If You Have To Ask

Album: Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Play Video
  • A wannabe gangster thinkin' he's a wise guy
    Rob another bank, he's a sock 'em in the eye guy
    Tank head, Mr. Bonnie and Clyde guy
    Look him in the eye, he's not my kinda guy
    Never be confusion proof-uh
    Pudding's sweet but too aloof-uh
    Orange-eyed girl with a backslide dew said
    Yo homie, who you talkin' to?
    A backed up paddywagon mackin' on a cat's ass
    One uppercut to the cold upper middle class
    Born to storm on boredom's face
    Add a little lust to the funky-ass Flea bass
    Most in the race just lose their grace
    The blackest hole in all of space
    Crooked as a hooker, now suck my thumb
    Anybody wanna come get some?

    (If you have to ask) you'll never know
    Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go
    (If you have to ask) you'll never know
    Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go-o-o-o

    Don't ask me why I'm flyin' so high
    Mr. Bubble meets Superfly in my third eye
    Searchin' for a soul bride, she's my freakette
    Soak it up inside, deeper than a secret
    Much more than meets the eye
    To the funk I fall into my new ride
    My hand, my hand
    Magic on the one is a medicine man
    Thinkin' of a few
    Taboos that I ought to kill
    Dancin' on their face
    Like a stage in Vaudeville
    I feel so good, can't be understood
    Booty of a hoodlum rockin' my red hood

    (If you have to ask) you'll never know
    Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go
    (If you have to ask) you'll never know
    Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go-o-o-o Writer/s: Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, John Anthony Frusciante, Michael Balzary
    Publisher: Hipgnosis Songs Group, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Eloquentracer92 from YesEvan, this isn’t a cover, that’s why nobody mentioned it.
  • Evan from Kali, MiI'm surprised that it isn't already mentioned: the fact that this is a cover. This is a cover of a P-Funk song of the same title. P-Funk is arguably their largest influence.
  • Mark from New York, NyWow, thanks for that. Thats deep Mike...
  • Michal from Lubin, PolandActually, the song has a meaning. The chorus is a quote of Louis Armstrong. Where he was at some fancy party, a woman asked him what it is, that "jazz thing". He answered: "Well, ma'am, if you have to ask, you'll never know". Kiedis uses this quote to impress his love to funk music. btw this is what all song is about - funk, loving funk :].
  • Madalyn from Greensburg, Pai've been in love with them and haven't stopped... 1993 is when i heard it and it is forever
  • Brian from Winchester, Mathe chili peppers- you love them or you hate them, maybe that's what this song is about. you wish they'd stay forever, or be banished. it's a weird metaphor
  • Sully from Newport, VtOn RHCP's album Live In Hyde Park, Flea (roughly) quotes the chorus of this song before the band plays a cover of Black Cross by 45 Grave: "This song is called Black Cross. And if you have to ask, then you'll never know."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.