Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication - Lyrics Meaning

Californication is on the 1999 album with the same title.

The song is about the effect that Hollywood has had on society around the world. The song title does suggest that all of California has had a negative effect on society, however, the negativity actually centers around Hollywood.

The word Californication is not necessarily meant to be a sexual reference. Rather, it is a play on words. It could have had another suffix, such as Californization, to show that California was a heavy influence. The word californication can be meant to imply not a sexual reference, but how people can "get screwed" by the California influence.

The song places California at the far western end of the world, which would be where the sun sets. This can also mean that the world as we know it will end with everyone's preoccupation with the fake, superficial "Californication". People dream of becoming famous and are intrigued with Hollywood, where everything is fake. Even space - the final frontier is a manufactured idea that is build in Hollywood, just like a studio set. There is stress that there is no way to save the rest of the world from becoming as fake self-centered, and destructive as the Hollywood culture.