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."
Boys wear overcoats in heat like this to keep themselves from showing
Girls fill out prescriptions for the tricks that keep their hearts from growing
Specialists review the year in tears and call for drastic measures
Send them to resorts for boys and girl to get their shit together
Sad but true the facts of life are bound to get you down
So whats the use dear jenny anyway the world is pretty...
Ashley talks to astronauts back home by way of fax transmission
Andy gets a new tattoo each time he gets back bathroom privilege
Weary oh so drearily we wave our flags into the camera
Amber goes berserk completely she's been here since last December
Sad but true the truth can turn your smile to a frown
So whats the use dear jenny anyway the world is pretty
Upside-down...
The rates are better in the summer
Looks like dear jenny's doing better
Back at home the broadcast warning bounces off of an empty table
Jenny asks the astronauts to sleep with her behind the stable
Christmas hasn't been the same since dad put in the central heating
Checks you before bedtime with a battery to keep your new heart beating
And the world might turn a million times around before
They tell you jenny anyway the world is pretty world is pretty happy world is pretty happy
Sometimes they let strangers in and other times they check their records
When they check out in the morning dad puts out the lie detectors
Jenny prays to gods she've never heard of for a special warning
All the walls stay dead as Jenny's heart is
But shes still observing
Sad but true the high-gloss gloss paint wont tell you what to do
So whats the use dear jenny anyway
The world is happy
World is happy
World is happy without you
The rates are better in the summer
The rates are better in the summer
Looks like old jenny's doing better
The rates are better in the summer
Girls fill out prescriptions for the tricks that keep their hearts from growing
Specialists review the year in tears and call for drastic measures
Send them to resorts for boys and girl to get their shit together
Sad but true the facts of life are bound to get you down
So whats the use dear jenny anyway the world is pretty...
Ashley talks to astronauts back home by way of fax transmission
Andy gets a new tattoo each time he gets back bathroom privilege
Weary oh so drearily we wave our flags into the camera
Amber goes berserk completely she's been here since last December
Sad but true the truth can turn your smile to a frown
So whats the use dear jenny anyway the world is pretty
Upside-down...
The rates are better in the summer
Looks like dear jenny's doing better
Back at home the broadcast warning bounces off of an empty table
Jenny asks the astronauts to sleep with her behind the stable
Christmas hasn't been the same since dad put in the central heating
Checks you before bedtime with a battery to keep your new heart beating
And the world might turn a million times around before
They tell you jenny anyway the world is pretty world is pretty happy world is pretty happy
Sometimes they let strangers in and other times they check their records
When they check out in the morning dad puts out the lie detectors
Jenny prays to gods she've never heard of for a special warning
All the walls stay dead as Jenny's heart is
But shes still observing
Sad but true the high-gloss gloss paint wont tell you what to do
So whats the use dear jenny anyway
The world is happy
World is happy
World is happy without you
The rates are better in the summer
The rates are better in the summer
Looks like old jenny's doing better
The rates are better in the summer
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Mountain Song
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It's not shared, this and Battered Bride are not shared. They've been recorded but the taper does not want to share it with anyone. It's their decision, but Who Killed Amanda Palmer? will be coming out soon so maybe we'll hear it then.