Can't Stop (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Can't Stop


Artist = Red Hot Chili Peppers
from Album = By the Way
B-side =
Released = February 17, 2003
Format = CD single
Recorded = 2002
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 4:29
Label = Warner Bros.
Writer = Anthony Kiedis, John Frusciante, Flea, Chad Smith
Producer = Rick Rubin
Certification =
Last single = "The Zephyr Song"
(2002)
This single = "Can't Stop"
(2003)
Next single = "Dosed"
(2003)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = By the Way
Type = studio
prev_track = "The Zephyr Song"
prev_no = 6
this_track = "Can't Stop"
track_no = 7
next_track = "I Could Die for You"
next_no = 8Extra tracklisting
Album = Live in Hyde Park
Type = live
prev_track = "Intro"
prev_no = 1
this_track = "Can't Stop"
track_no = 2
next_track = "Around the World"
next_no = 3

"Can't Stop" is a song by American rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2002 album, "By the Way". It is the third single from the album. Since its release, the song has rarely been left off of a live set. [Red Hot Chili Peppers 2006-7 set lists. [http://www.redhotchilipeppers.com/virtualticket/index.php?v=lsl] ]

It is one of the only tracks on "By the Way" which revisits the original Chili Peppers method of short, rapped verses, containing fewer amounts of implemented texture. "Can't Stop" is unique, however, as it contains melodic and layered guitar and lyrical progressions, which the band's earlier work did not.

The song was the Chili Peppers' seventh number one "Billboard" Modern Rock Hit, and peaked at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100.All Music Guide - Red Hot Chili Peppers Singles chart positions. [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:mx6m967o3ep8~T51] ] The song influenced various other charts Worldwidecite web | url=http://acharts.us/song/59| title=Worldwide Charts for "Can't Stop"| publisher="aCharts"] cite web| url=http://www.musicsquare.net/charts/song/59| title=Worldwide Charts for "Can't Stop"| publisher="Music Square"] , as well as Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, respectively.All Music Guide - Red Hot Chili Peppers Singles chart positions. [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:mx6m967o3ep8~T51] ] [ "Billboard" Red Hot Chili Peppers' Singles Chart Position; Various Charts. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=5507&model.vnuAlbumId=815996] ]

Music video

The Mark Romanek-directed music video for the single features all four of the band members doing seemingly random and excessively abstract actions such as holding lots of water bottles or attempting to balance buckets on their heads.". At certain segments of the video, one can see guitarist John Frusciante playing an orange Toronado, which is unlike his style due to the fact that he only plays vintage guitars (the Toronado being under five years of age). Frusciante later affirmed that he was instructed to play the guitar by director Mark Romanek as it blended well with the color scheme used in the video, he also admitted that he never actually was playing the guitar. [ The Making of "Can't Stop: The Video" - Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits]

Inspiration for the video was attributed to Austrian artist Erwin Wurm.Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Can't Stop' video; interview with Director of Photography, Jeff Cuttler. [http://www.mvwire.com/dynamic/article_view.asp?AID=10338] . ] The lighting was positioned in order to provide a clean-cut, contemporary atmosphere which would integrate with the video's concept. Orange was chosen to be the backsplash color by Romanek. His creative hand attempted to mirror Wurm's abstract "One Minute Sculptures", by having the band perform random scenes, which seem to fit no purpose. However, in retrospect, they were not intended to be anything more than arbitrary actions, fitting with the ideas expressed in Wurm's work.

Composition and lyrical denotation

The song is instrumentally composed in 4/4 standard time and in the key of E minor and G major. The verse plays twice before the bridge, as well as the chorus. During the bridge, Frusciante plays a sparse reggae feeling progression, only strumming up on the off-strum, instead of the traditional reggae up/down. Following the bridge, Frusciante utilizes an overdrive pedal in the Solo. He also makes extensive use of a tone-bend, incorporating a double tone bend in order to achieve a higher bending tone. ["Can't Stop" Guitar Commentary; John Frusciante] The song jumps back into the beginning verse, before changing when Frusciante returns with the background vocals. For the final run, he overdubbed his voice three times, each time using a different pitch. His singing ends, followed by the drums dropping out soon after. Playing the main riff three times more, the guitar and bass also stop, leaving only Kiedis. He sings two lines of new verse, and ends the song.

