<P> Guitarist John Frusciante and bassist Flea wrote much of "Give It Away" during jam sessions in the early 1990s . Following the Chili Peppers' tour in support of Mother's Milk (1989), the duo spent time in a side project called H.A.T.E. with members of Fishbone . During their tenure in the group, the guitarist and bassist created the main riff and accompanying bassline for "Give It Away". The rhythm was played at several H.A.T.E. performances shortly thereafter, but when the side project disbanded Frusciante and Flea believed the track would be appropriate for the Chili Peppers' upcoming record . Vocalist Anthony Kiedis agreed, and upon hearing the rest of the Chili Peppers play the song he began chanting "give it away, give it away, give it away now". The phrase had been something the vocalist intended to incorporate into a song for the band's new record, but it was not until he heard the bassline that the lyrics fit . Kiedis said, "I was so struck by Flea's bass part, which covered the whole length of the instrument's neck, that I jumped up and marched over to the mic, my notebook in tow . I always had fragments of songs and ideas or even specific isolated phrases in mind ." </P> <P> The song was recorded between April and June 1991 at The Mansion in Los Angeles, California . Through the recording of "Give It Away" came a practice of crafting songs that the band would continue to use on every album following Blood Sugar Sex Magik . When the group encountered difficulty in composing a bridge for the song, it developed a tool the members colloquially termed "face - offs". Flea and Frusciante were unable to come to an agreement on guitar or bass progressions, but separately crafted part of the song . The band then reconvened at a later time and chose the most appropriate inclusion . With "Give It Away", a chorus and verse had already been written but a bridge was lacking, so thus they partook in a "face - off". </P> <P> The lyrical meaning behind "Give It Away" is centered on the philosophy of selflessness and altruistic behavior . The song is titled after its most prevalent lyrical phrase "give it away", which is taken from an experience Kiedis had with his former girlfriend--punk rock singer Nina Hagen--in the early 1980s . Hagen was several years Kiedis' senior and became a role - model during his drug addiction to heroin: "she realized how young and inexperienced I was then, so she was always passing on gems to me, not in a preachy way, just by seizing on opportunities ." When Kiedis was looking through her closet he came across a jacket he liked, and commented to Hagen that it was "really cool". Upon expressing this, Hagen immediately told him to keep it . Her reasoning behind this selflessness was due to an attempt to constantly make her life more enjoyable, and explained to Kiedis that "if you have a closet full of clothes and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small . But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place ." </P> <P> The act was something that affected Kiedis significantly because he had never before experienced such an enlightening ideology on life . Growing up in Los Angeles, he had always thought differently from Hagen . Instead of giving material possessions away and being free thinking, the vocalist believed one must take what one wants, as no one else will provide . Instead, he now adopted Hagen's philosophy: "It was such an epiphany that someone would want to give me her favorite thing . That stuck with me forever . Every time I'd be thinking' I have to keep,' I'd remember' No, you gotta give away instead .' When I started going regularly to (drug and alcohol) meetings, one of the principles I had learned was that the way to maintain your own sobriety is to give it to another suffering alcoholic . Every time you empty your vessel of that energy, fresh new energy comes flooding in ." Flea's bassline for the song allowed Kiedis to recall this incident and he believed the music paired perfectly with the lyrics . During the verses, Kiedis departs from the idea of unselfishness and sings about a variety of topics including long - time friend River Phoenix, musician Bob Marley and various sexual themes including fertility and lust . </P>

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