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.
Porpoise Head
Porno for Pyros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
for the bubbles to settle
I'm going down low
where your sleep meets your mental
Two tries at killing me
they couldn't do it
I ran down the road
with no shoes and no jacket
Watch me dive away
Hey porpoise head
oh porpoise head
I know young boys
they all want to be bad
Don't think it's madder
to be a genius
Give me a lover
who won't give me troubles
Some sexy dreams
to chew on these bubbles
Here I go dive away
Watch me dive away
Hey porpoise head
oh porpoise head
I set sail with a tickle in my tail
I smell the bleach on the thin white sheets...
Here I lay waiting
for the bubbles to settle
I'm going down low where
your sleep meets your mental
two bags in Lilly's hands
just for the morning
into the bathroom
with cottons for swabbing
Here I go dive away
Watch me dive away
Hey porpoise head
oh porpoise head
Hey porpoise head
oh porpoise head
The lyrics to Porno For Pyros's song “Porpoise Head” explore the sensation of a drug-induced hallucination. The singer mentions waiting for the bubbles to settle, indicating that they are possibly in a bath or body of water, which gives them the sensation of diving deep into their subconscious, where their sleep meets their mental state. They have had two attempts at killing them, which could be interpreted as trying to escape the effects of drug use or possibly being suicidal. The singer mentions running down a road with no shoes or jacket, which could be either a literal or metaphorical reference to being vulnerable or unprotected.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I lay waiting
The singer is in a state of rest and anticipation
for the bubbles to settle
The singer is waiting for the agitation to calm down
I'm going down low
The singer is entering a lower state
where your sleep meets your mental
The singer is delving into the unconscious realm
Two tries at killing me
An attempt was made to harm the singer twice
they couldn't do it
The singer was not killed by the attempts
I ran down the road
The singer fled from the danger
with no shoes and no jacket
The singer was unprepared but had to escape anyway
Here I go dive away
The singer is diving into the unknown
Watch me dive away
The singer invites the audience to witness the journey
Hey porpoise head
The singer addresses a character symbolizing the oceanic realm
oh porpoise head
The singer repeats the address to emphasize it
I know young boys
The singer refers to a group with certain desires
they all want to be bad
The group in question wants to rebel against norms
Don't think it's madder
The singer suggests that being unconventional is not necessarily insane
to be a genius
The singer implies that being different could be genius
Give me a lover
The singer expresses romantic desire
who won't give me troubles
The singer desires a partner who won't cause problems
Some sexy dreams
The singer wants to indulge in erotic fantasies
to chew on these bubbles
The singer is using bubbles as a metaphor for desires
I set sail with a tickle in my tail
The singer is setting off on a new journey with excitement
I smell the bleach on the thin white sheets...
The singer senses the physical surroundings
two bags in Lilly's hands
The singer describes a scene with specific details
just for the morning
The bags are for a short-term use
into the bathroom
The bags are taken to a specific location
with cottons for swabbing
The bags contain medical supplies
Hey porpoise head
The singer repeats the address to emphasize it
oh porpoise head
The singer repeats the address to emphasize it
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PERRY FARRELL, PETER DISTEFANO, STEPHEN PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind