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."
Their custom concern for the people
Build up the monuments and steeples
To wear out our eyes
I get up just about noon
My head sends a message for me
To reach for my shoes then walk
Gotta go to work, gotta go to work, gotta get a job
Goes through the parking lot fields
Doesn't see no signs that they will yield
And then thought, this'll never end
This'll never end, this'll never stop
Message read on the bathroom wall
Says, "I don't feel at all like I fall."
And we're losing all touch, losing all touch
Building a desert
Build up the monuments and steeples
To wear out our eyes
I get up just about noon
My head sends a message for me
To reach for my shoes then walk
Gotta go to work, gotta go to work, gotta get a job
Goes through the parking lot fields
Doesn't see no signs that they will yield
And then thought, this'll never end
This'll never end, this'll never stop
Message read on the bathroom wall
Says, "I don't feel at all like I fall."
And we're losing all touch, losing all touch
Building a desert
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
This is just my intreperetation and I don't claim this to be the right, its just what I think. I think that this is deeper than just drugs or social pressure or something similar. Ithink the main purpose of this song is to describe depression. I think whoever wrote this song used a lot of heavy metaphor, tone of music, imagery, and description of depression (without directly addressing it). I think that this is true because of, for starters, the music itself is very dreary and depressing. The banjo (I think it is, correct me if I am wrong) alone gives the listener a sense of mourning throughout the song. For the purpose of my interpretation, I would say that sense of mourning is for the loss of happiness (or the lack of it). Also, the writer uses images that are visually empty like a desert or "parking lot fields". Besides this being completely brilliant (sorry if this is a tad off topic of my analysis, but I just can't resist), it also reflects the how the writer feels, emotionally, empty, barren. Such a feeling, is often a common sign of depression. Also, the author presents waking up and going to work, something that is an ordinary task for every working person as difficult, hence reflecting another sign of depression, the agony of merely living and carrying out a life, and the last verse in the second stanza, "this'll never end, this'll never end, this'll never stop" plays well with the former line described. It describes the never ending hopelessness of the depression that the writer faces every day. Sorry if it was a little long, but for those who read it, thank yhou. I apprecate your consideration for my opinion.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I read an article a couple months ago talking about songs that describe how depression feels and this is the first song I thought of. It just seems to describe the tedium of day to day life in the world really well.
Agree. I'm kind of depressed right now and this is the song i'm listening to. I can completely relate to how monotonous the "normal" life feels all of a sudden. And I'm in love with the phrases "I dont feel at all like I fall", "And we're losing all touch building a desert" Thats how this feels like. I normally dont comment on songs, but this is one of those few songs (like Radiohead's Motion picture soundtrack and Death cab's Line of best fit) that I simply feel like listening on forever. If they let me play a song at my funeral, then this is one of them. peace.
every single song by modest mouse makes people guess either drugs or depression. come on now.
@antrl I don't feel at all like I fall was a dead giveaway. i love that line.<br /> <br /> Basically saying the ups aren't worth the downs. they don't balance out.
@antrl Yup, reminds me of another great band Drive By Truckers song 'Gravity's Gone' " I've been falling so long its like gravity's gone and I'm just floating" They've got a way with words and backing it up with instrumentality. M.M. was one of my first and have always highlighted certain things some people just don't care to understand, which is understandable. <br /> <br /> Duh duh duh duh duhduhduhduh duh duh duh duhduhduhduh...ups and downs. Its brilliant with the banjo. I see them every chance I get and it never seems like the younger kids get what the songs are about. On a good note I got two jobs today that I'm going to LOVE. I thought of this song. Great post, thanks!