10 Songs Written About Other Musicians

Like the death of any musical icon, Kurt Cobain's demise wasn't something that anyone was just going to shrug off. Even though this just signaled the end of Nirvana, it felt like the entire alternative community was dealt a heavy blow when the voice of their generation was no longer active. Of all the heartfelt tributes that were pouring in, no one expected it to come from the funk gods.

Then again, it's not all that hard to see why Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was so broken up about Kurt's death. Being one of the first to take Nirvana out on tour in the early days, Kiedis really saw Cobain as a genuine friend who was willing to have some fun whenever they weren't performing. By the time the Chilis got around to making their next record One Hot Minute, the news of Cobain's suicide prompted Kiedis to write the song Tearjerker as a direct response.

Compared to the more high energy material from the Chili Peppers, this is one of the more beautiful pieces they have ever written, as he talks about Cobain's ability to paint beautiful pictures in the listener's mind all while dealing with the blunt pain that he had on his own. Despite not being the most thoughtful band in the world, when the Chilis want to tug on those heartstrings, they tug on them for all that they're worth.