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."
Kaleidoscope,
Wheel of hope.
Place to start out from,
Although it started long ago,
The world's work has begun.
A hula hope,
A human chain.
To warm our hands,
And find our way,
When all the lights go out.
A raincoat and a French beret.
The rolling hills of past mistakes,
Like quiet under cloud.
And I will long look to the churning sea,
This call to arms means wrap them,
Around the first person you see.
[Chorus]
Dandelions in bullet holes,
We stand in our civilian clothes,
On blankets laid out on a lawn,
Clouds of rain will all move on.
And when the mist clears we will see,
Both of our names on a marquee,
Across the ocean the same day,
And then washed ashore a block away.
The windmill is waiting for the same thing,
As the slackened sail,
As the core within like the wind,
Is blowing at the veil.
And I will long go on this inner sight,
This call to arms means hold to it,
And hold tight.
[Chorus]
Ah come on, these streams of light are not so subtle,
All along the ditch signs of like in sinking puddles.
Dandelions in bullet holes,
We stand in our civilian clothes,
On blankets laid out on a lawn,
Clouds of rain will all move on.
And when the mist clears we will see,
All of our names on a marquee,
Across the ocean the same day,
And then washed ashore a block away.
Wheel of hope.
Place to start out from,
Although it started long ago,
The world's work has begun.
A hula hope,
A human chain.
To warm our hands,
And find our way,
When all the lights go out.
A raincoat and a French beret.
The rolling hills of past mistakes,
Like quiet under cloud.
And I will long look to the churning sea,
This call to arms means wrap them,
Around the first person you see.
[Chorus]
Dandelions in bullet holes,
We stand in our civilian clothes,
On blankets laid out on a lawn,
Clouds of rain will all move on.
And when the mist clears we will see,
Both of our names on a marquee,
Across the ocean the same day,
And then washed ashore a block away.
The windmill is waiting for the same thing,
As the slackened sail,
As the core within like the wind,
Is blowing at the veil.
And I will long go on this inner sight,
This call to arms means hold to it,
And hold tight.
[Chorus]
Ah come on, these streams of light are not so subtle,
All along the ditch signs of like in sinking puddles.
Dandelions in bullet holes,
We stand in our civilian clothes,
On blankets laid out on a lawn,
Clouds of rain will all move on.
And when the mist clears we will see,
All of our names on a marquee,
Across the ocean the same day,
And then washed ashore a block away.
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Here are the lyrics (including punctuation and capitalization) from the CD jacket:
Kaleidoscope Wheel of hope Place to start out from Although it started long ago the world`s work has begun
A hula hoop a human chain to warm our hands and find our way when all the lights go out a raincoat and a French beret the rolling hills of past mistakes lie quiet under cloud and I will long look to the churning sea this call to arms means wrap them around the first person you see
Dandelions in bullet holes we stand in our civilian clothes on blankets laid out on a lawn clouds of rain will all move on and when the mist clears we will see both of our names on a marquee across the ocean the same day and then washed ashore a block away
The windmill is waiting for the same thing as the slackened sail At the core within something like the wind is blowing at the veil and I will long go on this inner sight this call to arms means hold to it and hold tight
Dandelions in bullet holes we stand in our civilian clothes on blankets laid out on a lawn clouds of rain will all move on and when the mist clears we will see both of our names on a marquee across the ocean the same day and then washed ashore a block away
Ah come on, these streams of light are not so subtle All along the ditch signs of life in sinking puddles
Dandelions in bullet holes we stand in our civilian clothes on blankets laid out on a lawn clouds of rain will all move on and when the mist clears we will see all of our names on a marquee across the ocean the same day and then washed ashore a block away