Bells around St. Petersburg
When I saw you
I hope I get what you deserve
And this is where I find
Smoke surround's your perfect face
And I’m falling
Pushin' a broom out into space
And this is where I found the way

The Stadium Arcadium
A mirror to the moon
(Mirror to the moon)
Well I’m forming and I’m warming
(Warming to you)
State of the art until the clouds come crashing
Stranger things have happened both
Before and afternoon
(Before and afternoon)
Well I’m forming
And I’m warming
(Warming to you)
Pushing myself and no I don’t mind asking now

Alone inside my forest room and it’s stormy
I never thought I’d be in bloom
But this is where I start

Derelict days, and the stereo plays
For the all night crowd that it cannot phase

And I’m calling

Tedious weeds that the media breeds
But the animal get's what the animal needs

And I’m sorry

Stadium Arcadium
A mirror to the moon
(Mirror to the moon)
And I’m forming and I’m warming
(Warming to you)
The state of the art until the clouds come crashing
Stranger things have happened both
Before and afternoon
(Before and afternoon)
Well I’m forming
And I’m warming
(Warming to you)
Pushing myself and no I don’t mind asking now

And this is where I find
Rays of dust that wrap around your citizen
Kind enough to disavow
This is where I stand

Stadium Arcadium
A mirror to the moon
(Mirror to the moon)
Well I’m forming and I’m warming
(Warming to you)
The state of the art until the clouds come crashing
Stranger things have happened both
Before and afternoon
(Before and afternoon)
And I’m forrming
And I’m warming
(Warming to you)
Pushing myself and no I don't mind asking

The Stadium Arcadium
A mirror to the moon
(Mirror to the moon)
Well I’m forming and I’m warming
(Warming to you)
State of the art until the clouds come crashing
Stranger things have happened both
Before and afternoon
(Before and afternoon)
Yeah I’m Forming
And I’m warming
To you



Lyrics submitted by quazy_qual

Track duration: 05:35


Stadium Arcadium song meanings
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55 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation:This album is my favorite album of all time, but I had never really paid any mind to this song. This song is beautifully done, just like every RHCP song. I think this song is about a guy who meets an amazing girl (in whom he falls deeply in love with) and "Stadium Arcadium" is the mental state/place that she sends him. "state of the art until the clouds come crashing" is saying that this place and the feelings she gives him will never be outdone or met. I think that "tedious weeds that the media breeds, but the animal gets what the animal needs" is saying that he has been influenced or corrupted by drugs, and because of that he feels he isn't good enough for her and that it will never work out. He keeps pushing and trying, however. With "stranger things have happened both before and afternoon" he is saying the concept of it working out between them is a stretch, but you just never know; anything's possible and maybe someday things will work out. This is my interpretation of the song, and I think it's correct. It fits my situation almost identically.
    Flagged lindsaycaliforniaon December 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I remember watching an interview with Anthony Kiedis where he described what Stadium Arcadium was. I can't remember word for word, but it was something along the lines of where people would gather in the woods and listen to music under the moonlight in a country but I can't remember which, which makes sense of the "mirror to the moon" and "til the clouds come crashing" lyrics, as if it started to say, rain then the gathering would end. "Tedius weeds that the media breeds but the animal get's what the animal needs" sounds like it's describing how the media comes up with horrible facts about celebrities that are cruel and maybe untrue, and the animal part may be reffering to the media needing this gossip so that they make money or it could be reffering to the people that hear or read about the "facts" as they get a joy out of reading cruel stories about famous people. that's all i got so far. :)
    Flag cherrypepperon January 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The line "Smoke surround's your perfect face
    And I�m falling
    Pushin' a broom out into space
    And this is where I found the way" makes me think of a guy who's a lowlife, trying to clean out his mind and heart by sweeping through his soul and cleaning it up for the girl.
    Flag loganwrighton August 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Correct me if I'm wrong, but the part where Anthony sings:

    Alone inside my forest room and it�s stormy
    I never thought I�d be in bloom
    But this is where I start

