Song Analysis

Song Analysis of Under the Bridge

Under the Bridge is a song by the rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is one of the most successful hits in the United States. The song reached number two on the Billboard charts in 1992, and the music video won an MTV award. Under the Bridge was released in 1991 on the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The song is a reflection of the drug addictions that some of the band members struggled with. Music, lyrics, and the prosody of the lyrics make this song great.

Music is the best part of the song. Many instruments are used throughout Under the Bridge, including bass, guitar, and drums. Anthony Kiedis leads the vocals. Bass and guitar sounds begin the song, and shortly after all the instruments join. The mood is mellow even after the tempo speeds up. The instruments are played louder when the song reaches the main element, and a choir begins to sing adding to the dramatization. The beat is continuous, and easily recognized. If it were to be played with no lyrics, it would be easy to identify.

The lyrics are an important part in the song. It is easy to identify the meaning of the song without knowing the history of the band members. "Under the bridge downtown/ is where I drew some blood," makes the significance of the song evident. These lines describe an experience when Kiedis used drugs under the bridge downtown with a Mexican gang. The song is not about the one experience with drugs, but a drug addiction. The lyrics make the ballad depressing and gloomy such as, "Lonely as I am/Together we cry." "I gave my life away," the last line of the song is sad, and describes the drugs taking over the band members' lives. The founder of the band was killed by his drug addiction, and another member was also killed by drugs.

The prosody of the lyrics adds to the song. It seems that each word at the end of a line is stressed, and the word