MMM: Knock Me Down – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Milo here.

Let’s keep this music mayhem train rolling with another entry in the Internet’s 789, 654, 700, 234th most beloved series!

Today, we’re looking at Knock Me Down, the criminally groovy second single from The Chili Peppers’ 1989 transitional smash Mother’s Milk. Check the video below:

Maybe one of RHCP’s most underrated songs, let alone singles, Knock Me Down presents one of the most melodically-gifted riffs the band had produced at that point, something which is simply amplified by the slightly juvenile but all the more charming duet vocals from Anthony and John, who made a big splash on the entire album, this being his debut with the band. While the guitar retained the acid-soaked tone of albums past, John’s songwriting skills, which would be developed tenfold on albums like Californication and By The Way, were beginning to shine through. The lyrics, dedicated to the late Hillel Slovak, represent drugs and their detrimental effects, similarly seen on pretty much every Chili Peppers song ever. You know, for a band who loved drugs so much, they sure do hate drugs.
Rhythmically, also-newcomer Chad Smith immediately shows a departure from Jack Irons, the band’s former drummer, with a much more standard, but much more diverse and accomplished, playing style, dancing on time signatures, all the while keeping the song simple enough to jam the hell out to. Speaking of jamming the hell out, Flea’s slapalicious turn here is so funky, so very 80s, so very Flea, that it’s hard to fault in anyway. It’s just a bassline that you can’t not get down to, and a song that demands a funky jam time.

CHECK OUT SOME OTHER CHILI PEPPER BIZNIZ:

Top 25 Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs – Milo & Reuben
RANKED: Red Hot Chili Peppers Albums – Milo

Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) – Review
One Hot Minute (1995) – Review (Reuben)
The Getaway (2016) – Review (Reuben)

MMM: Warm Tape
MMM: If You Have To Ask
MMM: Walkabout
RRR: Parallel Universe

Lots of hugs, kisses and laceration

Milo.