    I think it's a reference to Kurt Cobain, or at least Nirvana. I know he had immense respect for the band, and even more for Cobain himself. He also mentions Kurt in Californication and actually wrote about his suicide in Tearjerker. I'm not sure what the song "In Bloom" is about (...yet) so I can't say WHY he added this in the song, but I'm sure it's a nod to KC.
    Flag Mac98on July 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is amazing. The lyrics and music are beautiful. It makes me think, every song i hear i try to figure out what it means, and this band is by far the most difficult band to understand but at the same time the most amazing when you figure it out. The way the say what the want without really saying it is... I love it.
    I think this song is saying that "Stadium Arcadium" is another way of saying the place where he can think... where he can be alone. And he saw this girl and now he wants to find her. Thats what it means to me and i couldnt care less if I was wrong.
    I love this band so much and is amazing to me that after 100 songs they still manage to come out with songs so full of meaning and so beautiful. Its also amazing to me that anthony kiedis is 46 and is still smoking hot. but even if he wasnt this would still be my favorite band. and i hate that people keep saying stadium arcadium sucks. Its my third favorite album by them. But my favorite song is on there- snow.
    Flag IlleaglyDownloadedon March 19, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:First go at one of these, so sorry if I miss the mark. Secondly, I don't care if I do, it's what the song means to me, so I felt like sharing. When I say He, I mean it could be anyone, not any band member in particular.

    "Bells around St. Petersburg
    When I saw you [[He meets a girl he likes]]
    I hope I get what you deserve [[He thinks the world of her and wants to feel the same way back]]
    And this is where I find
    Smoke surround's your perfect face [[Sad emotion making it obscure to be able to meet "face to face". Feelings of "not being good enough"]]
    And I’m falling [[Downward spiral of depression]]
    Pushin' a broom out into space [[Something that is unique to a person that no one does, but helps the person. You know, that one thing that you do that helps you whenever you feel down?]]
    And this is where I found the way [[He toughens up and makes his move]]

    The Stadium Arcadium [[Picture perfect place]]
    A mirror to the moon
    (Mirror to the moon) [[Picture Perfect scenario]]
    Well I’m forming and I’m warming
    (Warming to you) [[He is mentally rebuilding himself and trying to fix his flaws, for her]]
    State of the art until the clouds come crashing [[To be the best there will be till the day the world ends]]
    Stranger things have happened both
    Before and afternoon [[It may be unbelievable, but it could happen, so don't be quick to judge]]
    (Before and afternoon)
    Well I’m forming
    And I’m warming
    (Warming to you)
    Pushing myself and no I don’t mind asking now [[Now he feels confident about talking to her about love and his feelings]]

    Alone inside my forest room and it’s stormy [[Bad self esteem/loneliness]]
    I never thought I’d be in bloom [[Never thought he could fall in love]]
    But this is where I start [[but now he has]]

    Derelict days, and the stereo plays
    For the all night crowd that it cannot phase [[no idea]]

    And I’m calling [[he made his move]]

    Tedious weeds that the media breeds
    But the animal get's what the animal needs [[he messed up, possibly due to something that is very usual or common, hence the "media" or the "norm"]]

    And I’m sorry [[pretty self-explanitory]]

    And this is where I find
    Rays of dust that wrap around your citizen [[Now he sees her in the perfect light and right image]]
    Kind enough to disavow [[he gets rid of his older, wrong, thoughts]]
    This is where I stand [[and now he says he wont go back to his mistakes]]"

    Well, there ya go. That's what I think. I don't care if I'm wrong or anything, just wanted to share.
    Flag Zummyon August 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I remember seeing a quote in Rolling Stone or Spin about this album. The quote said something to the effect of The Red Hot Chili Peppers finally find love and produce their best album yet. Keeping that in mind, I'm guessing that this song is about love of some sort whether it be platonic or romantic.
    Flag pmac52188on June 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's obvious from the beginning that he was talking about a girl. "Bells around St. Petersburg when I saw you"
    I hope I get what you deserve." I love you soo much I want to replace my pleasure with your pain and have you take my pleasure in my life."
    Smokes around your perfect face and I'm falling. "Love at first site."
    Pushing a broom out into space and this is where I find a way. " My mind is going crazy trying to figure out how to make you mind."

    You should be able to figure out the rest of song from there.
    Flag Bigpapapumpon February 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:in my opinon, stadium arcadium is a place where everything is just fine.but, it can also be a interpretation of themselves, their own state of the art.it can be about audience, about them on the stage....

    dont know, dont care, just love the song
    Flag RHCPzephyron November 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:nice but why to make it the title of the cd? i think snow is more like their style...
    Flag hey!!!on September 15, 2007   Link

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