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The Zephyr Song

{{Short description|2002 single by Red Hot Chili Peppers}}

{{More citations needed|date=January 2008}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Redirect|Zephyr Song|other songs with the same name|Zephyr (disambiguation){{!}}Zephyr}}

{{Infobox song

| name = The Zephyr Song

| cover = zephyrsong.jpg

| alt = The artist and song title handwritten onto a yellow-and-orange saturated photo of a tree

| type = single

| artist = Red Hot Chili Peppers

| album = By the Way

| B-side =

  • "Body of Water"
  • "Someone"
  • "Out of Range"
  • "Rivers of Avalon"

| released = {{start date|2002|8|17}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Psychedelic rock

| length = 3:53

| label = Warner Bros.

| writer =

| producer = Rick Rubin

| prev_title = By the Way

| prev_year = 2002

| next_title = Can't Stop

| next_year = 2003

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|0fcRa5Z6LmU|"The Zephyr Song"}}}}

}}

"The Zephyr Song" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released as the second single released from their eighth studio album, By the Way (2002), on August 17, 2002. The song, as a single, was released in two parts. Both editions held two previously unheard-of B-sides, making it, collectively, hold four non-LP tracks. The single peaked at number six on the US Billboard Modern Rock chart, breaking the band's streak of three straight number-one hits.

Composition

The song is about nature's healing power and human connection.{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/post/146158-the-15-best-red-hot-chili-peppers-songs/P2/|title=The 15 Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Songs|work=PopMatters|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003150518/http://www.popmatters.com/post/146158-the-15-best-red-hot-chili-peppers-songs/P2/|archive-date=October 3, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2015}} In April 2017, it was revealed that John Frusciante unintentionally interpolated the song "Pure Imagination" from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The song's opening three guitar notes are the same as the first three sung notes from "Pure Imagination".{{Cite news|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/turns_out_john_frusciante_lifted_the_zephyr_song_intro_melody_from_willy_wonka_movie.html|title=Turns Out John Frusciante Lifted 'The Zephyr Song' Intro Melody From Willy Wonka Movie|access-date=July 12, 2017}}

Music video

The music video, which was released on September 30, 2002,{{cite web|url=http://redhotchilipeppers.com/timeline|title=Timeline|website=redhotchilipeppers.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206002037/http://redhotchilipeppers.com/timeline|archive-date=February 6, 2015|access-date=November 21, 2021}}{{Cite web |author1=Paul Brannigan |date=2014-07-15 |title=How Red Hot Chili Peppers Conquered The World With By The Way |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/how-red-hot-chili-peppers-conquered-the-world-with-by-the-way |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=loudersound |language=en}} was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The couple previously collaborated with the band on other videos and would continue to work with the band through the middle of the 2000s. It is generally reminiscent of a kaleidoscope, by utilizing circular and intertwining figures to achieve the psychedelic feel the band was aiming for. Kiedis would later say of the video:

{{quote|John and Flea wanted something incredibly, just kind of obscure and psychedelic. Finding true psychedelia in this day and age is really hard to do, because everyone wants to rely on computers and all the stuff that really doesn't know how to find the core of psychedelia. So I had my reservations, but there are some moments in this video where I think it's captured.Anthony Kiedis — The Making Of: The Zephyr Song. Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits}}The music video also features Flea's partner at the time, Tobey Torres.

Track listings

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single 1

| title1 = The Zephyr Song

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = Body of Water

| length2 = 4:41

| title3 = Someone

| length3 = 3:24

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single 2

| title1 = The Zephyr Song

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = Out of Range

| length2 = 3:58

| title3 = Rivers of Avalon

| length3 = 3:39

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single 3

| title1 = The Zephyr Song

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = Out of Range

| length2 = 3:58

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 7" vinyl

| title1 = The Zephyr Song

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = Out of Range

| length2 = 3:58

}}

Personnel

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "The Zephyr Song"

