Under the Bridge

Rubin found a poem called "Under the Bridge" in Kiedis's notebook and told him to show it to the band. Kiedis hesitated because he felt the poem was too emotional and did not fit the band's style. After he sang it to Frusciante and Smith, the band began working out chords and a beat. Frusciante said he picked happier chords to balance the sad lyrics, and that the intro drew on Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing. It was one of the few songs finished before the band moved into the Mansion. For the ending Rubin wanted a large group of singers, and Frusciante brought in his mother, Gail, and a friend from her choir. Kiedis has said only that the bridge is in downtown Los Angeles.

Warner Bros. sent representatives to a concert to choose the next single. When Frusciante began the song, Kiedis missed his cue and the audience sang it instead. The label's representatives said that was their next single. It was released in February 1992, reached number two on the Hot 100 and was certified platinum. David Fricke of Rolling Stone said it unexpectedly drop-kicked the band into the Top 10. Gus Van Sant directed the video, which won Breakthrough Video and Viewers Choice Best Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. Kerrang! ranked the song second among the band's best.

Live and covers

The band played it at Slane Castle in August 2003 for 80,000 people, and at London's Hyde Park in 2004, a three-night run released as their first live album. They played it at the FireAid benefit at the Kia Forum on January 30, 2025. The English group All Saints released a cover in 1998 that topped the UK singles chart for two weeks.