Harman Patil (Editor)

Soul to Squeeze

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Released
  
August 19, 1993

Recorded
  
March 1991

Length
  
4:52

Format
  
CD, 7" vinyl, cassette

Genre
  
Alternative rock

Label
  
Warner Bros.

"Soul to Squeeze" is a song by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was originally recorded during the production of their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). Although it was not featured on the record—and compiled as a b-side to "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge"—"Soul to Squeeze" was later released as a single in 1993 to coincide with its inclusion on the Coneheads film soundtrack, a soundtrack which predominantly contained previously released b-sides from Warner artists, and was eventually re-released for the 2003 Greatest Hits album. It can also be found on the band's Live Rare Remix Box and The Plasma Shaft.

Contents

The song became an unexpected success when it peaked at number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks, where it remained for 5 non-consecutive weeks making it only the second number one for the band following "Give It Away". The single also peaked at number twenty-two on the Hot 100 and number seven on the Mainstream Rock chart. "Soul to Squeeze" remains one of the band's most popular songs.

Music video

The music video for "Soul to Squeeze", which was released on August 15, 1993, was directed by Kevin Kerslake and features Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith and Flea in a travelling circus. The song, which plays amongst all the acts of the circus, includes "freaks" and "the Conehead", a reference to the film.

The music video was shot in black and white. Though John Frusciante does play guitar on this song, he does not appear in the video as he had left the band in 1992. The band's then guitarist Arik Marshall had however appeared in other videos around the time. Someone with Frusciante's likeness is featured wearing a large black hat and can be seen at the end of the table in the video.

Originally, the video was supposed to feature the band playing spliced with footage from the film Coneheads, but the band rejected this idea; instead, a Conehead appears in the video as the circus's Human Cannonball. Another scrapped music video idea had the band playing in the desert after a car accident, somewhat like the video later for the song, "Scar Tissue".

Chris Farley makes an appearance in the music video as the pick-up driver.

Live performances

"Soul to Squeeze" made its live debut in June 1998 when John Frusciante returned to the band and has been often played on every tour since then.

Track list

CD Radio Promo
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
CD version 1
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
  2. "Nobody Weird Like Me" (Live)
  3. "Suck My Kiss" (Live)
CD version 2 (Card Cover)
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
  2. "Nobody Weird Like Me" (Live)
CD version 3 [EP]
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
  2. "Nobody Weird Like Me" (Live)
  3. "If You Have to Ask" (Friday Night Fever Blister Mix)
  4. "If You Have to Ask" (Disco Krisco Mix)
  5. "If You Have to Ask" (Scott And Garth Mix)
  6. "If You Have to Ask"
  7. "Give It Away" (Edit)
7" Version (released as Jukebox)
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
  2. "Nobody Weird Like Me" (Live)
Cassette single
  1. "Soul to Squeeze"
  2. "Nobody Weird Like Me" (Live)
7" Promo
  1. "Both Sides of the Story" by Phil Collins
  2. "Soul to Squeeze" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

References

Soul to Squeeze Wikipedia
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