The Zephyr Song (3:51)

The Zephyr Song was the second single released for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ eighth studio album By the Way. The song, as a single, was released in two parts. Both editions held two previously unheard-of B-sides, making it, collectively, hold four non-LP tracks. This is the largest amount of accumulated unreleased studio recorded B-sides any solitary single the Red Hot Chili Peppers have ever released. Coincidentally, it is also one of their rarest singles, regularly fetching prices above 100 dollars.

During the By the Way tour, the song was played extensively at virtually all live concerts. Since the release of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ newest album, Stadium Arcadium (and its subsequent tour), however, “The Zephyr Song” has since been completely removed and detached from any set lists. However the song was included as part of a set list on the 22nd of April 2007 in New Zealand at the Vector Arena. The band began the song with John Frusciante playing the opening riff, but didn’t continue to play the rest of the song after Anthony Kiedis said into the microphone “Nah, not this one”. It was stated in reviews and the press that Anthony Kiedis was suffering from throat problems and that it affected some of his performances, which may have been a factor in why “The Zephyr Song” was not played.