Released June 18, 2007 Length 4:37 | Format music video Label Warner Bros. | |
Recorded 2005, at The Mansion, Los Angeles, California, United States Genre Funk rock, alternative rock | ||
"Charlie" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2006 double album, Stadium Arcadium. Although the song was never released as a single, the band held a worldwide contest in March 2007 for fans to direct a music video for the song.
Contents
Singer Anthony Kiedis has stated in interviews that the song is about a person's imaginative spark or inspiration.
Music video
On March 6, 2007 the Chili Peppers announced a contest for someone to direct a video for the song through their YouTube channel. On June 2, it was announced on the website that the winner was chosen out of 2,600 submissions and was informed, but the official announcement to who won was announced on June 18. The winning director was Omri Cohen who not only had his video selected by the band but won $5,000 and got to meet the Chili Peppers in Paris, France. The opening video shows a young boy playing the opening riff to the Chili Peppers' 1991 song "I Could Have Lied" and is apparently of the band as kids as they travel through California in a red van. Along the way they pick up a Native American, and end up at Venice Beach. The video is dedicated to former Chili Peppers guitarist, Hillel Slovak. Anthony Kiedis stated that after watching dozens and dozens of videos this one had the most impact and even made both him and his girlfriend cry.
Composition
The song is written in the key of G minor. The song features a layered guitar track played by John Frusciante. The main double track basically consists of two tracks being played an octave from each other.