| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dani California is a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers
According to lead singer Anthony Kiedis, "Dani" is a representation of every girl that he's come across in his life. "Dani" also appears in the 2002 Red Hot Chili Peppers song "By The Way" and is the "Teenage bride with the baby inside" on their 1999 song "Californication."
Bassist Flea, on the music video: "We mainly did eras, not actual people: rockabilly, British Invasion, Psychedelia, Funk, Glam, Punk, Goth, Hair Metal, Grunge, and ourselves being the sum of all those parts." The bands that the Peppers dress up in during the video caused internet debate about who the actual bands were. Though nothing is official, it starts out in a '50s early Rock setting, with Anthony Kiedis dressed as Elvis Presley. It then moves on to a stereotypical British Rock band that you would see on The Ed Sullivan Show in the '60s. They move on to a stereotypical Psychadelic Rock band, then the Funk era. The band is dressed as Parliamant/Funkadelic, complete with Flea dressed as one of his idols, Bootsy Collins, and the P-Funk Mothership stage prop. It moves on to a stereotypical Glam Rock band, then Gothic band, most likely The Misfits based on the way Kiedis is dressed. Then it moves on to the Punk movement, Hair Metal, and Grunge. The Grunge band is one of the clearer bands to identify, as Kiedis is dressed like his friend Kurt Cobain, of Nirvana. It ends with the Peppers as a sum up of all of these bands.
This was the first single off Stadium Arcadium, the first Chili Peppers album in 4 years. In a Rolling Stone interview Flea said that the album was, "By far the best thing we've ever done." (Thanks, Bert - Pueblo, NM, for all above)
This was used in the Japanese film Death Note. (Thanks, Erik - Fairfield County, CT)
The guitar part sounds a lot like Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance," prompting speculation that Petty would sue the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In Rolling Stone magazine, Petty said: "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of Rock and Roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes to American Girl (for their song "Last Nite"), and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you.' It doesn't bother me. If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe. But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over Pop songs."
Rick Rubin produced this track. Rubin previously worked with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He also produced Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance."
The video was directed by Tony Kaye, who also directed the controversial movie American History X starring Edward Norton. He wanted his name off the credits after Norton was allowed to edit the film, and in 1998 filed a lawsuit against New Line Pictures and the Director's Guild of America when they wouldn't let him. (Thanks, Erourke - Raleigh, NC)
At the Grammy awards in 2007, this won for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.
Video[]
