Following the demise of the critically and commercially successful Jane's Addiction project, frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros after acquiring guitarist Peter DiStefano and bass player Martyn LeNoble. Farrell named the band after viewing an ad for fireworks in a pornographic magazine. The name has also been connected through song lyrics to the LA riots which occurred in the band's hometown around the time of Porno for Pyros inception. Prior to releasing their eponymous first album, Porno for Pyros embarked on a nationwide tour to support the new band. By the time the band's debut album (Porno for Pyros) was released in 1993, anticipation surrounding the project was enough to briefly drive the album to the #3 position on the Billboard top 200 list. Reaction to the album was mixed, with some fans ecstatic and others disappointed. The video for the album's first single, "Pets," received heavy airplay on MTV. Following the album's release, Porno for Pyros continued a heavy touring schedule, including an appearance at Woodstock '94. Unlike the relatively straight-ahead rock shows that were the hallmark of live Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros live shows relied heavily on props, extras and special-effects (including, but not limited to, pyrotechnics).
For the band's follow-up album, Good God's Urge, bass player LeNoble quit after completing the majority of the bass tracks. Ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt was brought in to finish up the album tracks and join the band on tour. The album also featured the post-Jane's Addiction reunion of Farrell with guitarist Dave Navarro, who made a guest appearance on "Freeway," along with Red Hot Chili Peppers' bass player Flea. The band again set forth on a heavy touring schedule. On several tour stops Porno for Pyros played "Mountain Song," a popular Jane's Addiction tune, and was a foreshadowing of the later Jane's Addiction reunion efforts. Further touring by the band was scuttled when DiStefano was diagnosed with cancer in 1997.
Perkins and Watt subsequently formed the punk jazz improvisation group Banyan and, along with DiStefano, occasionally perform sets of the Stooges cover versions in the Los Angeles area under the band name Hellride.
The Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros book Whores (by Brendan Mullen) states that a third Porno for Pyros album was penned but never recorded.
In April 2009, the original lineup of Farrell, Perkins, DiStefano, and LeNoble performed at Farrell's 50th birthday party.
Wishing Well
Porno For Pyros Lyrics
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I stop thinking of God
I'm living in hell
I stop wishing
Wishing
I stop wishing
Wishing you well
I knew him well
His voice was so blue
His eyes were so calm
He stopped wishing
Wishing
Now I'm wishing
He stopped wishing
I'm wishing him well
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I had a dream last night
I can't heal people
I heal myself
Just by wishing
Wishing
Just by wishing
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
It take sirens sometimes
To make me glad
Hear sirens sometimes
I'm just glad
I'm not inside
In the song "Wishing Well," Perry Farrell, the lead singer of Porno for Pyros, expresses his thoughts on despair and hopelessness. The opening lines convey his emotional state: "I can tell when I'm dead inside, I stop thinking of God, I'm living in hell. I stop wishing, wishing I stop wishing, wishing you well." Here, Farrell seems to indicate that when he is in a state of despair, he loses faith in a higher power or a divine force. He feels that he is living in hell and has lost the ability to hope for the well-being of others.
The song then talks about a friend of Perry's who also seems to be going through the same phase. His friend's "voice was so blue, his eyes were so calm" but he "stopped wishing" just like Perry himself. However, Perry still wishes him well, as indicated in the lyrics "I'm wishing him well."
In the final stanza, Perry talks about how he had a dream where he realized that he can only heal himself by wishing for his own well-being. This can be interpreted as the idea that hope and self-care is something that cannot be provided by anyone else, but is an internal journey. The repetitive chorus of "I'm wishing you well" points out the importance of good wishes and the power of hopeful thinking.
Line by Line Meaning
I can tell when I'm dead inside
When I lose my motivation and passion for life, I notice that I have stopped contemplating my faith in God.
I'm living in hell
When I stop believing in a higher power, I feel like I'm in a dark and gloomy place.
I stop wishing
Wishing
I stop wishing
Wishing you well
When I'm overcome with despair, I stop having any positive expectations for others and wish them well.
His voice was so blue
His eyes were so calm
He stopped wishing
Wishing
Now I'm wishing
He stopped wishing
I'm wishing him well
My friend who appeared to have a peaceful disposition and demeanor stopped hoping for the best in life, which has made me reflect on my own behavior - now I hope he finds happiness again.
I had a dream last night
I can't heal people
I heal myself
Just by wishing
Wishing
Just by wishing
I came to the realization that I don't have the power to heal others, but I can work on healing myself by having positive thoughts and wishing the best for everyone around me.
It take sirens sometimes
To make me glad
Hear sirens sometimes
I'm just glad
I'm not inside
Sometimes hearing emergency sirens can remind me how lucky I am to be safe, healthy, and not in peril.
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm wishing you well!
I'm using this chorus to reiterate my sincere hope that everyone around me is happy, healthy, and living their best lives.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MARTYN LENOBLE, PERRY FARRELL, PETER DISTEFANO, STEPHEN PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind