"If You Have to Ask" is a song by the

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

from their 1991 studio album ''

Blood Sugar Sex Magik ''Blood Sugar Sex Magik'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released September 24, 1991, by Warner Bros. Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, its musical style differed notably from the band's previous album ''M ...

''. It was released as the album's fifth and final single in 1993. A music video was made, but merely consists of live footage of the band from a 1992 show at the Winter Show Buildings in Wellington, New Zealand overdubbed with the original album track. The video is notable because it is one of only two videos to feature guitarist

Arik Marshall Arik Ben Marshall (born February 13, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, poet, and author, best known as a one-time member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Early life Arik Ben Marshall is the third of five children born to an Afr ...

(" Breaking the Girl" being the other). The video was rarely aired on music television and the song along with the video was not featured on the band's

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

album. Like the song " Aeroplane" from their 1995 album ''

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'', it was one of the two music videos from the Warner era not available on their official app. The verses of the song consist of a scratchy, minimalist funk lick played on the guitar, with a busier bass melody playing behind it. The lyrics in the verses are a stream of consciousness style run of non-sequiturs, which the chorus then explains by stating "If you have to ask, you'll never know". While guitarist

John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante (; born March 5, 1970) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers across three stints since 1988. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to e ...

finishes the solo at the end of the song, the production crew and the band can be heard applauding him. However, no attempts were made to edit out the applause or to re-record it like with all other unintended sounds found on the album.

Live performances

"If You Have to Ask" has been performed on every tour since 1991.

Track listing

;CD single (1993) # "If You Have to Ask" (edit) # "If You Have to Ask" (Disco Krisco Mix) # "If You Have to Ask" (Scott And Garth Mix) # "Give It Away" (In Progress) ;12" single (1993) # "If You Have to Ask" (Disco Krisco Mix) # "If You Have to Ask" (album) # "If You Have to Ask" (Friday Night Fever Blister Mix) # "Give It Away" (In Progress)

Personnel

Red Hot Chili Peppers * Anthony Kiedis - lead vocals *

- guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals *

Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...

- bass, backing vocals *

Chad Smith Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the ...

- drums, tambourine

References

{{authority control Red Hot Chili Peppers songs 1991 songs 1993 singles Song recordings produced by Rick Rubin Songs written by Flea (musician) Songs written by John Frusciante Songs written by Anthony Kiedis Songs written by Chad Smith