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."
I lost my job and joined the army
To get an education
And I most surely did
Wanted to have some kinda steady job
Lead a decent life
Support me and my wife and kid
First I was based in Texas
Then it was off to Germany
Then they sent us to Iraq
So many ruined buildings
So many burned up bodies
Twisted railroad track
We were sent off to Fallujah
Told to keep the peace
Amidst such hunger and despair
I was just nineteen
I didn’t have a clue
What we were doing there
Now they say the war is over
And I’m back at home
Here in the land of the free
And you’re looking at the face of victory
Patrolling thru Fallujah
Driving on the rubble
Shattered pavement and shattered glass
They sent us on the search for weapons
We looked in every basement
Never found a single barrel of gas
And when we saw the cities looted
While we watched the oil pipelines
It all began to seem so clear
We were fighting for Exxon
And dying for Chevron
That’s what we were doing here
They told us we’d be welcomed
As troops of liberation
And once again they lied
We got shot at every day
Everywhere we went
A bunch of my buddies died
A rocket launcher hit my tank
Started up a fire
Blew my legs right off of me
And now you’re looking at the face of victory
They sent me back to Michigan
Put some plastic on my stumps
Sent me on my way
And now I roll on down the city streets
Looking at the people
While they turn their eyes away
Down at the Burren
They were talking about the government
And how it’s all a ruse
And I get a little madder
Every time I see the president
Smirking on the evening news
And I think of how they duped me
And so many more good people
And I think of the price we paid
The rich keep getting richer
And the bastards are already scheming
About the next nation they want us to invade
And I just keep on thinking
About this situation
I think of Oklahoma City
Yeah, you’re looking at the face of victory
To get an education
And I most surely did
Wanted to have some kinda steady job
Lead a decent life
Support me and my wife and kid
First I was based in Texas
Then it was off to Germany
Then they sent us to Iraq
So many ruined buildings
So many burned up bodies
Twisted railroad track
We were sent off to Fallujah
Told to keep the peace
Amidst such hunger and despair
I was just nineteen
I didn’t have a clue
What we were doing there
Now they say the war is over
And I’m back at home
Here in the land of the free
And you’re looking at the face of victory
Patrolling thru Fallujah
Driving on the rubble
Shattered pavement and shattered glass
They sent us on the search for weapons
We looked in every basement
Never found a single barrel of gas
And when we saw the cities looted
While we watched the oil pipelines
It all began to seem so clear
We were fighting for Exxon
And dying for Chevron
That’s what we were doing here
They told us we’d be welcomed
As troops of liberation
And once again they lied
We got shot at every day
Everywhere we went
A bunch of my buddies died
A rocket launcher hit my tank
Started up a fire
Blew my legs right off of me
And now you’re looking at the face of victory
They sent me back to Michigan
Put some plastic on my stumps
Sent me on my way
And now I roll on down the city streets
Looking at the people
While they turn their eyes away
Down at the Burren
They were talking about the government
And how it’s all a ruse
And I get a little madder
Every time I see the president
Smirking on the evening news
And I think of how they duped me
And so many more good people
And I think of the price we paid
The rich keep getting richer
And the bastards are already scheming
About the next nation they want us to invade
And I just keep on thinking
About this situation
I think of Oklahoma City
Yeah, you’re looking at the face of victory
Lyrics submitted by negatyve
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Punchline
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.