Breaking the Girl

"Breaking the Girl" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It was released as the fourth single from their studio album in 1992 and is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk.^[2]

The song was performed once on the Blood Sugar Sex Magik Tour opening date, and later reappeared in the band's setlist once in 2000 but not again until 2003. After an eight-year hiatus from being performed, the band added the song to a few setlists on their I'm with You Tour. Kiedis also briefly performed the song with The Roots during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in November 2014.

Composition

"Breaking the Girl"'s bridge is marked by a percussion break that builds through the use of increasingly complex rhythms. The percussion instruments consisted of junkyard debris found by drummer Chad Smith, guitarist John Frusciante, and bassist Flea. Frusciante's main riff was inspired by Led Zeppelin's ballads, such as "The Battle of Evermore" and "Friends".^[3] The song also makes use of a 12-string guitar and a Mellotron, using the flute patch. It is one of only two songs the group has recorded in the 6/8 time signature,^[2] with the other being "Porcelain" on Californication. Chad Smith said in The Chad & Flea Show that his drumming in the song was inspired by Mitch Mitchell's.

Music video

The music video was released in 1992 and was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, who had previously made a video for the song "Give It Away". It makes heavy, experimental use of vibrant colors, with the background and costumes changing constantly. The band members adopt surreal appearances and behavior, with Kiedis for example having an overall Princess Leia-esque look, complete with robes and a "donut" hairstyle. The "Breaking the Girl" video is one of only two videos to feature Arik Marshall (who briefly acted as a replacement for guitarist John Frusciante) the other video being for "If You Have to Ask" – though he did not play on either track. The video also features a brief cameo by River Phoenix, who was good friends with members of the band. The woman in the video is model/actress Patricia Velásquez.

Cover versions

Anna Nalick recorded an acoustic version of the song for her Shine EP, released April 2008.
British acoustic band Turin Brakes recorded a version for their 'Napster live' session; a version also appears on the 2007 compilation album, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show.
Canadian bass & drum duo My Sister Ocean recorded a version in 4/4 time for their album Function Control Option Command. The single was released to Canadian rock radio in June 2012.

Track listing

CD single (1992)

"Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
"Fela's Cock (Previously Unreleased)"
"Suck My Kiss (Live)"
"I Could Have Lied (Live)"

CD single version 2 (1992)

"Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
"Suck My Kiss (Live)"
"I Could Have Lied (Live)"

7" single (1992)

"Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
"Fela's Cock (Unreleased)"

12" single (1992)

"Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
"Fela's Cock (Previously Unreleased)"
"Suck My Kiss (Live)"
"I Could Have Lied (Live)"

Cassette single (1992)

"Breaking the Girl (Edit)"
"The Power of Equality (Album Version)"

Charts

Chart (1991)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks^[4]	19
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks^[4]	15
U.K. Singles Chart^[5]	41
Canadian RPM Singles Chart^[6]	45
Irish Singles Chart^[7]	19
Australian ARIA Singles Chart^[8]	30

References

↑ http://redhotchilipeppers.com/timeline
↑ 2.0 2.1 "10 Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs". Diffuser.fm. 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
↑ "Tonal Telepathy | John Frusciante unofficial – Invisible Movement | Page 2". Invisible-movement.net. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
↑ 4.0 4.1 Red Hot Chili Peppers. "Red Hot Chili Peppers – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
↑ "Red Hot Chili Peppers | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
↑ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
↑ Steffen Hung. "Discography Red Hot Chili Peppers". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-11-21.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Anthony Kiedis

Flea

Chad Smith

Josh Klinghoffer

Touring musicians: Mauro Refosco; Chris Warren

Past members

Past touring musicians

Keith "Tree" Barry
Kristen Vigard
Rain Phoenix
Keith Morris
Chuck Biscuits
Rob Rule
Vickie Calhoun
Acacia Ludwig
Michael Bulger

Studio albums

EPs

Single series

I'm with You Singles Collection

Live releases

Compilations

Videos

Red Hot Skate Rock
Psychedelic Sexfunk Live from Heaven
Positive Mental Octopus
Funky Monks
Off the Map
Live at Slane Castle
iTunes Originals – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers Live: I'm with You
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Live From the Basement

Tours

Personnel

Producers	Danger Mouse Rick Rubin John Norwood Fisher Michael Beinhorn George Clinton Andy Gill Spit Stix

Session musicians	Mauro Refosco Lenny Castro Greg Kurstin Marcel Rodríguez-López Philip "Fish" Fisher Kristen Vigard Keith "Tree" Barry

Other	Blackie Dammett Dave Rat Dick Rude Dave Jerden Vlado Meller Brendan Mullen Gus Van Sant Zander Schloss Bob Forrest Chris Rock River Phoenix

Articles	Discography Videography Band members Songs Awards and nominations Scar Tissue An Oral/Visual History by the Red Hot Chili Peppers Fandemonium Silverlake Conservatory of Music Unearthed

Bands	What Is This? Atoms for Peace Rocket Juice & the Moon Antemasque Chickenfoot Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats Ataxia Dot Hacker The Process Jane's Addiction Fear Eleven Pearl Jam The Weirdos Parliament-Funkadelic Dead Kennedys Thelonious Monster The Bicycle Thief Aleka's Attic P The Mars Volta Gnarls Barkley Fishbone Circle Jerks OFF!

Category:Red Hot Chili Peppers
Book:Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers singles discography

The Red Hot Chili Peppers	"Get Up and Jump"

Freaky Styley	"Jungle Man" "Hollywood (Africa)"

The Uplift Mofo Party Plan	"Fight Like a Brave"

Mother's Milk	"Higher Ground" "Knock Me Down" "Taste the Pain"

Blood Sugar Sex Magik	"Give It Away" "Under the Bridge" "Suck My Kiss" "Breaking the Girl" "If You Have to Ask"

One Hot Minute	"Warped" "My Friends" "Aeroplane" "Shallow Be Thy Game" "Coffee Shop"

Californication	"Scar Tissue" "Around the World" "Otherside" "Californication" "Road Trippin'" "Parallel Universe"

By the Way	"By the Way" "The Zephyr Song" "Can't Stop" "Dosed" "Universally Speaking"

Stadium Arcadium	"Dani California" "Tell Me Baby" "Snow ((Hey Oh))" "Desecration Smile" "Hump de Bump"

I'm with You	"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" "Monarchy of Roses" "Look Around" "Did I Let You Know" "Brendan's Death Song"

What Hits!?	"Behind the Sun"

Greatest Hits	"Fortune Faded" "Save the Population"

I'm with You Sessions	"Strange Man / Long Progression" "Magpies on Fire / Victorian Machinery" "Never Is a Long Time / Love of Your Life" "The Sunset Sleeps / Hometown Gypsy" "Pink as Floyd / Your Eyes Girl" "In Love, Dying" "Catch My Death / How It Ends" "This Is the Kitt / Brave From Afar" "Hanalei / Open/Close"

Non-album singles	"Show Me Your Soul" "Soul to Squeeze" "Love Rollercoaster"

Other songs	"True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" "Catholic School Girls Rule" "Me and My Friends" "For The Thrashers" "Good Time Boys" "Deck the Halls" "Charlie" "Havana Affair"