The Zephyr Song
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| "The Zephyr Song" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers | ||
| from the album By the Way | ||
| B-side(s) | "Body of Water" "Someone" "Out of Range" "Rivers of Avalon" |
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| Released | December 3rd 2002 | |
| Format | CD Single | |
| Recorded | 2002 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 3:53 | |
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | |
| Producer(s) | Rick Rubin | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology | ||
| "By the Way" (2002) |
"The Zephyr Song" (2002) |
"Can't Stop" (2003) |
"The Zephyr Song" was the second single released for the Red Hot Chili Peppers' eighth studio album By the Way, after the single "By the Way" was released. It was a psychedelic gem, evocative of an acid trip. Passing through multiple stages, the song begins with the sense as though one were swooping through a land of euphoric ecstasy. Kiedis begins to sing, poignantly, while Frusciante provides rapturous and 70s-esque backing vocals. Delirious guitar riffs echo perpetually throughout the song.
The Zephyr 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. This is the largest amount of accumulated unreleased studio recorded B-sides any solitary single the Red Hot Chili Peppers have ever released.
The song, during the By the Way tour, was played extensively; at virtually all live concerts. Since the release of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' newest album, Stadium Arcadium (and it's subsequent tour), however, the Zephyr Song has since been completely removed and detached from any set lists. It has not been played, once, since 2005.
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[edit] Video
The video, which was released December 3rd, 2002 was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, a couple who has collaborated with the band on numerous other instances. It is generally suggestive and reminiscent of a kaleidoscope, by utilizing the same circular and intertwining figures in order to illustrate the psychedelic feel the band was aiming for.
| “ | John [Frusciante] and Flea wanted something incredibly, just kind of obscure and psychedelic. Finding true psychedelia in this day in 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, uh, there are some moments in this video where I think it's captured[1] | ” |
As with the aforementioned statement, the video was directed around the idea of recreating psychedelic emotion and feelings. It was shot not to re-establish any form of nostalgia, however to merely reference the time period and preserve the particular style of art. The directors achieved the euphoric environment by alluding to posters, images and video clips taken during that time which pertain to the technique they were attempting to capture.
The band wanted one single definitive dancer to be present for a large part of the video. They encountered trouble, as no one caught their eye. Until, however, one performer, with "A style all her own"[2]surfaced. She was not overly provocative, but had an aura of grace surround her.
John [Dayton] and Val quarreled over whether or not the kaleidoscope concept could be properly exemplified using computer rendered images, or done utilizing mirrors, camera angles (making use of various techniques in order to reprint and re-shoot to achieve the desired feel). In the end, the two decided to attempt an "organic" approach, by using the latter mentioned methods. It came across as a more vibrant and genuine interpretation, rather then being shot on a computer generated software.
[edit] Meaning
The song, as a whole, is a complex and intricate metaphor, which leads one to numerous possible meanings. The most prevalent of such relies on the fact that Zephyr literally means wind, or, more specifically, west wind. The lines "Fly away on my Zephyr/Fly on my wind", provide ideal evidence to support the theory that the song may be alluding to starting anew, and escaping one's life. The fact that the accompanying video provides lush and psychedelic scenery also preserves the assumption of fleeing the burdens of life.
[edit] Track Listing
[edit] CD single (2002)
- "The Zephyr Song (Album)" – 3:52
- "Body Of Water (Unreleased)" – 4:41
- "Someone (Unreleased)" – 3:24
[edit] CD version 2 (2002)
- "The Zephyr Song (Album)" – 3:52
- "Out Of Range (Unreleased)" – 3:58
- "Rivers Of Avalon (Unreleased)" – 3:39
[edit] CD version 3 (2002)
- "The Zephyr Song (Album)"
- "Out Of Range (Unreleased)"
[edit] 7" single (2002)
- "The Zephyr Song (Album)"
- "Out Of Range (Unreleased)"
[edit] Pressing error
There is a pressing error on the UK versions of The Zephyr Song CD1 and CD2 singles. The CDs and inlays have matching catalogue numbers but the b-sides listed on the inlay are on the opposite disc to the one included with the inlay. Retailers began to switch the CDs in the cases to correct the problem but the catalogue numbers on the CDs were then mismatched with the inlay numbers.
