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."
Do you feel alive now that you own the dead
Praying on their corpses, their hearts no longer feel
Your sainthood is obvious on every starving face
Your deception's given us a way to separate
The poor from their hate, the rich from the stone
Genuflect away the sins that we've known
Sure one percent rules, but heaven's made of gold
So chalk it up to folly and consequence alone
Do we really want what we really need a bastard messiah
Wrapped up in the dream of patriotic clean white washed desire
And every time the real war's defined, the trenches are filled to hide battle lines
Torches to bridges and bridges to torture
Headlines distort what we see as our borders
And what gives us the right to feed with remorse for a god they created
A god for the poor, for bathory we're bleeding out the devil hicks in angelic shrouds
Blasphemy as speaking out we've asked for it for more of the same
Sad scheme of ghettos created by the power elite, for our minds and souls burning
No longer for freedom invoked just more of the same
Praying on their corpses, their hearts no longer feel
Your sainthood is obvious on every starving face
Your deception's given us a way to separate
The poor from their hate, the rich from the stone
Genuflect away the sins that we've known
Sure one percent rules, but heaven's made of gold
So chalk it up to folly and consequence alone
Do we really want what we really need a bastard messiah
Wrapped up in the dream of patriotic clean white washed desire
And every time the real war's defined, the trenches are filled to hide battle lines
Torches to bridges and bridges to torture
Headlines distort what we see as our borders
And what gives us the right to feed with remorse for a god they created
A god for the poor, for bathory we're bleeding out the devil hicks in angelic shrouds
Blasphemy as speaking out we've asked for it for more of the same
Sad scheme of ghettos created by the power elite, for our minds and souls burning
No longer for freedom invoked just more of the same
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Bathory's Sainthood Lyrics as written by Matthew Krupanski Joshua Latshaw
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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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,
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.
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/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
fuckin love it, cant wait for the new album
This song starts out sounding pretty different than any other Boy Sets Fire songs that I know of, it's really great, probably my favourite from Live For Today.
COuld this EP possibly be any better? i think not. I cant wait for the full length. I think this is the best song i have ever heard. But, in regard to the meaning, i think it is speaking out against the dogma of religion. The bastard messiah phrase obviously refers to jesus. But i dont think the song is anti- god. I think it against playing god, and getting so wrapped up in religion that you feel you know the whims of god(created or real)
this song seems to be about elizabeth bathory - a countess of transylvania. she was one of the most cruel serial killers who lived in the late 16th, early 17th century. she murdered about 600 innocent young women and bathed in their blood since she thougt that she would regain her beauty through the blood of a young women.
I didn't know that about Elizabeth Bathory. Before I heard that, I thought it was a song that was warning people about blindly following a religion. God owns the dead, God separates poor from their hate, and causes rich people to give up their money. God promises riches in heaven, but that does nothing for people on earth. "Blasphemy for speaking out" refers to how the church keeps people from questioning it.
I went to boysetsfire.com and searched the forums and it seems to be more about the religion thing but the Elizabeth Bathory thing contributes to the meaning of the song as well
i don't think the bastard messiah line necessarily refers to jesus, although thats what most people would think. i thought i read something somewhere that bastard messiah was making fun of people who thought they were god.
this song, i think, is about us invading and 'christianizing' the middle east. especially the lines:
"wrapped up in the dream of patriotic clean white washed desire/and every time the real wars defined/the trenches are filled to hide battle lines/torches to bridges and bridges to torture/headlines distort what we see as our borders/and what gives us the right to feel with remorse/for a god they created"
it really, really fits in to what's going on in Iraq right now. being the political band they are this seems to fit real well.
this song, i think, is about us invading and 'christianizing' the middle east. especially the lines:
"wrapped up in the dream of patriotic clean white washed desire/and every time the real wars defined/the trenches are filled to hide battle lines/torches to bridges and bridges to torture/headlines distort what we see as our borders/and what gives us the right to feel with remorse/for a god they created"
it really, really fits in to what's going on in Iraq right now. being the political band they are this seems to fit real well.
this song is about the war against terror, i know cause nathan said so when i last saw them. not religion or that elizabeth