If you were alive and tuned into MTV in 1993, you probably remember Perry Farrell standing in a desert, looking thin and ethereal, singing about how "we'll make great pets." It was catchy. It was weird. It was the Pets song, formally known as just "Pets," the lead single from the self-titled debut album of Farrell’s post-Jane’s Addiction project, Porno for Pyros.
Most people just remember the chorus. It’s one of those earworms that sticks to the ribs of pop culture. But beneath that bouncy, almost childlike melody, the track actually hides some pretty heavy existential anxiety. It wasn't just a song about dogs or cats. Honestly, it was a song about the end of the world. Or, more accurately, it was about who—or what—might come after us.
Farrell wrote it during a time of massive upheaval. The 1992 L.A. Riots had just happened. The world felt like it was fracturing. When you look at the lyrics through that lens, the idea of being "pets" for a superior alien race isn't just a stoner thought; it’s a commentary on human inadequacy. We're messy. We're violent. Maybe we’d be better off if someone else took the leash.
Why "Pets" Caught the 90s Zeitgeist
The early nineties were a strange transition for rock. Grunge was king, but Perry Farrell was always doing his own thing. He had just wrapped up Jane’s Addiction at their peak and started Lollapalooza. He was the "Godfather of Alternative Rock," but "Pets" sounded nothing like Nirvana or Pearl Jam. It was clean. It was groovy. It had that signature Peter DiStefano acoustic-meets-electric guitar shimmer.
Radio loved it. The Pets song hit number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and stayed there for weeks. It worked because it was subversive. You could hum it while cleaning your room, but if you actually listened, Farrell was singing about how "there will be no more use for monkeys." He’s basically saying humans are obsolete. It’s a cynical take wrapped in a bright, shimmering candy coating.
Most bands at the time were screaming about their internal pain. Farrell was looking at a telescope. He was obsessed with the "Grey" aliens and the idea of evolution. In his mind, if humans couldn't get their act together, the next step in the evolutionary ladder would treat us the same way we treat a Golden Retriever. It’s a humbling thought, isn't it?
The Sound of Porno for Pyros
When Porno for Pyros dropped that first record, people didn't know what to make of it. Martyn LeNoble on bass and Stephen Perkins on drums (who followed Perry from Jane’s) created this incredibly tight, tribal rhythm section. But it wasn't the heavy, dark funk of Jane’s Addiction. It was more atmospheric.
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The Pets song is the perfect example of this "desert rock" aesthetic. It feels wide open. You can almost feel the heat shimmer coming off the pavement. This wasn't recorded in a dark, sweaty club; it sounds like it was born in the middle of a California wasteland.
Interestingly, the track almost didn't have that iconic "Pets" title. It was just a vibe they were working on in the studio. But Farrell’s lyrics about being a "good pet" were so central to the concept of the whole Porno for Pyros era—which was all about fire, chaos, and the primal nature of man—that it became the definitive anthem for the band.
Misconceptions About the Lyrics
A lot of people think the song is a literal ode to animal rights. It’s not. While Farrell has always been an eccentric and soulful guy, "Pets" is sci-fi at its core.
"My baby says we'll make great pets."
The "baby" in question refers to his girlfriend at the time, Casey Niccoli. They were sitting around talking about the state of the planet. They looked at how humans treat animals—with a mix of love and total dominance—and wondered if a more advanced civilization would do the same to us.
- Humanity’s Ego: We think we’re the masters of the universe.
- The Alien Perspective: To a billion-year-old civilization, we're probably just cute, slightly aggressive hamsters.
- The End of Conflict: Pets don't start wars. They just exist.
There’s a weirdly peaceful nihilism in the song. Farrell isn't scared of being a pet. He’s almost looking forward to it. He’s tired of the "monkeys" (humans) causing trouble. If you’ve ever looked at the news and felt like everything is spiraling, you can probably relate to the desire to just sit on a rug and let someone else handle the logistics of the galaxy.
