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."
Holy Mother of God
You've got to go faster than that to get to the top.
Dirty old mountain
All covered in smoke, she can turn you to stone
So you better start doing it right
Better start doing it right.
You're halfway up and you're halfway down
And the pack on your back is turning you around.
Throw it away, you won't need it up there, and remember
You don't look back whatever you do.
Better start doing it right.
On your left and on your right
Crosses are green and crosses are blue
Your friends didn't make it through.
Out of the night and out of the dark
Into the fire and into the fight
Well that's the way the heroes go, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Through a crack in Mother Earth,
Blazing hot, the molten rock
Spills out over the land.
And the lava's the lover who licks your boots away. Hey! Hey! Hey!
If you don't want to boil as well.
Be-be-better start the dance
D-D-Do you want to dance with me.
The music's playing, the notes are right
Put your left foot first and move into the light.
The edge of this hill is the edge of the world
And if you're going to cross you better start doing it right
Better start doing it right.
Let the dance begin.
You've got to go faster than that to get to the top.
Dirty old mountain
All covered in smoke, she can turn you to stone
So you better start doing it right
Better start doing it right.
You're halfway up and you're halfway down
And the pack on your back is turning you around.
Throw it away, you won't need it up there, and remember
You don't look back whatever you do.
Better start doing it right.
On your left and on your right
Crosses are green and crosses are blue
Your friends didn't make it through.
Out of the night and out of the dark
Into the fire and into the fight
Well that's the way the heroes go, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Through a crack in Mother Earth,
Blazing hot, the molten rock
Spills out over the land.
And the lava's the lover who licks your boots away. Hey! Hey! Hey!
If you don't want to boil as well.
Be-be-better start the dance
D-D-Do you want to dance with me.
The music's playing, the notes are right
Put your left foot first and move into the light.
The edge of this hill is the edge of the world
And if you're going to cross you better start doing it right
Better start doing it right.
Let the dance begin.
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Dance On a Volcano Lyrics as written by Phil Collins Anthony George Banks
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song has always spoken to me about the decision to commit to something big: things that people around you have tried and failed at ("your friends didn't make it through"), things that you might fail at ("if you don't want to boil as well"), things that require supreme effort ("if you're going to cross you better start doing it right"), things that will change your life whether you succeed or fail ("the edge of this hill is the edge of the world"). Or about asking a girl for a dance the first time. I don't know. But I prefer the first interpretation.
i agree with mr freezy
This has always been one of my favorite Genesis songs. I freaked out a little bit when I was reading about World War I, and the text mentioned types of nerve gas artillery shells being 'blue crosses' and 'green crosses' : worldwar1.com/arm006.htm. I thought then that this entire song must be an allegory for the hell of trench warfare. Then again, maybe not.
I've always been fascinated by the depth and emotion in the lyrics of this song. It's like peeling back layers to reveal the complexity of human experiences and emotions. Speaking of exploring options and making informed decisions, especially in financial matters, it's crucial to do thorough research. Just as we delve into song meanings to understand their essence, considering financial services requires a similar approach. For instance, if you're looking into getting a loan, I recommend reading a triceloans.ph/moca-moca-review/ review of Moca Moca's . It provides valuable insights, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your needs, much like understanding a song profoundly resonates with our personal experiences.
Seems to be like the title says "Dance on a volcano" but i wonder if in the lyrics there is a hidden lesson for life
''Crosses are green and crosses are blue''
What exactly is the meaning of this line? I've been wondering about this for awhile now.
Maybe the cross in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, which, at night, glows between red, green and blue, but all 3 of those colours would have been too many syllables. I don't know if it was glowing in '76, though.
Well, there's a French proverb that, translated, is "Don't dance on a volcano.' The meaning of which is basically the same as Don't Skate on Thin Ice/Don't Tempt the gods/Don't Play with Fire
So mostly the song, to me, is about taking risks, and if you're going to, you better "do it right" or the volcano will get the best of you, as it has some of your friends.
The best lyric in the song though, has to be "the lava's the lover who licks your boots away."
@Domino427 Interestingly, I just saw the phrase mentioned, in a Documentary on Hitler, as a phrase he used to describe the German economy, during the Weimar Republic, before the 1929 crash. Borrowed money from the USA was propping them up and when the crash hit the stockmarket, Germany had their war debt loans called in and they crashed. Since the young Genesis boys probably had heard this and other European folk lore it’s easy to see that your guess as to the meaning of this great song is probably the most accurate. This was the first Genesis song I saw performed live. They opened the show in Kansas City, Mo on Feb 5th 1977 with it. Great music especially the early years.
Based on the comments above, I looked up blue and green crosses. And they were indeed nicknames for two types of gasses used in chemical warfare in WWI. I felt it became really profound based on the French proverb mentioned about "Don't dance on a volcano" being not tempting fate, with the French being involved in trench warfare --- into the fire and into the fight, through a crack / trench in mother earth.
I'm not saying anything definitively. At least for me, that was a "holy crap!" moment. In addition to the allegory, I read this as you have to take risks and dare to do brave things.
I re-read this and it sounds like I'm dinging the French. I think the song celebrates bravery when they dare to dance on the volcano.
Given the time it was written, It could be about Phil Collins becoming the lead singer for Genesis AND Peter Gabriel launching his solo career. Lots of warnings about what lies ahead....Fortunately, they both made it to the top of the volcano and danced the night away, but that wasn't necessarily clear at the time of their first releases.
This is a great example of Genesis' beginning transition from the Gabril era to the Collins era. While the song was written and composed by Banks and Rutherford, it's clear that synth, rather than guitar and "real" drums, were being experimented. The song's not a throwaway, has some very creative elements, and is better than much of the Collins-penned music (I don't hate the guy, but he definitely wanted to take things in the pop direction), it's not the pinnacle of the album either.
I'd love this to be a song purely about someone who wants to dance on a volcano, I mean, hasn't everyone at some stage!
To me though the meaning is all about taking risks to get to a place you really want to be.
I agree. The lyrics seem to imply that if you take wise, calculated risks you will 'get to the top' and achieve your desired goal.V
@proggie but think about it, to dance on a volcano is simply impossible, it's only got one outcome, can't be done, before you even think about your first stop you'd be incinerated beyond identification, and tbh no, I have never thought of dancing on a volcano not even hot coals...