"Scar Tissue" was the first single off Red Hot Chili Peppers' seventh studio album
Californication
in 1999. It spent 16 weeks at #1 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, 10 weeks at #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.
In his 2004 autobiography,
Scar Tissue,
Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, explains some of the lyrics. "Sarcastic Mr. Know-it-all" is Dave Navarro, whom Anthony refers to as "the King of sarcasm." "With the birds I'll share this lonely view" was inspired by birds that Anthony saw while he was singing outside of Flea's house, and he also says that the line has to do with how he felt like an outsider, looking in.
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Scar Tissue" 1999