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."
We fear what we see in the distance
We're shattered by life's soft deceit
Enslaved to our thoughts by our reason
Refusing to walk with the weak
Betrayed by the past's desolation
We slept listless nights by the shore
Searching for signs of salvation
Hoping to find something more
Tell me what I have when it all slips away
Tell me what I see when the light fades away
Tell me what I hold in the palm of my hand
Tell me what I feel because I'm trying
To understand
I'm sending transmission
Confused by the weight of our virtue
We follow the paths of the slain
In silence we walk through these shadows
Embracing the pleasures of pain
Once again
We're shattered by life's soft deceit
Enslaved to our thoughts by our reason
Refusing to walk with the weak
Betrayed by the past's desolation
We slept listless nights by the shore
Searching for signs of salvation
Hoping to find something more
Tell me what I have when it all slips away
Tell me what I see when the light fades away
Tell me what I hold in the palm of my hand
Tell me what I feel because I'm trying
To understand
I'm sending transmission
Confused by the weight of our virtue
We follow the paths of the slain
In silence we walk through these shadows
Embracing the pleasures of pain
Once again
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
During a live recording for Triple J in Australia, Jeff Martin explained what the song was about. Paraphrasing, he basically said the song posed a question, which was...what if the way we lived our lives, with all its decisions and its ups and downs, what if at the end of our lives we had to come back at the beginning and live it all over again in exactly the same manner, again and again, for all eternity. If so, how would you choose to live your life?
It is hard to to write an opinion after UDerm claimed what the author had to say about this song. ;-) Really, what is there to add to the original thought? To me: This "Tell me what I have when it all slips away?" and the next few lines, REALLY resonate with the thought of hindsight indeed. Almost dead? What did I do in my lifetime? What is it worth? To who? To what?
Really the hardest question to be asked by any sane person. ....... Any answers? I don't have them.
My favorite song off Transmission. It's just so full of raw anger and power. I think it's about how the things that have happened to us in the past, can prevent us from enjoying the present, and being hopeful about the future
First off, I love this song, this song kept be from driving a car off a bridge on a bad road trip - bad bad road trip, rr, yes. On the obvious level, yes this song is probably about being betrayed in the past and being anti-trust towards things in the future. And I'm saying obvious because, well, it's right there AND because I'm not sure if there is some subliminal message I'm not getting. (: But when he goes into the "Tell me..." lines I can't help think this song is about asking for a little help, or maybe it's that angry kind of 'in you face' kind of thing.