- Source: Aeroplane (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Greatest Hits (album Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- Daftar lagu rock instrumental
- Aeroplane (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers discography
- One Hot Minute
- My Friends (Red Hot Chili Peppers song)
- List of songs recorded by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Greatest Hits (Red Hot Chili Peppers album)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers videography
- Flea (musician)
- Woodstock 1994 (Red Hot Chili Peppers album)
- Road Trippin' Through Time
"Aeroplane" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their sixth studio album, One Hot Minute (1995). It was released in February 1996 by Warner Bros. as the third single from the album and a music video, directed by Gavin Bowden, accompanied its release. The song was written by Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Dave Navarro and Chad Smith, and produced by Rick Rubin. It peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart and number eight on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Although the song was left off the band's Greatest Hits album, the music video was included on the accompanying DVD. The song makes references to the band Mazzy Star, and specifically the song "Into Dust" from their 1993 album "So Tonight That I Might See".
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "This delightful flight of fancy from the Chili Peppers shows why the act continues to succeed in spite of a frequently changing lineup and evolving musical tastes. An attractive pop tune pepped up with Flea's characteristic funk bass, "Aeroplane" may not be the Peppers' finest piece, but it is exceptionally radio friendly." Sylvia Patterson from NME viewed it as a "ridiculous funk-doodle bass workout".
Chart performance
The single peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart where "My Friends" hit number one and "Warped" hit number seven. However, it outperformed "Warped"'s number 13 placing on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (where "My Friends" was also a number one hit) by peaking at number 12. It was the only crossover hit from the album hitting number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart where the other two singles failed to do. It was also the highest-charting single in the UK from the album, peaking at number 11.
Live performances
"Aeroplane" was the third most performed song during the band's One Hot Minute Tour. However, like all songs from the One Hot Minute album, with the exception of "Pea", it wasn't performed again following the departure of Dave Navarro until February 6, 2016, at Pier 70 in San Francisco, where the song was performed for the first time since 1997. The song was brought back into setlist rotation beginning with The Getaway World Tour and was last performed on October 12, 2019 at a private performance.
Track listing
CD single 1
"Aeroplane" (clean edit)
"Backwoods" (live) (contains intro tease of "Come As You Are")
"Transcending" (live) (contains intro tease of "Hey Joe")
"Me and My Friends" (live)
Note: Live tracks recorded in Rotterdam, Holland on October 16, 1995, by Veronica (Kink FM)
Limited edition CD single 2
"Aeroplane" (album version)
"Suck My Kiss" (live)
"Suffragette City" (David Bowie) (live)
Note: Live tracks were recorded in Rotterdam, Holland on October 16, 1995, by Veronica (Kink FM)
Personnel
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anthony Kiedis – lead vocals
Dave Navarro – guitar
Flea – bass, backing vocals
Chad Smith – drums
The "Aeroplane" Kids
Clara Balzary – backing vocals
Bailey Reise – backing vocals
Askia Ndegéocello – backing vocals
Nadia Wehbe – backing vocals
Sarabeth Kelly – backing vocals
Matthew Kelly – backing vocals
Phillip Greenspan – backing vocals
Perry Greenspan – backing vocals
Veronica Twigg – backing vocals
Remy Greeno – backing vocals
C.J. Chipley – backing vocals
Jaclyn DiMaggio – backing vocals
Hayley Oakes – backing vocals
Nikolai Giefer – backing vocals
Taiana Giefer – backing vocals
Nina Rothburg – backing vocals
Sheera Ehrig – backing vocals
Jade Chacon – backing vocals