoria of 1999's superb Californication, but more how to avoid the comedown that followed their other highpoint--Blood Sex Sugar Magik--where One Hot Minute turned into several long years that nearly finished them. They decided, it seems, to just shut their eyes, press pedal to metal and continue as before. It's worked magnificently--no small thanks to the canny production of Rick Rubin again and the cohesive gelling Frusciante back into what has now emerged as a tight, focused unit (despite the album being, as ever, about five songs too long--"Midnight" and "Minor Thing" for instance). Minor quibbles though, for when the Chili Peppers are average, they still tower over most other bands.

"By The Way", by far not the best cut here (those would be the quite wonderful "Tear" and widescreen "Don't Forget Me"), picks up where Californication left off, but is not representative of an album that frequently revisits the sunshine harmonies of "Road Trippin'" and desolate landscape of "Scar Tissue". Endlessly surprising and hugely engaging, the Chili Peppers have opened their eyes and found themselves with a another great record on their hands, solidifying both themselves as a group and their position as one of the world's best rock bands. --Ben Johncock

Customer Reviews

THE CHILI PEPPERS GREATEST ALBUM
Let me just say this: Before By the Way I was never into the Chili Peppers, but after this incredible album I am now a huge fan. There is no album that anyone should find more engrossing than By the Way. There are so many great songs on this album it is almost impossible to choose the best one.
'By the Way', one of the Chili Peppers' most well-known songs, is an excellent opening track to this awesome album. Fast beats and funky style lyrics, this track is one of the best on the album.

'Universally Speaking', an excellent Chili Peppers track known everywhere features a great blend of guitars and vocals, a perfect second track to the album.
Next is 'This is the Place', a different style to the first two with a very catchy chorus.
'Dosed' slides in next, as one of the Chili Peppers' slower, more emotional tracks; a brilliant title to their collection.
'Don't Forget Me', the fourth track, won't favour everyone's style, but still rocks.
'The Zephyr Song', a hugely popular track which is without doubt one of the best titles on the album, features a gentle chorus following a funky set of verses.
'Can't Stop', one of the Chili Peppers' finest songs and in my opinion the best track on the album. It has an awesome build-up which leads into a track which is simply superb.
'I Could Die For You', sure to melt every heart, comes in as the seventh track on the album. Peacefully slow with a great vocal rhythm.
'Midnight', another great track on the album, follows, choosing a softer tone to slow the pace in this section of the album.
'Throw Away Your Television', a faster style of rock, the Chili Peppers accelerate the rhythm pace to a funky combo of drums and guitars.
'Cabron', a heavily underrated track. After a few listens you can't help liking the brilliant selection of beats and a rhythm that won't slow down.
'Tear', a demonstration of how well the Chili Peppers can find a different style of funk rock to suit the fans.
'On Mercury', a perfect mix of drums, guitars and Kiedis' vocals to keep the satisfying rhythm of their album flowing.
'Minor Thing' adds more funk to their style of rock, coming in at the fourteenth track for some great lyrics.
'Warm Tape', a nice follow-up to the funkier tracks, milestones the album at number fifteen for those Chili Pepper drums, guitars and vocals once more.
'Venice Queen', the perfect finale to the album, though somewhat lengthy, gradually speeds up the pace right up to the end of the album.

Overall, this is a smash hit, best-selling album, which will be remembered as the Red Hot Chili Peppers' rise to power as one of the most outstanding bands in the world. Buy this album now!

Sheer Chiliance!
When I bought this album I was not expecting much. After I had played it I couldn't of hoped for anything more. This album truly is the greatest musical work ever with amazing and even beautiful tracks from the funky, fast-paced Can't Stop to the poetic ballads like Midnight and the brilliant, brilliant Venice Queen.
The masterpiece begins with title track By the Way which is a brilliant start which is one of the rockiest and most energetic tracks. second is Universally Speaking which takes things to a slower, more tuneful song before we're thrust into This is the Place which takes us back to a urban, funky style. Fourthly comes Dosed, one of the highlight tracks with female backing vocals perfectly complementing Kiedis' and a long remembered tune to the verses. Fifth is don't forget me with a rip-roaring, loud chorus. Next is the zephyr song a psychedelic, hippy style ballad followed by can't Stop, a catchy rap number. Eighth is i could die for you, poppy, soulful love ballad, then great Midnight with violin backing and a sing-along ending. After that is Throw away your Television a strange techno/funk song and then Cabron aflamenco guitar and spanish lyrics bonanza. Tear takes the mood to sorrowful again before the surreal lyrics and harmonia of On Mercury. Minor thing comes after which is a fast-paced track, then the mellow verses and breakout chorus of Warm Tape. Lastly Venice Queen explodes out with an awesome lyrical style and change of mood halfway through.

Buy it now whoever you are!

