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Mother's Milk
Studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Released	August 16, 1989
Recorded	November 1988 – March 1989
Genre	Alternative rock, funk metal
Length	45:02
Label	EMI, Capitol
Producer	Michael Beinhorn
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (C+) link
Red Hot Chili Peppers chronology
The Abbey Road E.P. (1988) Mother's Milk (1989) Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Singles from Mother's Milk
"Knock Me Down" Released: 1989 "Higher Ground" Released: 1989 "Taste the Pain" Released: 1989

Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released on August 16, 1989. It has sold 2 million copies and certified double-platinum.

Mother's Milk peaked at #52 on Billboard Top 200 album chart and it was certified gold by mid-1990 and platinum in 2005.

Contents 1 Background 2 Recording and production 3 Track listing 3.1 Bonus tracks on 2003 remastered version 3.2 B-sides, outtakes and non-album tracks 4 Charting singles 5 Personnel 5.1 Background vocals on "Higher Ground" 6 References

Before the album was recorded, guitarist Hillel Slovak died on June 25, 1988 which caused drummer Jack Irons to leave the band. After temporarily employing former P-Funk guitarist DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight and Dead Kennedys drummer D. H. Peligro, guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith were chosen to replace them. Originally the album was planned as The Rockin' Freakapotamus, but after Slovak's death the recordings were stopped. Now "The Rockin' Freakapotamus" is the name of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fan club.

Not everything was smooth sailing during the recording sessions in Mother's Milk. Frontman Anthony Kiedis noted in his autobiography that Frusciante and producer Michael Beinhorn often fought over the former's guitar work. As such the overall guitar sound on the album is almost overpowering, often drowning out the sound of the other instruments and in particular Kiedis' vocals (This is clearly evident at the end of "Nobody Weird Like Me").

All songs written by Red Hot Chili Peppers, except where noted.

1. "Good Time Boys" – 5:02
2. "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder) – 3:23
3. "Subway to Venus" – 4:25
4. "Magic Johnson" – 2:57
5. "Nobody Weird Like Me" – 3:50
6. "Knock Me Down" – 3:45
7. "Taste the Pain" – 4:32
8. "Stone Cold Bush" – 3:06
9. "Fire" (Jimi Hendrix) – 2:03
10. "Pretty Little Ditty" – 1:37 (3:08 on remastered version)
11. "Punk Rock Classic" – 1:47
12. "Sexy Mexican Maid" (D. H. Peligro, Flea, Frusciante, Kiedis, Smith) – 3:23
13. "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky" – 5:12

14. "Song That Made Us What We Are Today" (demo) – 12:56
15. "Knock Me Down" (original long version) – 4:44
16. "Sexy Mexican Maid" (original long version) – 3:59
17. "Salute to Kareem" (demo) – 3:24
18. "Castles Made of Sand" (live) (Hendrix) – 3:19
19. "Crosstown Traffic" (live) (Hendrix) – 2:53

Song	Length	Release(s)
"Show Me Your Soul"	4:22	B-side of "Knock Me Down" and "Taste the Pain" Pretty Woman movie soundtrack What Hits!?
"Politician (Mini-rap)"	0:11	B-side of "Higher Ground"

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"Higher Ground"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	26
1989	"Higher Ground"	Modern Rock Tracks	11
1989	"Knock Me Down"	Modern Rock Tracks	6

• Anthony Kiedis - lead vocals, art concept
• John Frusciante – guitar, backing vocals
• Michael "Flea" Balzary - bass, backing vocals
• Chad Smith – drums
• Fish – drums (on "Taste the Pain")
• Hillel Slovak - guitar (on "Fire")
• Jack Irons – drums (on "Fire")
• Michael Beinhorn – producer, engineer
• Dave Coleman – cello
• Nels Israelson – photography
• Patrick English – trumpet
• Eddie DeLena – engineer
• Felix Pappalardi – producer
• Garth Richardson – engineer
• Dave Jerden – mixing

• Vicki Calhoun
• Bruno Deron
• Merrill Ward
• Joel Virgel Viergel
• Wag
• Jack Sherman
• Aklia Shin
• Kristen Vigard
• Julie Ritter
• Iris Parker
• Gretchen Seager

This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.

• Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry (2004-10-06). Scar Tissue. Hyperion. ISBN 1401301010. 

v • d • e Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anthony Kiedis · John Frusciante · Flea · Chad Smith Hillel Slovak · Dave Navarro · Cliff Martinez · Jack Sherman · Arik Marshall · Jesse Tobias · DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight · D. H. Peligro · Jack Irons
Studio albums	The Red Hot Chili Peppers · Freaky Styley · The Uplift Mofo Party Plan · Mother's Milk · Blood Sugar Sex Magik · One Hot Minute · Californication · By the Way · Stadium Arcadium
Other releases	The Abbey Road E.P. (EP)  · Live in Hyde Park (Live album)
Compilations	What Hits!? · Live Rare Remix Box · The Plasma Shaft · Out in L.A. · Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers · The Best of the Red Hot Chili Peppers · Organic Soundball · Greatest Hits · iTunes Originals
Videography	Positive Mental Octopus  · Psychedelic Sexfunk Live from Heaven  · Funky Monks  · Off the Map  · Live at Slane Castle
Singles	"True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" · "Get Up and Jump" · "Jungle Man" · "American Ghost Dance" · "Catholic School Girls Rule" · "Hollywood (Africa)" · "Fight Like a Brave" · "Me and My Friends" · "Knock Me Down" · "Higher Ground" · "Taste the Pain" · "Show Me Your Soul" · "Give It Away" · "Under the Bridge" · "Suck My Kiss" · "Behind the Sun" · "Breaking the Girl" · "If You Have to Ask" · "Soul to Squeeze" · "Warped" · "My Friends" · "Aeroplane" · "Coffee Shop" · "Shallow Be Thy Game" · "Love Rollercoaster" · "Scar Tissue" · "Around the World" · "Otherside" · "Californication" · "Road Trippin'" · "Parallel Universe" · "By the Way" · "The Zephyr Song" · "Can't Stop" · "Dosed" · "Universally Speaking" · "Fortune Faded" · "Dani California" · "Tell Me Baby" · "Snow ((Hey Oh))" · "Desecration Smile" · "Hump de Bump"
Related articles	Discography · Band members · Songs