Universally Speaking


"Universally Speaking" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2002 album By the Way. It was the fifth and final single from the album and was released solely in Europe and Australia. The track was also included on their live album Red Hot Chili Peppers Live in Hyde Park and their Greatest Hits album.
The video for the song features Dave Sheridan, who plays a deranged concertgoer who attempts to return a book to vocalist Anthony Kiedis, who left the book in his taxi in the video to "By the Way". The book he is returning to Kiedis is "Lexicon Devil: The Fast Times and Short Life of Darby Crash and the Germs", which is the biography of Darby Crash, the late frontman for the late-1970s punk band the Germs and was written by Brendan Mullen. The music video was directed by longtime friend Dick Rude who also directed the video for "Catholic School Girls Rule" and the live DVD Off the Map.
The cover for the single is the same as the cover of the By the Way album, except the colors are reverted to normal.
XFM online said it was a "fairly upbeat rock ode" and Rolling Stone said it was "Beatlesque psychedelia".

Live performances

"Universally Speaking" was performed regularly on the By the Way tour. However, it was dropped from sets after 2004 before making a comeback on the I'm with You World Tour. It has since been performed regularly.

Track list

CD singles

Version 1 (2003)

  1. "Universally Speaking" – 4:18
  2. "By the Way" – 4:59
  3. "Don't Forget Me" – 5:07

    Version 2 (2003)

  4. "Universally Speaking" – 4:20
  5. "Slowly Deeply" – 2:40
  6. "Universally Speaking"

    Chart performance