Blood Sugar Sex Magik [Import]

Red Hot Chili Peppers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002LQR
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (405 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,160 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #3 in Music > Pop > By Decade > 1990s
  • #5 in Music > R&B > Funk > Metal
  • #9 in Music > Rock > Funk Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With valuable assistance from producer Rick Rubin, the Peppers find just the right blend of punk, funk, and hip-hop. Even with a running time of 74 minutes, this 1991 breakthrough has continuity and cohesion both within and across the 17 cuts. Riding Flea's surging bass, Anthony Kiedis delivers his explicit lyrics with a rapper's flair, extolling the virtues (and outlining the dangers) of sex and drugs. Plaintive ballads such as "Breaking the Girl," "I Could Have Lied," and the hit "Under the Bridge" give the album depth and provide contrast to the raw energy of "Mellowship Slinky in B Major," "Funky Monks," and "Give It Away." Rubin masterfully fuses John Frusciante's raunchy guitar with the irresistible grooves. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description

Cd > Popular Music > Rock & Pop

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

222 of 242 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed the universe June 8, 2002

By MUSIC LOVER

Format:Audio CD

I'm not discovering a new continent by saying there are things that completely change the universe after being invented. Such things like the wheel, electricity, the machine gun, the car, and finally, Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik'.

I've grown up with this album and I can't even imagine leaving it. 'Blood Sugar' isn't just a music CD, it's something to identify with, a vital piece of what I am.

I know some people start listening to a CD with tracks they already know like the hit 'Under The Bridge'. Here you better leave it, feel 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' like you feel a movie.
'Power of Equality' is a good opener with an excellent guitar solo. 'If You Have To Ask' is a party song with a party chorus and groovy background guitar. Now enough of the warm up, it's time to start the main show.

'Breaking The Girl' is a beatiful lovesong, it has a dramatic flute and Anthony's vocals are very impressive, not to mention the famous Frusciante Guitar in the beginning. 'Funky Monks' is a song about the Peppers themselves but also about every man out there. 'Suck My Kiss' is one of my personal favorites, it's even better than the hit 'Give It Away'. 'The Righteous And The Wicked' contains the best choir vocals and the funkiest guitar part. The songs 'My Lovely Man', 'Greeting Song' and 'Apache Rose Peacock' are outstanding because dominated by the genius of Flea who plays the most melodic bass I've ever heard.

My favorite song is 'Sir Psycho Sexy', it's a movie itself, the last 2 instrumental minutes remind you that even the best adventures gonna end. Afterwards you can't imagine a life without 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik'. This album changed your universe, too.

P.S.
Let me know if my review was helpful, Blood Sugar is my all-time favorite.

92 of 107 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Elemental September 9, 2000

By Mike Stone

Format:Audio CD

Blood... a fluid that carries nourishment and oxygen to all parts of the body.

Sugar... a sweet, white crystal.

Sex... a sexually motivated phenomena or behaviour.

Magik... supernatural power over natural forces.

Hmm, a self-reviewing album title. Like the four elements (earth, wind, fire, and water), the title of this album perfectly encompasses all that lies within it.

The blood speaks to the power of the funk; a force that (as George Clinton says) not only moves, but removes. The tight syncopated grooves put forth by these musicians are definitely life enhancing. There was a period last year when this album stayed in my CD player for months and months. I'd never get tired of listening to it, or dancing to it, or mellowing out to it. Check out "Power of Equality", "If You Have to Ask", "Funky Monks", "Mellowship Slinky" and "Apache Rose Peacock" for real hardcore funk that moves from vivacious party jams, to laid back slow burning grooves.

The sugar speaks to the incredibly simple yet beautiful pop songs that ease into the mix every once in a while. "I Could Have Lied", "Breaking the Girl", and even the more uptempo "My Lovely Man" (about the late Chili guitarist Hillel Slovak) are great examples of this. And then of course there's "Under the Bridge", a song whose power is so awe-inspiring that I played it in my room over and over even at the height of its popularity (those who know of my iconoclastic tastes can testify that this is a remarkable feat). It ranks as one of my all-time favourite 'songs'.

The sex refers to the primal energies that flow through the entire album. The Chilis have said that their songs are formed through intense jam sessions, the four packed together in a darkened room and playing together until they reach a Zen-like state. They have this innate power to tap into that collective sexual energy (conception) and produce something new and beautiful (birth). I can't think of anything more sexual than that.

The magik refers to the interplay between John Frusciante (guitar) and Flea (bass). I've always thought that when I reach the Pearly Gates, I'd like to look off to one side and see John and Flea, shirtless, standing face-to-face, holding guitars and looking into each other's eyes. They'd be playing the most beautiful and soulful and satisfying and magical tune that my ears have ever heard. They have a great musical partnership. It saddened me deeply when I first heard that John had left the group (especially since I was just about to seem them live for the first time; I'm ecstatic he's back). He and Flea, two musicians who are fantastic on their own, form a tandem that I can listen to for hours.

