"Scar Tissue:" A Healthy Take on Isolation

In their 1999 single “Scar Tissue,” Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis repeats the refrain “With the birds I’ll share this lonely view” many times throughout the song.  In his book, also titled Scar Tissue, he has since stated this is autobiographical: “I’ll never forget looking up at the sky above that garage, out toward Griffith Park with the birds flying overhead, and getting a close of Jonathan Livingston Seagull [sic.]  I really did have the point of view of those birds, feeling like an eternal outsider”  (Kiedis and Slowman, pg.404.)  The contrasting themes of loneliness and a beautiful view depict isolation not as something to be avoided but to be embraced, even for its sadness.

Resident bass virtuoso Flea takes a back seat in this track; a rarity for even the band’s more sensitive cuts.  This notable absence adds to the song rather than detracts from it.  It draws the ear to John Frusciante’s lovely guitarwork and Kiedis’s often nonsensical but momentarily thoughtful lyrics.  Frusciante’s guitar is melodic and melancholic, but not downtrodden.  It provides a mellow counterpoint to Kiedis’ musings about love and isolation.

However, the song’s most significant line comes not from the refrain but a bit in the verse.  “I’ll make it to the moon if I have to crawl” subtly underscores the thesis.  Despite the narrator’s “scar tissue,” whether it be a metaphor for depression, addiction, or simply feelings of isolation, he won’t let it keep him from his goals.  He acknowledges the setback it may cause (“If I have to crawl,”)  but in the same breath he determines to overcome it.  For me, “Scar Tissue” has inspired a new outlook on isolation and setbacks; to take it in stride, and enjoy the view.

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