WRITTEN:
Written in late 1985 by Perry and Eric. In a way, it's the oldest Jane's song; Eric had come up with the bassline months before he started working with Perry. It was actually taken from a song Chris Brinkman wrote, while he and Eric were in a band together. Chris later became Jane's first guitarist, but was in the band only briefly.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:
Perry at a live show, '86...
"This is dedicated to all the motherfuckers of this world who think they run things. Fuck them!"

Perry at a live show, '90...
"This is a song about lies."

Perry in the Words And Music interview, late '88...
"We're not overtly political, but we're political but in a philosophical way. And I've always tried to write that way. Because I've kind of figured... you know, like "four dead in Ohio"... it kind of doesn't make sense anymore. You know what I mean? But if you were to sing something about "idiots rule"... 20 years from now or 100 years from now, that would still make sense. So I try to stay away from writing politically about politicians or political events. But philosophy is something that's, like, say... the great philosophers still matter, and they still make sense in these days. And I kinda feel like good philosophy is timeless."

Dave in Guitar World, 11/97...
"I remember Perry telling [Flea] what to play [sings riff]. That's what was great about Perry. We had this song, "Idiot's Rule," that Flea and Angelo Moore and Chris Dowd from [pioneering L.A. ska/rock/funk band] Fishbone came down to play on. And they had this horn section part worked out that took a Jane's Addiction song and, somehow, within one pass of tape, turned it into a Fishbone song. So Perry trimmed away some of the fat and it became what it is now."

Dave in Guitar Player, 1991...
"When I listen to records by Hendrix or Jimmy Page--albums I've known my whole life--I always hear something new. I like that, and I like the fact that there are things on our records that people won't hear at first, or even by the hundredth time. For example, on "Idiots Rule", there's a track of just wah-wah, no notes, just the muted strings. You can barely hear it, but it adds texture and opens things up a bit."

LIVE:
* Played frequently throughout Jane's existance, 86-91.

* 97-02: never played. (funny, with George W as president, I'd think this song would be relevant as ever! :)

ADDITIONAL INFO:
* As one of the above quotes mentions, on the album version, Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), and Christopher Dowd (also from Fishbone) play horns. I doubt Flea ever played it live with them, but I believe the other two did at a few L.A. shows.

* The song was played in 2003 at the Jammy Awards in NYC.. not by Jane's, but Perry came out and did it with The String Cheese Incident. The performance was released on the The Jammys, Vol. 1 dvd.

* A common mistake many fans make is thinking this is a pro-idiots song.. like saying "Yankees Rule!," only "Idiots Rule!"

LYRICS:
i got a lie
a fat fuckin' lie
about a law
idiots obey
they made it easy
now cheaters have their way
you hi-di-ho's
you're living on your knees
forget the rule!
oh - idiots rule!
forget the rule!
oh - idiots rule!
now there's a time...
but i say non like now
there's a time
where idiots are bound
if there's a pole
planted in your back
then you're a fixture
not a man
forget the rule!
oh - idiots rule!
forget the rule!
oh - idiots rule!
idiots!
idiots rule!
idiots!
idiots rule!
idiots!
idiots rule!
you know that man
you hate?
you look more like him
every day everyday
hi-di-hos!
2 good shoes
won't save your soul
idiots rule!
idiots rule!