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."
I'm not one to say
Where my feelings are going when they wither away
Oh I pray to see another day
My heart's feeling like a needle lost in the hay
Restrained to meet again
Oh my friend do you think that we ever will?
Oh, I know we are free
The games are played with your life on the line
Some lose, you win if you keep on trying
I don't mind doing the time, I'm happier being alive
Now I know the means of my oppression were all lies
The only truth is your own
Most sacred lesson I'd ever learn
Oh, I know we are free
Yeah, yeah
Don't go, no
Don't look back
Just realize
I've been robbed, I've been fooled
I intend now to make my own rules
Dagger's edge cut the line
I've been down that road too many times
What's to fear? Fear no more
Show my conscience what fear's for
Now I know this is so real
What's done is done, so do as you will
I'm keeping alive, go on, no, don't look back
Just realize where you've gone
Where are you going to? No, life's not done with you
You've only just begun to live your life for you
Where my feelings are going when they wither away
Oh I pray to see another day
My heart's feeling like a needle lost in the hay
Restrained to meet again
Oh my friend do you think that we ever will?
Oh, I know we are free
The games are played with your life on the line
Some lose, you win if you keep on trying
I don't mind doing the time, I'm happier being alive
Now I know the means of my oppression were all lies
The only truth is your own
Most sacred lesson I'd ever learn
Oh, I know we are free
Yeah, yeah
Don't go, no
Don't look back
Just realize
I've been robbed, I've been fooled
I intend now to make my own rules
Dagger's edge cut the line
I've been down that road too many times
What's to fear? Fear no more
Show my conscience what fear's for
Now I know this is so real
What's done is done, so do as you will
I'm keeping alive, go on, no, don't look back
Just realize where you've gone
Where are you going to? No, life's not done with you
You've only just begun to live your life for you
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This song has always been my theme song for my life. I don’t know what the song meaning really is, but for me it means life has been a living hell. Taking way to much shit for way to long. Then one day you put for foot down and say no more! It’s about the end of living your life trying to live up to others expectations, and beginning to live your life for you, just like it says. You cannot love another until you love yourself, and I feel this song is all about that. It’s about letting go of a painful past and moving on to something better. Living life to the fullest and letting go of the people who hold you down.
I completely agree, nevermind trying to fit in and denying your own desires so others will accept you-should be common sense but the world is corrputed by false values. "You cannot love another until you love yourself", this nails it.
This song has always been my theme song for my life. I don’t know what the song meaning really is, but for me it means life has been a living hell. Taking way to much shit for way to long. Then one day you put for foot down and say no more! It’s about the end of living your life trying to live up to others expectations, and beginning to live your life for you, just like it says. You cannot love another until you love yourself, and I feel this song is all about that. It’s about letting go of a painful past and moving on to something better. Living life to the fullest and letting go of the people who hold you down.
One of the best song by one of the most underrated bands in music history, and a damn shame no ones commented on it. To me it could be about getting your heart broken, or let down, or possibly mistreated and then finally sick and tired of it all, tired of making the same mistake and decideing to take a stand. Again, an awesome song!
Love the acoustic solo at the beginning, and a great song overall.
I think the song is about looking back on your life and that even if you've made mistakes, your life is not over and you still have lots of life left to make up for it, so use it.
I Agree With Thrash I Was Listening To It Today For The 1st Time And It Hit Me How Awsome This Song Is
To Me Its About Having Your Hartbroken By A Chick Whos Found Someone Better And Just Waking Up One Day And Thinking "Im Still Alive So Ive Still Gotta Be Here For Some Reason"
I always thought the same as lurking-panther (heartbroken but going on with your life) but as I reread the lyrics last week I also have another explanation.
The line: I don´t mind doing time, I´m happier being alive sounds like it refers to someone in jail (doing time) who could also have gotten the death sentence. Looking back on his life he now wants it to be like it used to be when he was younger (line: Restrained to meet again. My friend do you think that we ever will).
When he's released he realises his life is just beginning, and he wants to make something of it (line:You´re only just begun, to live your life! for you... ).
lol, i love how this song is the ballad, and is just called "The Ballad"
I couldn't agree more with what jengirl105 wrote. I would only add to that something that sticks out in it for me - and I have to point out a mistake in what's written above first because the real words are part of my point. The transcription above (at the time of my comment here) reads:
…I'm happier being alive Now I know the trust is your own most sacred lesson I've ever learned ...
I believe the text is wrong on a word or two and also missing quite a few words and, like other sites have it written - it should be:
…I'm happier being alive Now I know the means to my oppression were all lies… The only truth is your own most sacred lesson I've ever learned ...
the next line is "I know we are free" and so put that all together and to me he's describing an epiphany about the control we have on our destiny. I think that's what he means by free - we are not tied down by destiny unless we don't go meet up with at a place of our own choosing.
So - that's what has always stuck out in my mind when listening to it, but I probably never knew all the words but reading it now I see other thoughts through-out. Some seem a little disjointed or maybe I'm just missing a bigger picture. Like "I pray to see another day" and "I don't mind doing the time, I'm happier being alive" lines both seem very Taoist to me - in a good way. I guess maybe I could see the big picture - now typing about it. The ending is just pure energy - the metal version of a very good motivational speech. And that's what makes me see a connect back to the ~Taoism and so a big picture - just a good bit of positive philosophy. I've always thought metal was therapeutic - almost purely based in catharsis, haha - think about it (or wiki it and then think about it)
To me, this is one of the best songs ever. The music is incredible, the guitar parts are so fine, powerful, visceral, inspired, sweet - that's too many adjectives but it's true.