If You Have to Ask
If You Have to Ask

Red Hot Chili Peppers - If You Have to Ask Lyrics

Alternative
Sep 24, 1991
216
If You Have to Ask Music Video

If You Have to Ask Lyrics

A wannabe gangster thinkin' he's a wise guy
Rob another bank, he's a sock 'em in the eye guy
Tank head, Mr. Bonnie and Clyde guy
Look him in the eye, he's not my kinda guy
Never be confusion proof-uh
Pudding's sweet but too aloof-uh
Orange-eyed girl with a backslide dew said
Yo homie, who you talkin' to?
A backed up paddywagon mackin' on a cat's ass
One uppercut to the cold upper middle class
Born to storm on boredom's face
Add a little lust to the funky-ass Flea bass
Most in the race just lose their grace
The blackest hole in all of space
Crooked as a hooker, now suck my thumb
Anybody wanna come get some?

(If you have to ask) you'll never know
Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go
(If you have to ask) you'll never know
Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go-o-o-o

Don't ask me why I'm flyin' so high
Mr. Bubble meets Superfly in my third eye
Searchin' for a soul bride, she's my freakette
Soak it up inside, deeper than a secret
Much more than meets the eye
To the funk I fall into my new ride
My hand, my hand
Magic on the one is a medicine man
Thinkin' of a few
Taboos that I ought to kill
Dancin' on their face
Like a stage in Vaudeville
I feel so good, can't be understood
Booty of a hoodlum rockin' my red hood

(If you have to ask) you'll never know
Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go
(If you have to ask) you'll never know
Funky motherfuckers will not be told to go-o-o-o

Writer(s): Michael Balzary, John Anthony Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith
Copyright(s): Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When was 'If You Have to Ask' released as a single?

    'If You Have to Ask' was released as the fifth and final single from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 1991 studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik in 1993.

  2. Was a music video made for 'If You Have to Ask'?

    Yes, a music video was made. It consists of live footage from a 1992 show in Wellington, New Zealand. The video is notable for featuring guitarist Arik Marshall and is one of only two videos with him.

  3. Why was the song banned from radio stations?

    The song was banned from radio stations because of the explicit line in the chorus: 'funky motherf--kers will not be told to go.'

  4. What style are the lyrics in the verses?

    The lyrics in the verses are in a stream of consciousness style comprised of non-sequiturs, enhancing the overall theme of absurdity and randomness in the song.

  5. Is the song available on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Greatest Hits album?

    No, 'If You Have to Ask' is not featured on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Greatest Hits album. The video was also rarely aired on music television.

  6. Did the band or production crew influence the final recording with additional sounds?

    During the recording, the production crew and the band can be heard applauding guitarist John Frusciante after his solo at the end of the song. No attempts were made to edit out this applause or to re-record it.

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