Mellowship Slinky In B Major by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

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Songfacts®:

Oddly enough, this song is not in the key of B-Major, as the title might imply. It originally was, but the final version is in D-Minor.
Many of the lyrics of this song are merely Anthony Kiedis singing about an assortment of his favorite things and people. Many of the mentioned people are famous, including the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, punk band Bad Brains, writers Mark Twain, Truman Capote, and Charles Bukowski, Jimi Hendrix (referenced via his song, "Purple Haze"), Robert De Niro, Mike Tyson, artist Robert Williams, Billie Holliday and Count Basie. A clitoris is also included as "one of his favorite things" (sopping wet, your pink umbrella).
One of the opening lines to this song, "I've got a non-stop 'Yo Swan' hello chip," is a reference to an old nickname of Anthony Kiedis'. He was often called Antwan the Swan. >>
Suggestion credit:
Bert - Pueblo, NM, for all above

Comments: 3

Guy from Benson, NcThe song is based on a 7th chord which is considered to be more of a major key (Mixolydian mode) even though 7th chords are found in major and minor keys alike. The use of a Bminor line over a B7 chord really tends to imply a B7#9 chord which is the ULTIMATE funk chord. James Brown made a living off of that.
Reggev from Misgav, IsraelThe beginning is not relevant but most of the song is in B major.
Martin from Prague, Czech RepublicHuh, D-minor? The song's clearly named after the main bass line in the verses, which is basically a major B7 chord. Later in the song, John's guitar part uses a variation of a Bm chord, so the key used in the official guitar tab book is D major. In the bass tab book, however, you have a half of the song in B major and the other half D major. (just to make the transcription easier to read). But the bass plays a B major chord, that's why the song has it in the title.

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