‘By the way of being and amazing album’
First things first, this is not normally what I would class as ‘my thing’, but after much deliberation I decided that I had to have this album. I can’t admit to being one of the Chili’s biggest fans up until now, even though I loved some of their older tracks, but ‘By the Way’ breaks away from a lot of their previous work, and is an eclectic and by all means amazing album.
‘By the way’ ‘The Zephyr song’ and ‘Can’t stop’ (with that amazing, random video!) have all done legendarily for this album, but there are many more tracks in the same wave as these, some even better, to be found on ‘By the way’. Anthony, John, Flea and Chad have definitely struck (multi) platinum with this….

By the way
Known by absolutely everyone, and I mean everyone! A brilliant track, and a great first choice release as it is a great poppy, rocky, punky outing, which sets the tone for the rest of the album to follow. In my opinion it is by no means the best track on the album, but the huge chorus and giant ‘singalong’ status just make this song!

Universally speaking
Might take a few listens! This track kicks in straight away with huge guitars and is very mellow but at the same time rocky. Shift down in gear from ‘By the way’, but with its hugely infectious chorus it certainly deserves a listen…..and another….and another :) .

This is the place
Probably my least favourite track of the album, but don’t let that put you off at all. In every sense ‘This is the place’ is still brill in the way only R.H.C.P know how. Twangy guitars and a heavy drumbeat overlay this song, which has a lot more depth than you might give it credit for at first.

Dosed
This must be one of my favourites with its enormous bittersweet tone and soft guitars. (Now I start ranting about Kiedis’ voice :) ) Antony just carries this tune of sweetness and heartbreak as only he can (which in the hands of any other given singer might well start to drag) and makes ‘Dosed’ a completely listenable track.

Don’t forget me
Definitely not to be forgotten! Once again the guitar is first in, with Kiedis soon to follow, but as you begin to wonder when this track will really get started along comes the chorus, making you feel guilty that you ever considered reaching out to that skip button on your CD player!

The Zephyr song
Well known and well aired, but somehow it never seems to lose its appeal. Another favourite, which flows all the way with its hippy, punky style and psychedelic guitars. (Just so you know ‘zephyr’ is a mild, gentle breeze. Impress your friends with that one!)

Can’t stop
Isn’t this song just the album in a whole? The build up comes from nowhere, and as it gathers momentum you know that you should prepare for something huge. Can’t stop delivers its promise and has to rank as the best track released from this album with its funky, raucous guitars and Anthony’s trademark rap style just making it all perfect. Upbeat and funky, what else could we ask?

I could die for you
As this song starts, so you begin to wonder ‘Oh no, so the filler must start here’, but for a R.H.C.P ballad ‘I could die for you’ has obviously been included for good reason. Despite the claims of arrogant self promotion with this track, give it a chance and take a few listens to reveal its full merit, and the sentimentality laid momentarily bare in the most revealing way.

Midnight
A pretty, soft violin introduction leads in to ‘midnight’, but before you have a chance to think ‘Another ballad?’ in comes the guitar and swirling sound effects to another amazingly catchy chorus. Honestly, you will not be able to stop humming it for days!

Throw away your television
At first listen there doesn’t appear to be very much to this track, with a continuous deep base carrying it along, however there is a beauty in the simplicity of Kiedis going it alone with little accompaniment.

Cabron
‘Well this is unexpected isn’t it!’ Latin inspired guitars and more than a little bit of ‘country’ influence have gone in to this track, and you could well be forgiven for forgetting that this is a Chilis album. But this just works so well for them, showing their ability to pull off a huge number of styles, never more so than in B.T.W.

Tear
Another ballady influence in the very best possible sense, please give it a try. I have said it once, and I stand by the fact that the Chilis can make almost anything work for them. In this bittersweet track, the chorus is amazingly uplifting, with more than a touch of Kiedis’ magic.

On Mercury
You just can’t help but love this track! Ska influenced funky punk lifting the tone of the album (I have seen a whole pub come to life with this song!), which you will just want to put on repeat for hours. The harmonies that are really effective on this album are obvious in this case, backing on to Anthony’s perfectly morphing voice.

Minor thing
Cool, rocky punky track, watch out for that guitar again! Another change in tone, with its upbeat vocals leading in to the amazingly captivating rappy bit (bit part, Mozart….), which helps make this track another one of my favourites.

Warm tape
Interesting synth beginning leading in to a much softer, laid back song which comes straight out of the blue, adding to the expansion of styles under their musical belt.

Venice Queen
Insignificant on first listen but definitely a grower. The haunting opening precedes a soulful Kiedis, once again supported by soft harmonies to the change halfway through, picking up the tone and pace to a brilliant end to an exceptional album.

Despite being such a long album, ‘By the way’ just leaves you wanting more, and I would recommend it to anyone at all. Even if you never thought this would be for you, give it a chance and you are bound to like one of the songs of the massively appealing album. So until the next album, just savour B.T.W as it deserves, and Anthony and co. please deliver for all of us converts, keep doing this and you can’t go wrong.