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."
Some sailors never die. They rot at sea.
Hello my friend;
My name is Onilley McNoan - to me.
I went to war on the Caroline.
Remember from that other song?
Well?
There the author got it wrong.
Survive did I - I did not drown.
I lived on Turtle Isle.
I jumped the Caroline
For she'd been had by Neptune.
Gadungder burped the sea;
Now coral grows inside her hull.
Me and Jim,
My life-boat friend-
Strips of flesh torn from his limbs.
Well? Chicken Jimmy kept me alive.
(Though he wasn't much for conversation.)
Life-boat this and life-boat that;
For days and days
I fought the waves
And landed on an open beach of gold and blue.
I picked myself up off the sand,
Hauled my body onto the land
And from the jungle there they stand ...
They layered colours on my face and on my arms.
Hornbills squawked; I fed on fruit and wild boars
I showed them guns
And taught them how to sing Lang Syne
And everyone was happy.
She was the queen with funny teeth.
She tried to hide them underneath
Her dainty hands and nervous lips.
Though I could not tell her so,
She was the one who kept me breathing.
Whil the wild volcanoes flared.
She told me I was sick with pride-
All pumped up and sentimental.
The sky grew dark with ash
And powder settled on the water.
Gadungder burped the sea
And funnels spiralled down to take her.
I climbed the highest tree
And from the sky I heard her call.
From this dream - as I awoke -
I could have sworn that Jimmy spoke,
But it was probably just the boat.
Some sailors never die.
I woke up under an ocean sky
With a pile of bones laying at my side.
Hello my friend;
My name is Onilley McNoan - to me.
I went to war on the Caroline.
Remember from that other song?
Well?
There the author got it wrong.
Survive did I - I did not drown.
I lived on Turtle Isle.
I jumped the Caroline
For she'd been had by Neptune.
Gadungder burped the sea;
Now coral grows inside her hull.
Me and Jim,
My life-boat friend-
Strips of flesh torn from his limbs.
Well? Chicken Jimmy kept me alive.
(Though he wasn't much for conversation.)
Life-boat this and life-boat that;
For days and days
I fought the waves
And landed on an open beach of gold and blue.
I picked myself up off the sand,
Hauled my body onto the land
And from the jungle there they stand ...
They layered colours on my face and on my arms.
Hornbills squawked; I fed on fruit and wild boars
I showed them guns
And taught them how to sing Lang Syne
And everyone was happy.
She was the queen with funny teeth.
She tried to hide them underneath
Her dainty hands and nervous lips.
Though I could not tell her so,
She was the one who kept me breathing.
Whil the wild volcanoes flared.
She told me I was sick with pride-
All pumped up and sentimental.
The sky grew dark with ash
And powder settled on the water.
Gadungder burped the sea
And funnels spiralled down to take her.
I climbed the highest tree
And from the sky I heard her call.
From this dream - as I awoke -
I could have sworn that Jimmy spoke,
But it was probably just the boat.
Some sailors never die.
I woke up under an ocean sky
With a pile of bones laying at my side.
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this is a sequel to the song "Saskatchewan" referring to the ship the Caroline. It is another in a series of songs based around Martin's obsession with the sea and ships. Which is odd for a guy born in Etiboke, Ontario.
This is a long with a lot of Martin's trademark weird imagery, and the imagery is so amazingly reproduced in the music, you can can hear Dave Clarke making his drumkit sound like a creaking wooden deck or Martin making his guitar sound like a lightning strike. I always hoped Martin would have made some paintings about this song, I can see them in my head if I close my eyes. "Gadunger burped the sea" is one of the strangest lines ever written. "Chicken Jimmy" refers to stories of sailors reportedly sacrificing themselves to save a crew. oh well, enough from me. goodo martin.
This has always been my fave Rheos' track. Mainly because it showcases the awesome gifts of Martin Tielli.
As suggested, there's nothing very mysterious about the words, but for me, this is the kind of epic only a poet would even bother writing.