Desecration Smile

"Desecration Smile"
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Stadium Arcadium
B-side	"Joe" "Save This Lady"
Released	February 12, 2007 (2007-02-12) (UK)
Recorded	2005
Studio	The Mansion, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Alternative rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock
Length	5:02 (album version) 4:15 (edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Flea, Frusciante, Kiedis, Smith
Producer(s)	Rick Rubin
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"Snow (Hey Oh)" (2006) "Desecration Smile" (2007) "Hump de Bump" (2007)

"Desecration Smile" is a song from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and was on their 2006 double album, Stadium Arcadium. The song was the fourth single released from the album.

The song was first heard by fans when it was played at the Bridge School Benefit in 2004. However, the structure and chorus of the song are different from the version released on Stadium Arcadium.

The single contained the album outtakes, "Joe" (which was a tribute to Joe Strummer) and "Save This Lady". Both songs were also on the single for "Hump de Bump".

The cover artwork is from Stefanie Schneider.

Composition

Desecration Smile is in the key of E major in the intro, E minor in the verses and D major in the refrain. It has a moderate tempo of 92 BPM.

Formats and track listings

CD single 1 5439 19997-9

1. "Desecration Smile"
2. "Joe" (previously unreleased) – 3:54

CD single 2 9362 49991-9

1. "Desecration Smile"
2. "Funky Monks" (live) – 6:29
3. "Save This Lady" (previously unreleased) – 4:17

Promo Single PR016186

1. "Desecration Smile" (album version)
2. "Desecration Smile" (radio edit)

7" picture disc 5439 19997-6

1. "Desecration Smile"
2. "Funky Monks" (live) – 6:29

Personnel

• Anthony Kiedis - lead vocals
• John Frusciante - acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals, piano
• Flea - bass guitar
• Chad Smith - drums, percussion
• Emily Kokal - chorus vocals

Music video

The music video was shot and released in February 2007 and directed by "Under the Bridge" director Gus Van Sant. It was shot entirely in one take with one camera and featured the band huddled together singing all the way through. There is also an alternate version of the band singing and playing their instruments by the ocean cut together with parts of the official video. Although the first one is considered the official, it was the alternative version that was published on the official Warner Bros. YouTube account.^[citation needed]

Live performances

"Desecration Smile" has been performed just 14 times with its first performance coming in 2004, two years before the release of the Stadium Arcadium album. The song has not been performed since 2007.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[1] 13 Germany (GfK)[2] 67 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[3] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[4] 24 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[5] 33 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[6] 26 UK Singles (OCC)[7] 27

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 95

References

1. "Red Hot Chili Peppers – Desecration Smile" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
2. "Red Hot Chili Peppers – Desecration Smile" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
3. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
4. "Red Hot Chili Peppers – Desecration Smile" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
5. "Red Hot Chili Peppers – Desecration Smile". Top 40 Singles.
6. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200714 into search.
7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
8. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 December 2019.