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."
I'd swim across Lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree
To be alone with me you went up on the tree
I've never known a man who loved me
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree
To be alone with me you went up on the tree
I've never known a man who loved me
Lyrics submitted by vwkeychain, edited by RBrad
To Be Alone With You Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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yes, it's about Jesus. The first verse is a current realization: Sufjan's longing to be near his saviour, he'd give anything to feel present, without distraction; one with God. The second verse describes what Sufjan feels Jesus gave up to be close to his broken people. The Lonely who took the clothes were the Roman Soldiers. Jesus gave up having a wife and a family. He did not marry. He gave his ghost....death. How can one be alone with someone if they are dead? Christians say Jesus rose again. This cannot be describing just any human. "To be alone with me you went up on a tree". the Bible calls the cross a tree. Christians sometimes still refer to it this way. the part about sufjan never knowing a man who loved him is a realization again. A sudden understanding of the existence of a different love. That love; beyond any love of a friend, a family member, even the deepest romantic love....is often unknown to us in this world. a sacrificial love that would give up anything for you and would love you even if you outright hated them.