“The husband must always ask his wife what is causing her distress. The wife must never answer.” 

I’m kind of an “innocent”, “heartfelt” type, so the first time I heard Jane’s Addiction, they did manage to “shock” me. But they also kept me coming back. I was uncomfortable with a lot of their hedonistic lyrics at first (obviously repetition desensitizes you) but I felt a great sadness beneath it all. Not only that, there was a side of it that appealed to some self-destructive side of me. Jane’s is a raw, heavy drug trip, but it’s not fun. It’s a weird mixture of epileptic freedom, painful darkness, and utter beauty. I think Perry Ferrel is a genius - and I don’t use the word lightly, I mean I actually think he’s a Van Gogh type. Maybe not every single thing he does, but the ones that work are truly inspired. His childlike nature, both free and honest, only served to increase his human vulnerability amid his devilry. And Dave Navarro is seriously an underrated guitar player - he was a big reason why Jane’s was able to create such an exotic, black, intoxicating world. Nothing’s Shocking is a masterpiece. Although I look back on the music fondly, it always reminds me of some very troubled times in my life.   

Ted, Just Admit It

Camera got them images
Camera got them all
Nothing’s shocking…
Showed me everybody
Naked and disfigured
Nothing’s shocking…
And then he came
Now sister’s
Not a virgin anymore
Her sex is violent…

The T.V.’s got them images
T.V.’s got them all
It’s not shocking!
Every half an hour
Someone’s captured and
The cop moves them along…
It’s just like the show before
And the news is
Just another show
With sex and violence…

Sex is violent…
Sex is violent…
Sex is violent…
Sex is violent…
Sex is violent…
Sex is violent…
Sex is violent!

I am the killer of people
You look like a meatball
I’ll throw away your toothpick
And ask for your giveness

Because of this thing!
Because of this thing!
Because of this thing!

That’s in me
Is it not in you?
Is it not your problem?
A baby to a mother…

You talk too much
To your scapegoat
That’s what I say
He tells you everyone is stupid
That’s what he thinks!

Snapshots
Make a girl look cheap
Like a tongue extended
A baby’s to a mother

Sex is violent!
Sex is violent!
Sex is violent!
Sex is violent!

Jane Says

Jane says
I’m done with Sergio
He treats me like a ragdoll
She hides
The television
Says I don’t owe him nothing,
But if he comes back again
Tell him to wait right here for me
Or just
Try again tomorrow

I’m gonna kick tomorrow
Gonna kick tomorrow

Jane says
Have you seen my wig around?
I feel naked without it
She knows
They all want her to go
But that’s O.K. man
She dont like them anyway
Jane says
I’m goin away to Spain
When I get my money saved
I’m gonna start tomorrow

I’m gonna kick tomorrow
Gonna kick tomorrow

She gets mad
Starts to cry
She takes a swing but
She can’t hit
She don’t mean no harm
She just don’t know
What else to do about it

Jane goes
To the store at 8
She walk up on St. Andrews
She waits
And gets her dinner there
She pulls her dinner
From her pocket
Jane says
I ain’t never been in love
I don’t know what it is
I only know if someone wants me
I want them if they want me
I only know they want me

She gets mad
And she starts to cry
She takes a swing man
She can’t hit!
She don’t mean no harm
She just don’t know
What else to do about it

Jane says
Jane says

Pigs in Zen

Pig in the mud
When he tires

Pig’s in zen
Pig’s in zen

Pig is nude
Unashamed

Pig’s in zen
Pig’s in zen

Talkin’ bout the pig
the pig
the pig - uh
pa-pa-pa-pa-pig
oh yeah,
the god damn pig! 

Pig mounts sow
When he’s wound

Pig’s in zen
Pig’s in zen

Pig eats s***
But only when he hungers

Pig’s in zen
I know, the Pig’s in zen

Talkin’ bout the pig
The pig
The pig - uh!
The pa-pa-pa-pa-pig, yeah
The god damn pig

All I could say was “wow”. Rage was unlike anything I had heard before - yes, I had heard of “rap metal”, etc. (which I liked in general) but this was a whole other dimension. Usually you either get a rap song with some puny guitar work or a rock song with a few beats. This wasn’t soft on either side. Add to it some of the most ballsy political lyrics around and they were a force to be reckoned with. Tom was a mad scientist on guitar and Zack was just furious. The drummer (forgot his name) kept getting looser and looser and Timmy (his name at that time) was essential (unlike most bass players). By the way, despite the seemingly unanimous disapproval, I LOVED their Covers album. It was awesome from beginning to end - Rick Rubin is brilliant. I was sad to see that things were just getting better and better when they broke up… 

Know Your Enemy

Know your enemy!

Born with insight and a raised fist
A witness to the slit wrist, that’s with
As we move into 92
Still in a room without a view
Ya got to know
Ya got to know
That when I say go, go, go
Amp up and amplify
Defy
Im a brother with a furious mind
Action must be taken
We dont need the key
We’ll break in

Something must be done
About vengeance, a badge, and a gun
Cause Ill rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against em

Fist in ya face, in the place
And I’ll drop the style clearly
Know your enemy…

Word is born
Fight the war, f*** the norm
Now I got no patience
So sick of complacence
With the d the e the f the i the a the n the c the e
Mind of a revolutionary
So clear the lane
The finger to the land of the chains
What? the land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy!

