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."
All of these girls trippin' on me (trippin')
See here now I'm goin' crazy ever since
I went Number One (like a bomb)
My whole world pandemonium
Everybody crazy turnin' on me
Can't dis a brother for going silly
Everybody crazy trippin' on me
Ain't nothin' wrong standing strong
Walking my 'hood day and night (day and night)
People saying Mark ain't right no (you're crazy)
Doing wrong souped on my song (step off)
Ain't nothing changed leave me alone
Everybody crazy frontin' on me (step off)
Why dis a brother (jungle) for keeping street
Everybody crazy (you're crazy) trippin' on me (you're crazy)
Tell me what's wrong movin' on
Well true we are badder than that
We rougher than that
We tougher than that
We are the wickedest wickedest yout's on the counteract
That nuff a' them wants to see us rise then go see us drop
We're not gonna stop rise until we done hit the top
So don't dispute the wrong just dispute the facts
That if we're coming back we're coming back well phat
So don't believe the hype just go and back your chat
Because round the corner you will find the golden jackpot
Gonna live my life doing my thing (my thing)
Despite the trippin' strong I said yeah
Ain't up on type doggin' my swing (fe real)
My prerogative can never change
Everybody crazy turnin' on me
Can't dis a brother for going silly
Everybody crazy (you're crazy) trippin' on me (you're crazy)
Tell me what's wrong moving on
(Crazy) true they are turning crazy crazy
Yes definitely crazy
Like to say they want to change our personalities
No crazy crazy like mentally crazy
But hip-hop ragamuffin DJ
Is not going to let them get to we (crazy)
Because nuff a' them try hard just to blank we
But they can't get us out of their memory
Those who can't believe it or even see we
Might as well hear we out in reality
Everybody crazy all of these girls (everybody)
Trippin' on me (everybody) see me now (everybody)
I'm going crazy (I don't wanna talk to you no more)
See here now I'm goin' crazy ever since
I went Number One (like a bomb)
My whole world pandemonium
Everybody crazy turnin' on me
Can't dis a brother for going silly
Everybody crazy trippin' on me
Ain't nothin' wrong standing strong
Walking my 'hood day and night (day and night)
People saying Mark ain't right no (you're crazy)
Doing wrong souped on my song (step off)
Ain't nothing changed leave me alone
Everybody crazy frontin' on me (step off)
Why dis a brother (jungle) for keeping street
Everybody crazy (you're crazy) trippin' on me (you're crazy)
Tell me what's wrong movin' on
Well true we are badder than that
We rougher than that
We tougher than that
We are the wickedest wickedest yout's on the counteract
That nuff a' them wants to see us rise then go see us drop
We're not gonna stop rise until we done hit the top
So don't dispute the wrong just dispute the facts
That if we're coming back we're coming back well phat
So don't believe the hype just go and back your chat
Because round the corner you will find the golden jackpot
Gonna live my life doing my thing (my thing)
Despite the trippin' strong I said yeah
Ain't up on type doggin' my swing (fe real)
My prerogative can never change
Everybody crazy turnin' on me
Can't dis a brother for going silly
Everybody crazy (you're crazy) trippin' on me (you're crazy)
Tell me what's wrong moving on
(Crazy) true they are turning crazy crazy
Yes definitely crazy
Like to say they want to change our personalities
No crazy crazy like mentally crazy
But hip-hop ragamuffin DJ
Is not going to let them get to we (crazy)
Because nuff a' them try hard just to blank we
But they can't get us out of their memory
Those who can't believe it or even see we
Might as well hear we out in reality
Everybody crazy all of these girls (everybody)
Trippin' on me (everybody) see me now (everybody)
I'm going crazy (I don't wanna talk to you no more)
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