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."
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
"The words of the prophets
are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
"The words of the prophets
are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
Lyrics submitted by The Hollow Soul
The Sound of Silence Lyrics as written by Paul Simon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
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Basically, this is a cover for Simon and Garfunkal.
and a very good song from both bands
i wish Simon and Garfunkel could hear this song... i'd love to see their reaction.
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, METALLIZED!!!!!
probibly one of the most extreme (but awesome) covers ever!
I agree. Very good song. ;P
if u listen to the S&G version its soo wierd music for these dark lyrics, but nevermore set the mood right