Now something must be done
About vengeance, a badge, and a gun
Cause Ill rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against em

Now action must be taken
We dont need the key
We’ll break in

I’ve got no patience now
So sick of complacence now
I’ve got no patience now
So sick of complacence now
Sick of sick of sick of sick of you
Time has come to pay…
Know your enemy!

Yes I know my enemies
They’re the teachers who taught me to fight me
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission
Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite
All of which are American Dreams
All of which are American Dreams
All of which are American Dreams

Revolver

His spit is worth more than her work
Pass the purse to the pugilists
He’s a prizefighter
And he bought rings and he owns kin
And now he’s swingin’
And now he’s the champion

Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?
Revolver!
Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?
Revolver

A spotless domain
Hides festering hopes she’s certain there’s more
Pictures of fields without fences
A spotless domain
Hides festering hopes she’s certain there’s more
Pictures of fields without fences
Her body numbs as he approaches the door
As he approaches the door
As he approaches the door
As he approaches the door
As he approaches

Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?
Revolver!
Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?
Revolver!
Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?
Revolver!
Hey revolver, don’t mothers make good fathers?

Testify

The movie ran through me
The glamour subdue me
The tabloid untie me
I’m empty please fill me
Mister anchor assure me
That Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
I need you my witness
To dress this up so bloodless
To numb me and purge me now
Of thoughts of blaming you
Yes the car is our wheelchair
My witness your coughing
Oily silence mocks the legless
Boys who travel now in coffins

On the corner
The jury’s sleepless
We found your weakness
And its right outside your door

Now testify
Now testify
Its right outside your door

Now testify
Yes testify
It’s right outside your door

With precision you feed me
My witness I’m hungry
Your temple it calms me
So I can carry on
My slaving, sweating,
The skin right off my bones
On a bed of fire I’m choking
On the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball is rushing
Witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs

While on the corner
The jury’s sleepless
We found your weakness
And it’s right outside your door

Now testify
Yeah testify
Its right outside your door

Now Testify
Now Testify
And it’s right outside your door

Mass graves for the pump and the price is set, and the price is set
Mass graves for the pump and the price is set, and the price is set
Mass graves for the pump and the price is set, and the price is set
Mass graves for the pump and the price is set, and the price is set

Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?

Now Testify
Testify
It’s right outside your door

Now Testify
Testify
Its right outside your door

“The problem with fighting fire with fire is that it doesn’t work.”

This band is to me THE Great American Rock Band. They represent all that is good about America. Independent and down-to-earth, they just sound like a swell bunch of guys that anyone could hang with. Their songs are pure goodness - melodic but rugged, simple but deep, naturalistic. CCR basically gave me a world where you live outdoors, travel amongst all kinds of people, and just make your own way. A world free and beautiful. A world where you care about people as you would crops and where injustice or elitism is as despised as a ruinous drought.

Proud Mary

Left a good job in the city
Workin’ for the man ev’ry night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleepin’
Worryin’ ’bout the way things might have been

Big wheel keep on turnin’
Proud Mary keep on burnin’
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river

Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis
Pumped a lot of pain down in New Orleans
But I never saw the good side of the city
‘Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen

Big wheel keep on turnin’
Proud Mary keep on burnin’

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river

If you come down to the river
Bet you gonna find some people who live
You don’t have to worry ’cause you have no money
People on the river are happy to give

Big wheel keep on turnin’
Proud Mary keep on burnin’
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river

Bad Moon Rising

I see the bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightnin’
I see bad times today

Don’t go ’round tonight
It’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise

I hear hurricanes blowin’
I know the end is commin’ soon
I fear rivers over flowin’
I hear the voice of rage and ruin

Don’t go ’round tonight
It’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise

Hope you got your things together
Hope you are quite prepared to die
Looks like we’er in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye

Don’t go ’round tonight
It’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise

Don’t go ’round tonight
It’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise

Fortunate Son

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Yeah, the red, white, and blue
When the band plays ‘Hail To The Chief’
Yeah, they’ll point the cannon at you

It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I’m no millionaire’s son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no fortunate one

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Well, they help themselves, yeah
When the taxman comes to the door
House looks a like a rummage sale

It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no millionaire’s son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no fortunate one, no

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Yeah, when they send you down to war
Well, when you ask them how much you should give
Yeah, it’s always more, more, more

It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no senator’s son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I’m no fortunate one

It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no military son
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no fortunate son

Down on the Corner   

Early in the evenin’ just about supper time,
Over by the courthouse they’re starting to unwind.
Four kids on the corner trying to bring you up.
Willy picks a tune out and he blows it on the harp.

Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin’
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

Rooster hits the washboard and people just got to smile,
Blinky, thumps the gut bass and solos for a while.
Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo.
Willy goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.

Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin’
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

You don’t need a penny just to hang around,
But if you’ve got a nickel, won’t you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there’s a happy noise.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy.

Down on the corner, out in the street,
Willy and the Poorboys are playin’
Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

Cotton Fields (cover)

When I was a little bitty baby
My mama would rock me in the cradle,
In them old cotton fields back home

It was down in Louisiana,
Just about a mile from Texarkana,
In them old cotton fields back home.

Oh, when them cotton bolls get rotten
You can’t pick very much cotton,
In them old cotton fields back home.

It was down in Louisiana,
Just about a mile from Texarkana,
In them old cotton fields back home.