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."
It's not the end of the world
In fact, it's not even the end of the summer
But thank God the TV is on
'Cause there's no way we could know
Anything that's goin' down
Or how we're supposed to be feeling about it
I can't tell you how much I wish we could shut up and smile, yeah
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe I'm a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug
Take a good look around
Does life really suck
Are we just complaining
I hope that this mic is on (testing 1, 2)
'Cause I'm on a roll here
I hope this is making some sense
I hope that you'll throw up your hands and sing it
And tell all the haters that they should just shut up and smile, yeah
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe I'm a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream
All we need is love and beer
And old school metal and holiday cheer
To be happy
(All you need is someone near)
Like Ben and Jerry
(To hold you close and pretend that they care)
Can we all just, get along now?
We found something that we all have in common now
We can hold hands, do keg stands
Water skiing sounds great to me now
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe we?Re a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug
(All we need is love and beer)
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
In fact, it's not even the end of the summer
But thank God the TV is on
'Cause there's no way we could know
Anything that's goin' down
Or how we're supposed to be feeling about it
I can't tell you how much I wish we could shut up and smile, yeah
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe I'm a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug
Take a good look around
Does life really suck
Are we just complaining
I hope that this mic is on (testing 1, 2)
'Cause I'm on a roll here
I hope this is making some sense
I hope that you'll throw up your hands and sing it
And tell all the haters that they should just shut up and smile, yeah
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe I'm a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream
All we need is love and beer
And old school metal and holiday cheer
To be happy
(All you need is someone near)
Like Ben and Jerry
(To hold you close and pretend that they care)
Can we all just, get along now?
We found something that we all have in common now
We can hold hands, do keg stands
Water skiing sounds great to me now
Sail around the world and tell them all to keep singing it
La la la la la la
All we needs a harmony and we'll convince the world to sing
La la la la la la
Throw your arms around someone (throw your arms around someone)
Maybe spread a little love
I know it sounds a little dumb (or maybe we?Re a little drunk)
But all we need is some ice cream and a hug
(All we need is love and beer)
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
All we need is some ice cream and a hug
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Hah I love this song