History Class Writers Edition: Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Can't Stop'

Written by Anthony Kiedis, John Frusciante, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Chad Smith
Produced by the one and only Rick Rubin 'Can't Stop' is one of the few tracks on By the Way to revisit the original Chili Peppers method of short, rapped verses, containing fewer amounts of implemented texture. "Can't Stop" is unique, however, as it contains melodic and layered guitar and lyrical progressions, which the band's earlier work did not.

The song is instrumentally composed in 4/4 standard time and in the key of E minor and G major. The verse plays twice before the bridge, as well as the chorus. During the bridge, Frusciante plays a sparse reggae feeling progression, only strumming up on the off-strum, instead of the traditional reggae up/down. Following the bridge, Frusciante utilizes an distortion pedal (Boss DS-2) in the Solo. He also makes extensive use of a tone-bend, incorporating a double tone bend in order to achieve a higher bending tone.