!Chart (2002)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|21|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/red-hot-chili-peppers/chart-history/cns/|title=Red Hot Chili Peppers Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Songs)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}

|11

scope="row"|Croatia (HRT){{cite web|url= http://www.hrt.hr/hr/top20/maineng.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021203201335/http://www.hrt.hr:80/hr/top20/maineng.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2002|title=Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija|publisher=Croatian Radiotelevision|access-date=April 14, 2023}}

|2

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2002/MM-2002-11-09.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=20|issue=46|page=23|date=November 9, 2002|access-date=May 4, 2021}}

|29

{{single chart|France|90|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Germany|65|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|songid=5373|rowheader=true|accessdate= February 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Hungarysingle|13|year=2002|week=41|rowheader=true|accessdate=January 12, 2024}}
{{single chart|Ireland3|22|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|accessdate=August 23, 2014|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Italy|20|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|accessdate=January 7, 2015|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|72|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|9|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Scotland|13|date=20021027|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|100|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|song=The Zephyr Song|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|UK|11|date=20021027|accessdate=February 26, 2015|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UKrock|1|date=20021027|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|49|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|accessdate=December 11, 2014|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|1|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|17|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|6|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|14|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 24, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Year-end chart performance for "The Zephyr Song"

!Chart (2002)

!Position

scope="row"| Brazil (Crowley){{cite web|url=https://maistocadas.mus.br/2002/|title=Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2002|date=April 3, 2018|publisher=Crowley Broadcast Analysis|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}

|84

scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2002_singles.html|title=Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2002|publisher=Jam!|date=January 14, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040906184715/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2002_singles.html|archive-date=September 6, 2004|access-date=March 22, 2022}}

|81

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Most-Played Modern Rock Songs of 2002|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=10|issue=51|page=44|date=December 20, 2002}}

|45

scope="row"|US Triple-A (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The 2002 Allstars: Most-Played Triple-A Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=10|issue=51|page=52|date=December 20, 2002}}

|25

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2003)

!Position

scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=11|issue=51|page=22|date=December 19, 2003}}

|49

scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Modern Rock Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=11|issue=51|page=43|date=December 19, 2003}}

|87

scope="row"|US Triple-A (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Triple-A Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=11|issue=51|page=47|date=December 19, 2003}}

|30

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "The Zephyr Song"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|title=The Zephyr Song|award=Gold|relyear=2002|certyear=2022|id=14571-982-1|access-date=March 25, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|title=The Zephyr Song|award=Gold|relyear=2003|certyear=2021|access-date=October 26, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release dates and formats for "The Zephyr Song"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref(s).|Reference(s)}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States

|August 17, 2002

|Maxi-CD

|rowspan="5"|Warner Bros.

|align="center"|

September 16, 2002

|{{hlist|Mainstream rock|active rock|triple A|alternative radio}}

|align="center"|{{cite magazine|title=Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1470|page=45|date=September 13, 2002}}

scope="row"|Australia

|October 7, 2002

|rowspan="3"|CD

|align="center"|{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue658.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 7th October 2002|publisher=ARIA|page=27|date=October 7, 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20021106130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20021107-0000/Issue658.pdf|archive-date=November 6, 2002|access-date=November 21, 2021}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|October 21, 2002

|align="center"|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases – For Week Starting 21 October 2002: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=October 19, 2002}}

scope="row"|Japan

|October 23, 2002

|align="center"|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/184081/products/492142/1/|title=ザ・ゼファー・ソング C/Wボディ・オブ・ウォーター,サムワン {{!}} レッド・ホット・チリ・ペッパーズ|trans-title=The Zephyr Song c/w Body of Water, Samwan {{!}} Red Hot Chili Peppers|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=September 17, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/184081/products/492144/1/|title=ザ・ゼファー・ソング C/W アウト・オブ・レンジ,リヴァーズ・オブ・アヴァロン {{!}} レッド・ホット・チリ・ペッパーズ|trans-title=The Zephyr Song c/w Out of Range, Rivers of Avalon {{!}} Red Hot Chili Peppers|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=September 17, 2023}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Red Hot Chili Peppers}}

{{Red Hot Chili Peppers singles}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zephyr Song, The}}

Category:Red Hot Chili Peppers songs

Category:2002 singles

Category:2002 songs

Category:Music videos directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Category:Song recordings produced by Rick Rubin

Category:Songs written by Anthony Kiedis

Category:Songs written by Chad Smith

Category:Songs written by Flea (musician)

Category:Songs written by John Frusciante

Category:Warner Records singles