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."
If I were you
I'd better watch out
When was the last time
You did anything
Not for me
Or anyone else
Just because
Just because
Yeah
Oh, you really should have known
hey you
You really should have known
Just because
Just because
You've got the most
Ah, but nobody loves you
Nobody has to
Just because
You
You really should have known
Oh, you
I think you really should have known
Just because
Just because
Oh yeah
Oh, you better watch out
When we first met
And we passed around gifts
That was a long time, ago
And you're feeling fit
Yeah you
Oh, you really should have known
Yeah you
Oh, you really should have known
Just because
Just because
Just because
Oh yeah
Oh, you better watch out
I'd better watch out
When was the last time
You did anything
Not for me
Or anyone else
Just because
Just because
Yeah
Oh, you really should have known
hey you
You really should have known
Just because
Just because
You've got the most
Ah, but nobody loves you
Nobody has to
Just because
You
You really should have known
Oh, you
I think you really should have known
Just because
Just because
Oh yeah
Oh, you better watch out
When we first met
And we passed around gifts
That was a long time, ago
And you're feeling fit
Yeah you
Oh, you really should have known
Yeah you
Oh, you really should have known
Just because
Just because
Just because
Oh yeah
Oh, you better watch out
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More Featured Meanings
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.
the way i see this song is about a person, probably a woman, who's very beautiful and well-thought-of and trendy and has "got the most", but has become so ensconced in the ideal of the perfect popular person that she forgets to just do something for shits and kick back and be herself. this song says to me that compulsion and "just because" moments help a person stay real.
This is song is amazing.
"You've got the most Ahh, but nobody loves you Nobody has to "- Janes addiction is back and this is a great song to kick it off with. Couldnt have expected any more than this song.The guitar is amazing as usual. simply amazing
i completely agree with nevrtrust....the guitars are so freakin awesome, this sogn really gets me going
i completely agree with nevrtrust....the guitars are so freakin awesome, this sogn really gets me going
Just the thought of this song makes me so excited about Strays. I was bout 4 when they last released an album, so this kind of like the first time I can really experience Jane's Addiction as it happens. I'm so excited, I really love their music, and this song is already one of my favourites, up there with Three Days and Summertime Rolls and...so many more. The energy and chemistry in the band is breathtaking.
Songmeaningsuser, I know what you mean, I was too young to experiance them when they put out Ritual, and Nothing's Shocking, but as soon as I heard they were gettign back together, I couldn't wait for this album.
I got to see them on the latest UK tour, and they were amazing. It was suprising to me, to see the make up of the crowd, there were big ass rockers, in Slayer T-shirts, shoulder to shoulder with Emo kids, but I guess thats the beauty of Jane's Addiction, its not about being into a certain type of music, is just about appreciating good music.
Anyway, I think the song is a warning to people who only help others because it benefits them.
This song I'm pretty positive is about Perry Farrell looking back upon his more self distructive days. "Just because" Is basically him now looking back now that he's cleaned up and is singing about his former self. "If I were you, I'd better watch out, When was the last time You did anything Not for me or anyone else."
** I also feel this song could be in a undertoned way the new Jane's says, it could easily be realated to Jane also.
I'm pretty sure that he says
"When we first met And we passed around gifts- That was a long time ago, And you're still in bed."
Can anyone confirm one way or the other~? thanks
First of all we'll just get that verse correctly, from the lyric sheet it reads:
"When we first met, We passed around gifts, That was a long time ago, And your's didn't fit"
Any way here are my thoughts on what this song is about.
A little while ago I read a fascinating story of how Perry used the proceeds of the Jane's reunion tour to buy the freebom of 30,000 sudanese slaves at $3 a pop, somewhere in the region of $100, 000 all in. Now this was never used as a means to promote the tour or the band, it was leaked later on. Therefor Perry had done this great act of charity JUST BECAUSE. Now look at other fortunate people, specifically celebrities, when a celebrity gets involved in a good cause they make sure everybody knows about it because it is really good publicity. So that is not doing anything JUST BECAUSE that is having an agenda.
So to recap Perry rocks, celebrity publicity whores suck.
Case Closed!
brian molko can be seen singing this song on the documentary of placebo's dvd he sings "oh you, you really should have known" whilst in a car