Pigs in Zen or Pig’s In Zen is a Jane’s Addiction song that was written in 1985.  A live version appears on the band’s self-titled album Jane’s Addiction and a studio version appears as a bonus track on the CD and cassette version of Nothing’s Shocking.

The existence of the apostrophe in the title is a subject of some curiosity, and has created the debate of which version is correct: the plural of pig (multiple pigs in zen) vs. the contraction pig’s (the pig is in zen).  On Jane’s Addiction’s self-titled debut, the song is listed as “Pigs in Zen”, while on cassette and CD versions of Nothing’s Shocking, the track is listed as “Pig’s in Zen”.

Pigs in Zen is often considered the band’s “anything goes” songs. The band would frequently work in some new jams during the songs. Perry also created countless memorable “perryisms” during live performances. This song is also where the origins of songs like Bobhaus and Blood Rag are rooted.

Lyrics

Jane’s Addiction version:

Get up!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Pigs in the mud
When he tires
Pigs in zen
Pigs in zen
Pig is nude
Unashamed
Pigs in zen
Pigs in zen

Talkin’ bout the pig
The pig
The pig – uh
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pig
Yeah! A god damn pig!
Lets go!

Pig mounts sow
When he’s wound
Pigs in zen
Pigs in zen
And pig eats shit
But only when he hungers
Pig’s in zen
I know
The pigs in zen

I’m talking talkin’ bout the pig
The pig
The pig – uh
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pig
Yeah, goddamn pig
Lets go!

Oh baby!
I know about war!
But I just wanna fuck!
I know about pain and suffering and being cold
But I just wanna fuck!
Pig is led to the slaughter
Pig is led to the sla….
This he said, is the price some pay
For a simple life oh!

How he feels
That’s proof for him
Talking ’bout the pig
The pig
The pig
The pig
The pig
The god damn pig
The pig – uh
Pa-pa-pa-pa pig!

Nothing’s Shocking version:

Pig goes 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!
Lets go!

Pig mounts sow
When he’s wound
Pig’s in zen
Pig’s in zen
Pig eats shit
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
Lets go!

Yeah, so roses are red
I made up the rest
If you got some big fucking secret
Then why don’t you sing me something?
I’m in the midst of a trauma
Leave a message- I’ll call you back
Leave it by the bed
Some people should die
That’s just unconscious knowledge
Because, because the bigger you get
The wider you’re spread
You gotta depend on me
Now your vision is dead
The more your dream is dead
Visions…
It gets sucked from my eye
Like an eagle’s claw

The pig
The pig
The pig
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pig

Demo version:

Pig goes 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!
Go!

Pig mounts sow
When he’s wound
Pig’s in zen
Pig’s in zen
Pig eats shit
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
Go!
I say
Away
Take off!

Pig is lead to the slaughter
Pig is lead to the slaughter
This is said
Is the price some pay
For a simple life oh!

How he feels
That’s proof for him
Talking ’bout the pig
The pig
The pig
The pig
The pig
The god damn pig
The pig – uh
Pa-pa-pa-pa pig!