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."
(You better get ready for the war)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
A shotgun fanatic, who right back at it
You get, mopped and dropped like a filthy habit
X, snatch and grab it, got you hopin' I fail
'Cause if I fail you'd be happy like a faggot in jail
I'm full retail, guaranteed to sell
In my jet black McClaren with my mademoiselle
I'm strong-arm steady, you fragile and frail
You think you ready for them steady niggas? I can't tell
Sex sells so fuck you all, we came to bubble and ball
You getting shut down soon as I touch down
Bust rounds, enemies slayed and cut down
Fully automatic spittin' rounds with no sound
Break down your whole regime, like an M-16
Make sure the chamber in the barrel is clean
And the spring that's connected to the firin' pin
That's connected to the trigger when I squeeze it again, begin
Look ma, top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects (come on)
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law (breathe)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (come on)
You better get ready for the war (yeah)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (uh-huh)
Somebody gon' make me break the law (yes)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war (come on)
Hit like a heavyweight, breathe deep, meditate
Make the whole crowd get loud, make 'em levitate
I ride through my city like a presidential candidate
L-A-X, Phantom double-R, and accelerate
Stack, build, elevate, crash through the prison gate
Generation hate, appetite to eliminate
X-Man don't spit rhymes, I ventilate
Traffic contraband, yeah, banned through the interstate
Got a sick flow, didn't know? Let me demonstrate
Renovate the game, new nigga that you love to hate
The left hand lands and the right hand devastates
Half part of your face replaced with a metal plate
Irate, get snatched to a better place
Let the detached decorate with the yellow tape
Detonate, drop bombs, make the earth shake
In Brazil with a half mill' in the briefcase
Look ma top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (yeah)
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin' (fucker), there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
You better get ready for the war
(Keep listening all-)
(Smash hits)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
A shotgun fanatic, who right back at it
You get, mopped and dropped like a filthy habit
X, snatch and grab it, got you hopin' I fail
'Cause if I fail you'd be happy like a faggot in jail
I'm full retail, guaranteed to sell
In my jet black McClaren with my mademoiselle
I'm strong-arm steady, you fragile and frail
You think you ready for them steady niggas? I can't tell
Sex sells so fuck you all, we came to bubble and ball
You getting shut down soon as I touch down
Bust rounds, enemies slayed and cut down
Fully automatic spittin' rounds with no sound
Break down your whole regime, like an M-16
Make sure the chamber in the barrel is clean
And the spring that's connected to the firin' pin
That's connected to the trigger when I squeeze it again, begin
Look ma, top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects (come on)
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law (breathe)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (come on)
You better get ready for the war (yeah)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (uh-huh)
Somebody gon' make me break the law (yes)
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war (come on)
Hit like a heavyweight, breathe deep, meditate
Make the whole crowd get loud, make 'em levitate
I ride through my city like a presidential candidate
L-A-X, Phantom double-R, and accelerate
Stack, build, elevate, crash through the prison gate
Generation hate, appetite to eliminate
X-Man don't spit rhymes, I ventilate
Traffic contraband, yeah, banned through the interstate
Got a sick flow, didn't know? Let me demonstrate
Renovate the game, new nigga that you love to hate
The left hand lands and the right hand devastates
Half part of your face replaced with a metal plate
Irate, get snatched to a better place
Let the detached decorate with the yellow tape
Detonate, drop bombs, make the earth shake
In Brazil with a half mill' in the briefcase
Look ma top of the world, the best of the best (yeah)
King California, L-A-X
Out the hood, in the penthouse, from the projects
One man, one gun, how the West was won (sing)
It's so frustratin', so many hatin' (yeah)
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin' (fucker), there's no escapin' (yeah)
You better get ready for the war
It's so frustratin', so many hatin'
Somebody gon' make me break the law
But I ain't waitin', there's no escapin'
You better get ready for the war
You better get ready for the war
(Keep listening all-)
(Smash hits)
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Jet black McLaren