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"Jungle Man"
Single by Red Hot Chili Peppers
from the album Freaky Styley
B-side	"Nevermind", "Stranded", "Hollywood (Africa)"
Released	August 16, 1985 (1985-08-16)
Recorded	1985
Genre	Funk rock
Length	4:09
Label	EMI Capitol Records
Songwriter(s)	Anthony Kiedis Flea Cliff Martinez Jack Sherman
Producer(s)	George Clinton
Red Hot Chili Peppers singles chronology
"Get Up and Jump" (1984) "Jungle Man" (1985) "Hollywood (Africa)" (1985)
Music video
"Jungle Man" on YouTube

"Jungle Man" is a song by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1985 album, Freaky Styley. It was released as the album's first single, however failed to chart. A music video released around the same time of the album's release on August 16, 1985. The band couldn't get a proper music video released, so manager Lindy Goetz used different clips of live performances of the song from May 1985 to January 1986 edited together with the album version of the song playing on top.

In his autobiography "Scar Tissue", Anthony Kiedis reveals the song is an ode to his friend Flea: "this half man, half beast born in the belly of the volcano in Australia and using his thumb as a conductor of thunder on the bass".

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic considered "Jungle Man" to be one of the highlights from the album.

Reception

John Leland at Spin said, "Take away the Chilis' glaring flaws and they're just another band. Much of this record sounds like a bunch of white guys playing funk. They do it with some élan, and Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns help, but they sacrifice some of their identity for the sake of competence.

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic considered "Jungle Man" to be one of the highlights from the album.

Live Performances

"Jungle Man" made its live debut in June 1985. It was performed around 24 times however it hasn't been performed live since February 1988.

Track listing

Promo 12" version

1. "Jungle Man" (album version)
2. "Nevermind" (album version)
3. "Stranded"
4. "Hollywood (Africa)" (7" version)

Personnel

• Anthony Kiedis - lead vocals
• Flea - backing vocals, bass guitar

• Hillel Slovak - backing vocals, guitar
• Cliff Martinez - drums
• unknown - backing vocals

Production

• George Clinton - producer
• Greg Ward - mixing

References

1. "Freaky Styley - Red Hot Chili Peppers | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
2. John Leland (November 1985). "Singles". Spin. No. 7. p. 36.
3. "Freaky Styley - Red Hot Chili Peppers | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
4. "Jungle Man | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Recording". www.pfunkportal.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.

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• Red Hot Chili Peppers songs
• 1985 singles
• Songs written by Anthony Kiedis
• Songs written by Flea (musician)
• 1985 songs
• Songs written by Cliff Martinez
• Songs written by Jack Sherman (guitarist)
• 1980s rock song stubs