True Men Don't Kill Coyotes

"True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" is the first track from the eponymous 1984 debut album of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was the first music video the band ever released although the song was never released as a proper single for radio airplay, it still received some national airplay at the time. The following single, "Get Up and Jump", was the first to be released as a radio only single.

Background

This song was written by Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Jack Sherman and Cliff Martinez.

It was included on the band's What Hits!? collection on CD and DVD.

"True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" has been performed just once since 1987 (on the band's 1989 Mother's Milk tour) although on their I'm with You Tour, Flea teased fans by playing the intro; however, he did not play the entire song.

Music video

A video was made for "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" and it helped to build the band's growing fan base.

The clip, which received moderate MTV rotation, used a lot of fluorescent colors, and showed the band playing the song on a cartoonish desert-like scenario. In the beginning of the video, a weird farmer character pours a radioactive-labeled liquid substance into a patch of desert in front of a crudely assembled Hollywood Sign. From this, the entire band bursts from the ground and start to perform the song. The video was directed by Graeme Whifler, who gained notoriety for directing music videos for bands such as The Residents, Renaldo and the Loaf, Yello, Tuxedomoon, Mx-80 Sound, Snakefinger and many other artists on the Ralph Records label.

Musicians

• Anthony Kiedis – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Jack Sherman – lead guitar
• Flea – bass guitar
• Cliff Martinez – drums

References