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."
In a romantic fashion
I will experiment with my fear right before her eyes
And every smile that's unveiled will be soaked
In my nervous charm
Then I'll say
"Is everything alright?
There's been a few things I've been meaning
To let go of tonight"
And she will say
"Everything's just fine
So you can put an end to your worrying mind"
And then our lips will collide
The August sky will then bare witness
To a brand new chapter with torn up pages
When the planets align, I can feel the gates opening
To my courage
As I proceed to run my fingers through her hair
And forget everyone who's jaded, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
In a confident fashion
I will admit my deepest and darkest to her
And every gaze across the table
Will send my unsuspecting body into shock
Then I'll say
"Would you like to go inside?
And forget the world and the rules
By which we are to abide"
And she will say
"There's nothing I want more"
As we step into the room, turn off the lights and close the door
The August sky will then bare witness
To a brand new chapter with torn up pages
When the planets align, I can feel the gates opening
To my courage
As I proceed to run my fingers through her hair
And forget everyone who's jaded, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
No, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
Brash and hopeful
That my luck will not perish tonight
When the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Brash and hopeful
That my luck won't perish tonight
And when the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Brash and hopeful
That my luck will not perish tonight
And when the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Consider this song a testament
Of my devotion to your saccharine scent
And to be completely honest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
Consider this song a testament
Of my devotion to your saccharine scent
And to be completely honest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
Oh no, you're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
I will experiment with my fear right before her eyes
And every smile that's unveiled will be soaked
In my nervous charm
Then I'll say
"Is everything alright?
There's been a few things I've been meaning
To let go of tonight"
And she will say
"Everything's just fine
So you can put an end to your worrying mind"
And then our lips will collide
The August sky will then bare witness
To a brand new chapter with torn up pages
When the planets align, I can feel the gates opening
To my courage
As I proceed to run my fingers through her hair
And forget everyone who's jaded, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
In a confident fashion
I will admit my deepest and darkest to her
And every gaze across the table
Will send my unsuspecting body into shock
Then I'll say
"Would you like to go inside?
And forget the world and the rules
By which we are to abide"
And she will say
"There's nothing I want more"
As we step into the room, turn off the lights and close the door
The August sky will then bare witness
To a brand new chapter with torn up pages
When the planets align, I can feel the gates opening
To my courage
As I proceed to run my fingers through her hair
And forget everyone who's jaded, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
No, 'cause they don't matter
And I don't care
Brash and hopeful
That my luck will not perish tonight
When the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Brash and hopeful
That my luck won't perish tonight
And when the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Brash and hopeful
That my luck will not perish tonight
And when the overcast tries to kill me
It's your slow motion rain
That falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Consider this song a testament
Of my devotion to your saccharine scent
And to be completely honest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
Consider this song a testament
Of my devotion to your saccharine scent
And to be completely honest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
Oh no, you're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
You're not like all the rest
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208
The Night Will Go as Follows Lyrics as written by Nicholas Edward Thomas Nicholas Thomas
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
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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,
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Brash and hopeful that my luck will not perish tonight And when the overcast tries to kill me it's your slow motion rain that falls warm on my neck that keep me alive
Amazing. My favorite by far.