Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers

[E equals MC2]

Maybe I'm slow, it JUST occurred to me after many years of listening to it.

Is that a coincidence or the song is meant to refer to the word fornication?

 

[Q]

Yes it is on purpose, look at the lyrics

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

<slaps forehead>

 

[Oceandevi]

What nonsense is this. It's a word play on California.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
What nonsense is this. It's a word play on California.

Exactly. Geez :roll:

 

[loup garou]

Jesus Christ

Yes, you are slow.

 

[UncleWai]

Try to listen the track backward.

 

[SilthDraeth]

It has nothing to do with fornication. It is saying that California sells its own culture.

 

[Jeff7]

No, it's a play on "vacation in California."

 

[Jschmuck2]

I thought they said Bjornication.

 

[YoungGun21]

Not only that, they didn't even bother to make their own music. They let Tom Petty do it for them.

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth
It has nothing to do with fornication. It is saying that California sells its own culture.

Yup. While its obviously a blend of the words California and fornication, the song is about the California image and culture.

 

[vailr]

It traces back to a "citizen's campaign" to keep the 1976 Winter Olympics from being held in
the state of Colorado. Bumper stickers had "Don't Californicate Colorado".
See:
http://listserv.linguistlist.o...nd0203d&L=ads-l&P=3247
The first use of "californicate" I remember was during
the Colorado citizens campaign against the 1976 Winter
Olympics. Denver had been awarded the 1976 Winter
Olympics, but a grassroots coalition helped pull the
plug. The winter games were switched to Innsbruck
after CO passed a law making it illegal to pay for
events like the Olympics with state taxes.

 

[Eli]

Even thought that thought has crossed my mind, it doesn't really make any sense.

To "californicate" something would be to make it somehow more like California. I think the song is talking more about cultural things, although I do admit I've never read the lyrics.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: YoungGun21
Not only that, they didn't even bother to make their own music. They let Tom Petty do it for them.

I love how people these days find songs with the same time signature and claim them as being ripped off.

Anyway, OP, you're very very slow.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
<slaps forehead>

<slaps Mikey's forehead too>

 

[Muadib]

I'm sure it had something to do with this new show on showtime.

 

[sierrita]

"Californicater" a has been used as a derogatory term for years. Ask anyone who grew up in Oregon or Arizona.






.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: sierrita
"Californicater" a has been used as a derogatory term for years. Ask anyone who grew up in Oregon or Arizona.

I lived in Cali until I was 9, then moved to Arizona, Kingman to be exact, I was there until I joined the military at 21. I never heard the term. But that doesn't mean it wasn't around, just not in Kingman I guess.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: pulse8

Originally posted by: YoungGun21
Not only that, they didn't even bother to make their own music. They let Tom Petty do it for them.

I love how people these days find songs with the same time signature and claim them as being ripped off.

Anyway, OP, you're very very slow.

I take that as a compliment... I <3 Petty!

 

[RossGr]

I can't recall when I first heard the phrase "Don't Californicate Oregon". Generally used in reference to the mass imagration of Califorinains moving to our state. The Willamette Vally has been pretty well Californicated.

 

[nageov3t]

imo, it's a play on "our music has sucked since we sobered up, so let's sing about nothing but california from now on."

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: loki8481
imo, it's a play on "our music has sucked since we sobered up, so let's sing about nothing but california from now on."

They've been sober since before Blood Sugar Sex which was their best album

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: loki8481
imo, it's a play on "our music has sucked since we sobered up, so let's sing about nothing but california from now on."

They've been sober since before Blood Sugar Sex which was their best album

John Frusciante was in no way sober for Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He left the band during the tour for that album and a few years later did that interview where he looked like a friggin zombie.

 

[YoungGun21]

Originally posted by: pulse8

Originally posted by: YoungGun21
Not only that, they didn't even bother to make their own music. They let Tom Petty do it for them.

I love how people these days find songs with the same time signature and claim them as being ripped off.

Anyway, OP, you're very very slow.

When you can take Tom Petty's song (with or without the lyrics, doesn't matter) and play Californication right over it and they are completely in sync, don't you think that is a little bit of a rip?

I love the RHCP but I just don't think they should have totally ripped somebody else's song.