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."
They're playing basketball (uh all around the world)
We love that basketball (uh to the beat y'all)
They're playing basketball (let's go, all around the world)
We love that basketball (this is so so dat)
They're playing basketball (to the beat y'all)
We love that basketball (yeah)
They're playing basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
We love that basketball
Yeah, now basketball is my favorite sport
I like the way they dribble up and down the court
I keep it so fresh on the microphone
I like no interruption when the game is on
I like slam dunk, to take me to the hoop
My favorite play is the alley-oop
I like the pick-and-roll
I like the give-and-go
In this basketball, Bow Wow, let's go
They're playing basketball (uh all around the world)
We love that basketball (yeah, to the beat y'all)
They're playing basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
We love that basketball (yeah, what's up)
I got the rock in my hands
Ain't no telling what I'm gonna do with it
When I got possession I'ma act a fool with it
I might cross you up fake one way
Turn around and hit you with the MJ fade away
I'm throwing dime passes like J. Kidd
Taking cats to the rack
And I'm dunking on them like T. Mac
When I'm in the paint I play with that Alonzo style
I'm like Darius 'cause I can shoot two miles
Don't too many players get offers like me
Back and forth, I'll likely
Shake the checks off your Nikes
They almost had me in a suit at the draft
'Cause it look like a free throw when I be shooting from half
The first step like Iverson, blow past you
Usually nothing but net, but I can go blast too
When I'm in the paint the defense so shook
They don't know if I'ma put up a slow hook, or dish off a no-look
To drive the lane would be dumb, though
'Cause I send it back at you then give you the finger like Mutumbo
Shorty, over the summer, you might've boosted an inch
But as long as Fabolous is playing, get used to the bench
See my game consist of a whole lotta
Moves you would think I learned from the Harlem Globetrotters
J.D. gon' lead us to a ring
Fab and Bow Wow the only players that make cheerleaders want to sing
They're playing basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (yeah)
We love that basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
Now, now, now, now tell me were you in the joint
The night MJ scored sixty three points
When the Lakers won titles back-to-back
Didn't give nobody, no kind of slack
When Vince Carter gave and stuck his arm in the rim
Everybody went crazy in the whole damn gym
Dikembe Mutombo standing tall
Playing D with desire, it's basketball
They're playing basketball (uh all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball
We love that basketball
We love that basketball (uh to the beat y'all)
They're playing basketball (let's go, all around the world)
We love that basketball (this is so so dat)
They're playing basketball (to the beat y'all)
We love that basketball (yeah)
They're playing basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
We love that basketball
Yeah, now basketball is my favorite sport
I like the way they dribble up and down the court
I keep it so fresh on the microphone
I like no interruption when the game is on
I like slam dunk, to take me to the hoop
My favorite play is the alley-oop
I like the pick-and-roll
I like the give-and-go
In this basketball, Bow Wow, let's go
They're playing basketball (uh all around the world)
We love that basketball (yeah, to the beat y'all)
They're playing basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
We love that basketball (yeah, what's up)
I got the rock in my hands
Ain't no telling what I'm gonna do with it
When I got possession I'ma act a fool with it
I might cross you up fake one way
Turn around and hit you with the MJ fade away
I'm throwing dime passes like J. Kidd
Taking cats to the rack
And I'm dunking on them like T. Mac
When I'm in the paint I play with that Alonzo style
I'm like Darius 'cause I can shoot two miles
Don't too many players get offers like me
Back and forth, I'll likely
Shake the checks off your Nikes
They almost had me in a suit at the draft
'Cause it look like a free throw when I be shooting from half
The first step like Iverson, blow past you
Usually nothing but net, but I can go blast too
When I'm in the paint the defense so shook
They don't know if I'ma put up a slow hook, or dish off a no-look
To drive the lane would be dumb, though
'Cause I send it back at you then give you the finger like Mutumbo
Shorty, over the summer, you might've boosted an inch
But as long as Fabolous is playing, get used to the bench
See my game consist of a whole lotta
Moves you would think I learned from the Harlem Globetrotters
J.D. gon' lead us to a ring
Fab and Bow Wow the only players that make cheerleaders want to sing
They're playing basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (yeah)
We love that basketball (uh huh, uh huh)
Now, now, now, now tell me were you in the joint
The night MJ scored sixty three points
When the Lakers won titles back-to-back
Didn't give nobody, no kind of slack
When Vince Carter gave and stuck his arm in the rim
Everybody went crazy in the whole damn gym
Dikembe Mutombo standing tall
Playing D with desire, it's basketball
They're playing basketball (uh all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball (all around the world)
We love that basketball (put it up, put it up, put it up now)
They're playing basketball
We love that basketball
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