Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
So hard to answer future's riddle
When ahead is seeming so far behind
So hard to laugh a child-like giggle
When the tears start to torture my mind
So hard to shed the life of before
To let my soul automatically soar
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today
So real, the pain of growing in soul
Of climbing up to reality's goal
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Long promised road
Trail starts at dawn
Carries on to the season's ending
Long promised road
Flows to the source, gentle force
Never ending, never ending
So hard to lift the jeweled sceptre
When the weight turns a smile to a frown
So hard to drink of passion nectar
When the taste of life's holding me down
So hard to plant the seed of reform
To set my sights on defeating the storm
So I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
When ahead is seeming so far behind
So hard to laugh a child-like giggle
When the tears start to torture my mind
So hard to shed the life of before
To let my soul automatically soar
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today
So real, the pain of growing in soul
Of climbing up to reality's goal
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Long promised road
Trail starts at dawn
Carries on to the season's ending
Long promised road
Flows to the source, gentle force
Never ending, never ending
So hard to lift the jeweled sceptre
When the weight turns a smile to a frown
So hard to drink of passion nectar
When the taste of life's holding me down
So hard to plant the seed of reform
To set my sights on defeating the storm
So I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks a-stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
The song, I believe, has to do with Carl taking the reins in a sense. When Brian was not able to actively lead the band in the studio, Carl inherited that role. It is about overcoming obstacles and also confronting challenges. This is a beautiful, smart song that Carl considers his first "real" composition.
It's too bad nobody has commented on this, it's a really underrated song, and as always, Carl sings beautifully. Everytime I listen to the words, half of it sounds like mumbo jumbo to me for some reason (even though I can understand the words), but it seems pretty obvious that it has to do with overcoming difficult hurdles and fighting off the obstacles in life, or something like that. At any rate, people should search for this song on youtube, there's a really sweet music video type thing they filmed for it, with Carl.
Astrobot, I've listened to Beach Boys songs for years (decades even) but usually the more popular ones i.e the hits, but I stumbled upon this one yesterday and I haven't been able to get the chorus out of my head. I agree this is an underrated song. I'll check out the Youtube video tonight. I like Carl but always preferred Denny cuz he was cool as fuck but Carl could write and sing. No questioning that.
This is pretty much a Carl Wilson solo track. He plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals. Amazing tune. RIP Carl :(
@astrobot I absolutely agree that this song is far underrated, however seeing Long Promised Road used as the title for Brian Wilson’s documentary is a beautiful nod to his brother and I’m noticing more attention being given to this album by YouTube creators. And yes, I do realize that your original comment was made 15 years ago ;)
This song isn't "socially conscious" or anything like some songs were supposed to be on Surf's Up, but it's cool because it does give you much more of a feeling of a narrative compared to most Beach Boys songs, and it's really cool. Carl sounds pretty proud here.