Freaky Styley

Freaky Styley is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1985 on EMI. The album is the first to feature original guitarist Hillel Slovak, following his return to the band earlier in the year, and the last to feature drummer Cliff Martinez. Freaky Styley was produced by George Clinton, of Parliament-Funkadelic.

The album yielded four singles: “Jungle Man”, “American Ghost Dance”, “Catholic School Girls Rule”, and “Hollywood (Africa)”

According to Jason Birchmeir, of Allmusic, Freaky Styley is “the closest the Red Hot Chili Peppers ever came to straight funk, is the quirkiest, loosest, and most playful album in their long and winding catalog. It’s also one of the best, if also one of their least heard.”

The cover artwork features the band jumping in front of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment.

The track “Yertle the Turtle” incorporates several verses directly from Dr. Seuss’ poem also named “Yertle the Turtle”. As stated by Kiedis in his autobiography, Scar Tissue, the spoken lyrics at the beginning and throughout the song were by George Clinton’s drug dealer who demanded debts be paid by Clinton. Unable to repay the dealer, Clinton offered him a part in the album.