"My Friends " was considered by Erlewine to be a blatant attempt to hold on to the mainstream audience gained by " Under the Bridge ", and that in contrast, " the melodies are weak and the lyrics are even more feeble . " The song also " tries to be a collective hug for all [ of Kiedis's ] troubled pals . " " Rolling Stone ", on the other hand, said the song was " lovely ", and incorporated a " vaguely folky chorus, and sports the same sad wishfulness of'Under the Bridge'and'Breaking the Girl'. " The article went on to praise " Warped " claiming it " mixes harrowing lyrics with a multi-toned, layered intro and a whirling dervish of noises and big-rock rhythms surfing through and over big, funky hooks.
