Jane Says

"Jane Says" is a song by the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. It was first released in semi-live format on the group's 1987 debut album, Jane's Addiction. It was re-recorded in the studio for the follow-up album, Nothing's Shocking. The Nothing's Shocking version is the most widely known version of the song, featuring steel drums that are not present on the cut from the self-titled album. A true live version appears on the band's 1997 new/live/out-take compilation Kettle Whistle.

The title refers to lead singer Perry Farrell's ex-housemate, Jane Bainter, who was the muse, inspiration, and the namesake of the band.^[1] The song carries drug references such as "kick" (stop using). The fourth verse contains a reference to St. Andrews Place in Los Angeles, CA.

"Jane Says" uses only two chords for most of the song. The original recording from Jane's Addiction features simple bongos and is sung in a lower register than later versions. The version that appears on Nothing's Shocking makes extensive use of steel drums played by Stephen Perkins in place of the original's bongos, giving the song an unmistakable sound. It is one of Jane's Addiction's most famous songs and frequently ends their concerts.

Downloadable content for Rock Band

The song was made available to download on November 29, 2011 for use in the Rock Band music video game series in both Basic rhythm, and PRO mode which takes advantage of the use of a real guitar / bass guitar, along with standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to vocals.^[2][3]

References