This album has been a constant for me over the last nine years. It is safe to say that it will always be on my top-5 desert island list. There is not a down moment over its seventy-plus minutes (except maybe the Robert Johnson cover of "They're Red Hot", which is a little too hardcore-punkish for my liking; but I can easily overlook that because it's barely a minute long). Enjoy...

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The album of all albums October 5, 2005

By TFM

Format:Audio CD

So yes, we live in a world where rock fans soak up corporate mess and other bands that thrive on attitude but not necessarily good songwriting. In this case, Blood Sugar Sex Magik would be too intelligent of an album for all of you. It's an album that is a complete microcosm filled with musical styles from hardcore funk metal to New Orleans jazz. It is a different sounding sort of rock and there is a reason why this is the summit for anyone that is a true Red Hot Chili Peppers fan.

Forget Californication and By The Way. This is the album that gave the Red Hot Chili Peppers something they had lacked for a long time before this -- an identity. Gone were the days of wild drug habits, band engimas, fights with producers, and minimal creative control. This is where four creative and ingenuous musicians -- Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, and Chad Smith.

There are two things worth noting on this album. Every track was recorded live and was not overdubbed or anything -- you can hear Rick Rubin's voice before "The Power of Equality" and "Suck My Kiss" and the crickets chirping at the end of "Sir Pyscho Sexy" and "They're Red Hot". In other words, this is how the album was intended to sound without the remastering or anything. The dirt is right there and it makes you feel like you are actually in the studio with them recording these songs in the summer of 1991. Another thing is, each band member wrote their own part of their song, so the creativity behind each of the songs is stronger and the songs sounding more pure.

They always say Anthony Kiedis's lyrics are unintelligent. I highly dispute that...drugs, globalization, sex, life, relationships, attitude, humanity, war, politics, peace, human rights...all of that is discussed in this album. So you tell me if Kiedis cannot write unintelligent lyrics. I don't think unintelligent lyrics are supposed to make you think.

As for the songs, there are absolutely no fillers in this album unlike their later albums. In fact, this is the last album that would not contain fillers in my opinion. It starts off with

"The Power of Equality" a politically charged high energy song with Kiedis doing very impressive rapping and Flea delivering a top notch bassline.

"If You Had To Ask" is a humorous song about Kiedis's life in L.A.

"Breaking The Girl" , which is about broken relationships, is a type of song where their funk meets classical music in a way.

"Funky Monks", is a song about every man and woman out there, including themselves. I could not believe John could actually sing that high on chorus, and Flea's suging bassline is the best bassline you will ever hear besides the following song.

"Suck My Kiss" is an ode to sex and society and it is impressive how Flea and John combine their instruments to create one sound.

"I Could Have Lied" is pretty much the saddest song you will ever hear as it also touches on broken relationships.

"Mellowship Slinky in B Major" is all about Kiedis's life as it is very lighthearted and provides a very heavy funked up guitar riff by John.

"The Righteous & The Wicked" is another politically charged song as it refers to the Gulf War. John's guitar work is impressive here. Kiedis' vocals add to the dynamics of the song.

"Give It Away" is their first number one hit and also amongst the best on this album. The juice harp was pretty well pared with John's guitar and Flea provides a very very addictive bassline. Chad's drumming also helps move the song along pretty well.

"Blood Sugar Sex Magik" might be their weakest song on the album, but nonetheless still a quality listen. Very erotic guitar by John. Great drumming by Chad.

"Under The Bridge" is about Anthony's heroin stage forshadows the way they would do ballads for here on out. Comes as a stand still on the album and it is pretty good. Amazingly nearly did not make the album due the fact Anthony originally stashed the lyrics away and Soul To Squeeze was going to be put on here.

"Naked In The Rain" is pretty much about society and escaping to a utopia. Not one of the more popular RHCP song, it still deserves to be on the album and it is pretty good. Nice bassline by Flea.

"Apache Rose Peacock" is by far the funkiest and the best song on the album. Being about a girl Anthony saw in New Orleans creatively and allegorically referred to as the apache rose peacock, it features very addictive bassline by Flea and Anthony's random lyrics make it the party on the album.

"The Greeting Song" is amongst the fastest songs RHCP ever made. A very surging and refreshing ride from start to finish.

"My Lovely Man" is the ode to Hillel Slovak and features a tearjerking melodical bass play by Flea, followed by as surging solo by John.

"Sir Pyscho Sexy" is pretty much the dirtiest 5 1/2 minutes you'll ever hear followed by the sweetest 2 1/2 minute instrumental RHCP has ever done. It was to be the original closing to the album.

"They're Red Hot" was a goof off recorded at 2 AM on the hill outside the mansion they recorded the album. It serves as a funny way to end the album, almost like an throw in scene long after the end of a play. Pretty good. Features Chad playing with only his hands.

It's a great album, I love it, it means the world to me and you should get this album to really know how a real band creates music and creates an album.