According to lead singer Anthony Kiedis, "Dani" is a representation of every girl that he's come across in his life. "Dani" also appears in the 2002 Red Hot Chili Peppers song "By The Way" and is the "Teenage bride with the baby inside" on their 1999 song "Californication."
Bassist Flea, on the music video:
"We mainly did eras, not actual people: rockabilly, British Invasion, psychedelia, funk, glam, punk, goth, hair metal, grunge, and ourselves being the sum of all those parts."
The bands that the Peppers dress up in during the video caused internet debate about who the actual bands were. Though nothing is official, it starts out in a '50s early rock setting, with Anthony Kiedis dressed as Elvis Presley. It then moves on to a stereotypical British rock band that you would see on The Ed Sullivan Show in the '60s. They move on to a stereotypical psychedelic rock band, then the funk era. The band is dressed as Parliament/Funkadelic, complete with Flea dressed as one of his idols, Bootsy Collins, and the P-Funk Mothership stage prop. It moves on to a stereotypical glam rock band, then gothic band, most likely The Misfits based on the way Kiedis is dressed. Then it moves on to the punk movement, hair metal, and grunge. The grunge band is one of the more clear bands to identify, as Kiedis is dressed like his friend Kurt Cobain, of Nirvana. It ends with the Peppers as a sum up of all of these bands.
Lyrics
Gettin' born in the state of Mississippi
Poppa was a copper and her momma was a hippie
In Alabama, she would swing a hammer
Price you gotta pay when you break the panorama
She never knew that there was anything more than poor
What in the world, what does your company take me for?
Black bandanna, sweet Louisiana
Robbin' on a bank in the state of Indiana
She's a runner, rebel and a stunner
On her merry way sayin', "Baby, what you gonna—?"
Lookin' down the barrel of a hot metal .45
Just another way to survive
California, rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California, show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest, yeah, yeah
She's a lover, baby and a fighter
Shoulda seen her comin' when it got a little brighter
With a name like Dani California
Day was gonna come when I was gonna mourn ya
A little loaded, she was stealin' another breath
I love my baby to death
California, rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California, show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest, yeah, yeah
Who knew the other side of you?
Who knew what others died to prove?
Too true to say goodbye to you
Too true to say, say, say
Push the fader, gifted animator
One for the now and eleven for the later
Never made it up to Minnesota
North Dakota man was a gunnin' for the quota
Down in the Badlands, she was savin' the best for last
It only hurts when I laugh
Gone too fast
California, rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California, show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest, yeah, yeah
California, rest in peace (Do svidaniya)
Simultaneous release (California)
California, show your teeth (Do svidaniya)
She's my priestess, I'm your priest, yeah, yeah
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