"Can't Stop" is the only song on "By The Way" to feature Flea's trademark 'Popping and slapping' style albeit in a much less aggressive manner, allegedly due to Frusciante's discouragement of funk/rhythmic basslines. Flea switches to the more melodic finger-picking style for the chorus.

Lyrically, "Can't Stop" is a prime example of the band's occasional use of writing lyrics to a rhythm rather than rhythms to established lyrics. [ "Spin Magazine" Interview. August 13, 2002.] There is no consistent or definitive connotation evident in the song, as it more blatantly appears to be an indecisive incorporation of poetic phrases in order to achieve the rapidly sung verses. Themes are, thus, indistinguishable from a possible metaphoric meaning integrated within the track.

Reception and chart performance

"By the Way" was widely regarded as a departure from much of the band's previous works, crediting its focus on more melodic and textured styles that had yet to be explored. All Music Guide said that the album was "Sophisticated...The Peppers have not sacrificed any of their trademark energy or passions for life, universal love, and (of course) lust." [All Music Guide; "By the Way" Review - Zac Johnson. [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gjfrxqr0ldje~T1] ] Rolling Stone Magazine called the album "insanely melodic" and a "near-perfect balance of gutter grime and high-art aspiration". Rolling Stone Magazine; By the Way Review - Tom Moon. [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/129713/by_the_way] ] It even went so far as to compare "By the Way" to other works, such as The Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds.

The song itself is distinct, especially when in comparison to the various other tracks on ‘'By the Way". Many consider the song to be among the only true punk/funk sounds on the entire album, along with "Throw Away Your Television" [PopMatters; By the Way Review - Kimberly Mack. [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/r/redhotchilipeppers-bytheway.shtml] ] "Can't Stop" was considered to be "energetic" and melodically encompassing, by combining textured, melodic, and funky themes together into one. [BBC By The Way Review - Daniel Pike. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/jvzf/] ]

The song was the Chili Peppers' 7th number one Modern Rock Hit, and second from the album By the Way, peaking at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. Even while The Zephyr Song influenced a wider selection of musical charts, "Can't Stop" was considerably more successful in the three domestic charts it did influence, by taking a substantial lead over its predecessor. On the Worldwide Top 40, the song peaked at number 15, and also fared well on the Ireland Top 40, by peaking at number 36. Regardless of the moderate recognition it received on the Billboard Hot 100, the song is, during live performances, a staple. [cite web | url=http://calgarysun.canoe.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=155448&x=articles&s=events| title=Red Hot At The 'Dome | publisher=Rob Honzell, Calgary Sun] The band has never left the song out of a live set, recently acclimating it into the beginning, often using an intro to segue in.

Track listing

CD single 1
# "Can't Stop" – 4:29
# "If You Have to Ask" (Live)
# "Christchurch Fireworks Music" (Live) – 5:42

CD single 2
# "Can't Stop" – 4:29
# "Right on Time" (Live)
# "Nothing to Lose" (Live) – 12:58

CD single 3
# "Can't Stop" – 4:29
# "Christchurch Fireworks Music" (Live) – 5:42

7" single (2003)
# "Can't Stop" – 4:29
# "Christchurch Fireworks Music" (Live) – 5:42

Charts

Notes

External links

* [http://www.redhotchilipeppers.com Official Red Hot Chili Peppers website]
* [http://www.mtv.com/sitewide/apps/mediaplayer/index.jhtml?vid=57186&type=default&paid=1012&section_1=artist&refURL=/music/artist/red_hot_chili_peppers/videos.jhtml&adPN=&section_3=videos.jhtml&section_2=red_hot_chili_peppers&section_0=music "Can't Stop" music video at MTV]