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The Iconic Music Video
You can't talk about the Pets song without mentioning the video. It was directed by Perry Farrell and Casey Niccoli. It was bright, overexposed, and featured the band performing in the desert with giant prosthetic heads and strange costumes.
It was peak 90s "weird for the sake of being weird," but it had a purpose. It visually represented that "Grey" alien aesthetic that Farrell was so into. It looked like a transmission from another planet. In an era of gritty, black-and-white videos of bands playing in rainy garages, the "Pets" video felt like a psychedelic fever dream.
It also helped that Farrell was a natural-born star. Even with his eyebrows shaved off and wearing bizarre outfits, he had this magnetic energy. He wasn't just a singer; he was a shaman. The video became a staple on Beavis and Butt-Head, which, for 1993, was the ultimate seal of cultural relevance. If those two idiots weren't making fun of you, you weren't really famous.
Technical Details and Production
The song was produced by Perry Farrell and Matt Hyde. One of the things that makes it stand out even today is the "dry" production. There isn't a ton of reverb on the vocals. It sounds like Perry is whispering right in your ear.
The guitar work by Peter DiStefano is particularly genius. He uses these suspended chords that never quite resolve, which creates a sense of floating. It matches the lyrical theme perfectly. You're drifting in space, waiting for the aliens to pick you up.
Musicians often overlook how difficult it is to make a song this simple feel this "big." It’s basically a two-chord jam for much of its duration, but the layers of percussion and the subtle shifts in Farrell’s vocal delivery keep it from getting boring. It’s a masterclass in minimalist alternative rock.
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The Legacy of "Pets"
Does the song still matter? Absolutely. In the age of AI and talks of "technological singularities," the idea of humans becoming obsolete feels more real than it did in 1993. We might not be pets for aliens; we might be pets for the algorithms we created.
The Pets song remains a high-water mark for 90s alternative because it didn't try to be cool. It was just honest. It captured a very specific moment in time when the Cold War was over, the internet was just starting, and everyone was looking at the stars wondering, "Is this it?"
It also proved that Perry Farrell was a visionary. He didn't need Dave Navarro’s explosive guitar solos to make a hit. He just needed a good idea and a catchy hook. Porno for Pyros would eventually drift apart after their second album, Good God's Urge, but "Pets" remains the definitive statement of that era.
How to Listen to "Pets" Today
If you want to dive back into this track, don't just stream the single. Listen to the whole self-titled Porno for Pyros album. It’s a journey. Tracks like "Sadness" and "Cursed Female" provide the darker context that makes "Pets" feel even more like a brief, sunny respite in a chaotic world.
- Vinyl: The original pressings are hard to find and expensive, but there have been recent reissues that capture that warm, desert-air sound much better than a compressed MP3.
- Live Versions: Check out the band's performance at Woodstock '94. It was messy, loud, and perfectly captures the energy of the time.
- The Meaning: Next time you hear it, think about your own "pet" status. Are we the masters of our domain, or are we just waiting for someone to feed us?
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
Understanding the Pets song requires looking beyond the surface level of 90s nostalgia. Here is how you can actually engage with this piece of music history:
- Analyze the Lyrics as Social Commentary: Read the lyrics to "Pets" alongside a history of the 1992 L.A. Riots. You'll see how Farrell’s disillusionment with human behavior fueled the desire for a non-human "master."
- Explore Peter DiStefano’s Style: If you're a guitar player, study the "Pets" riff. It’s a great example of using open strings and non-standard voicings to create an "airy" sound without using heavy effects.
- Compare to Jane's Addiction: Listen to Ritual de lo Habitual and then Porno for Pyros. Notice how Farrell stripped away the "heavy metal" influence to find something more experimental and groove-oriented.
- Watch the Interviews: Look for 1993 interviews with Perry Farrell regarding his belief in extraterrestrials. It puts the "Grey" imagery in the music video into a much clearer perspective.
The song isn't just a relic of the grunge era; it's a philosophical question set to a 4/4 beat. It asks us to consider our place in the universe. And it does it all while being one of the catchiest songs of the decade. We might indeed make great pets, but as long as we have music like this, at least we'll be entertained in our cages.