as I mentioned recently, "Stadium Arcadium" has way too many songs. 

they probably could have dropped a solid quarter of 'em, been left with a still-plenty 20+ tracks, and the opening riff for this blog post decades hence would be different. reality might have been fundamentally altered.

still, one of my favorites from my favorite album from one of my favorite bands is actually the final entry, an interview with the Chili Peppers discussing their creative process...love 'em or hate 'em, you gotta admit their stuff is...distinctive?

one segment of the interview spotlighted their song "Snow (Hey Oh)," which yeah is kind of a stupid song but hey, it's catchy and you definitely know it stop pretending you don't.

anyway there they were, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just noodlin' around in the studio getting ready to do some other cool thing they had planned when something sonic awakened within the band's vocals-only frontman.

he sprang from his seat mid-measure, landing in front of the band on both knees and suddenly shirtless (in my mental movie of the occurrence), emanating that sound that would echo through the years:

"HEEEEEEEYAWWWYEAHHHHHWHOAYEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH"

the interview is worth a listen just to hear the other Chili Peppers' imitations of the moment...but yeah, yet another chart-topping hit nbd.

betcha 50 pesos that literally zero people alive would call RHCP's singer their best musician, let's just get that out of the way...but as someone in a similar position, the unique seasoning he brings to the table is definitely worth studying.

now, the Kiedis Academy isn't known for its lyricism program as much as other schools--you can really kinda tell bro just be scattin' out nonsense over jams and wrestling actual human words around those sounds much much later, probably day-of in the booth--but my takeaway from this coursework was solid: always be alert to songwriting opportunities.

so when Uli, Val, and Kim just kinda started randomly generating a banger the other day at our practice space--minutes after meeting, mind you--ya boy was ready to seize upon it immediately. 

like "whoa, wtf is this, bipidibapadebatalala hitawatadepatabata!!!"

as for the vibe of the song, it's about where a RHCP album cut and one of those Timbaland-produced Rihanna/Nelly Furtado tracks from the early 2000s meet. as soon as it hit my ear it needed lyrics.

this instrumentation moved my spirit deeply, so I decided to handle it this time...Zi is, was, and always will be a far superior singer, but for better or worse my voice is that of a human being and there's something in that too.

as for the words I wrote, I can't help but reach deep into myself...what's the point of singing if I can't use it to say something I usually don't get to?

only took a few hours after that...decided to call it "today":

[verse 1] 

got the feeling reeling in a maze

you stay up late 

bills coming while the climate change

you contemplate

best laid plans work demands

time slip right through your hands

today our time is borrowed

we maybe save the world tomorrow

[chorus] 

gonna take off this suit and get out there

gonna settle my shoulders with the weight of the world

and let the wave crash down

gotta kick off these shoes and get outta here

got nothing to lose so I'm choosing

today todayyyyyy

[interlude] (had to let their music play a bit, yaknow? they deserve it.)

[verse 2]

illusion of perfection

full of doubt and feeling lesser

so you map out every second

til you cracking under pressure

but you know its self inflicted

imprision yourself within it

chill is a skill and you can hone it

unwrap your presence in the moment

[chorus x2]

gonna take off this suit and get out there

gonna settle my shoulders with the weight of the world

and let the wave crash down

gotta kick off these shoes and get outta here

I got nothing to lose so I'm choosing

today todayyyyyy

[guitar solo]

[verse 3]

class is in session, I'm serving lessons

speaking as an expert, ch-ch-check my assessment

and listen this life is tough, you better get yourself a helmet

only way a loser win is when you let 'em in

lost down in the sauce, is the matter that deep?

will it matter next year, will it matter next week?

will it matter to your health more than the fact you lose sleep?

so slack your heartbeat relax in your seat

and shut down the lab, inventing negative outcomes

solving algebra equations chewing bubblegum

unclench your teeth, stop chewing your mouth

bout whatever you be hollering and hooting about

the die is cast or solutions abound

follow me for the recipe: I make chicken salad

race is long, but it's only with yourself

your inner glow is your extravagant wealth

so I'm

[chorus]

for me it's the perfect addition to the album...for all the bravado and bombast that flows through our music, we are also human beings. are we the band marching in with the cavalry beating the drums of war or the one playing their last couple of sets on the Titanic?

probably, yeah...but both bands were made up of human beings.

both played with today in their hearts.

it's an idea always worth keeping in mind...so I wrote a song about it.

all power to The People.

--Flor!