Song Meanings by Band:

            Forums

     Requests

           Links

    Random Song

  Submit an
      Interpretation

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tell Me Baby Song Meanings

I'm not quite sure what this song is about. But in some parts it sounds like it's about the music industry, and trying to get a break.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2006-09-08 00:44:27     Rating:

This song is like so many other red hot songs, an attack on hollywood. In this song they outline the false hope that hollywood emites. Lines like "i'll take you to the broken sign" support their over-all meaning. When I first heard this song, I thought about "grapes of wrath" by John stienbeck. The song seems to be the new age version of "grapes of wrath". The people coming to california now are also hungry, desperate, one among many, leaving old america, and like so many people in "grapes of wrath", soon to be let down when they realize that they were fed a dream and not a reality.

Submitted by: mz.Kiedis
Added: 2006-11-05 03:46:19     Rating:

This song is about people coming to l.A to try and make it big:
'they come from every state to find
some dreams were meant to be declined'
they come from all over to fulfill their dreams. Lots of lines describe how it could be good but not:
'life could be a little sweet
but life could be a little shitty'

'come and get it
lost it at the city limit
say goodbye
cause they will find a way to trim it
everybody
lookin' for a silly gimmick
gotta get away
can't take it for another minute'
- this is the bit slightly attacking the industry, it means you may come and think you've got it in the bag, but they will mould you into what they want you to become - gotta get away!
Also clues to this theory are in the music video, as at the begining various performers talk about themselves. One lady says "I came down thinking oh 3 months and I'm gonna be big! But, um it's been 3 years now..."
or something like that.
You see my point.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2006-12-10 11:03:17     Rating:

That sounds rite. You go Ms Kiedis!

Submitted by: sunshineflower
Added: 2007-02-27 00:19:43     Rating:

it is about trying to make your dreams come true but not succeeding. I saw the making of, and anthony was saying that he wanted to be a child actor... It never happened. flea said he wanted to be a vet as a child... never happened. you could never imagine either of them doing those jobs now, and I say it's great they didn't coz they now form part of a cool band with cool songs! yeah, they interviewed peolpe who were hoping to make it big in the music industry but had their dreams shattered. It's about shattered dreams in general... and yet it's such a funky song! it doesn't make you feel down, it does the opposite, it makes me want to mosh!!
just a thought... Has anyone else noticed how gorgeous anthony's hair is? lol

Submitted by: midnitegreen
Added: 2007-04-18 17:30:46     Rating:

It's about trying to make it big in hollywood.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-05-15 02:05:27     Rating:

This is about John and Chad joining the band its talking in the first verse about coming to auditions. Tell me minus the baby means telling the band about how you have done stuff.

Submit your interpretation!

Discuss this group in the Red Hot Chili Peppers forum

Email me when this band is updated

Back to Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Meanings

Home

Users Online
Zaq
There are 15 guests and 1 registered users online.