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're the lucky one, so I've been told
As free as the wind blowing down the road
Loved by many, hated by none
I'd say you were lucky 'cause you know what you've done
Not a care in the world, not a worry in sight
Everything is gonna be alright
'Cause you're the lucky one
You're the lucky one always having fun
A jack of all trades, a master of none
You look at the world with a smiling eye
And laugh at the devil as his train rolls by
Give you a song and a one night stand
You'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
Well, you're blessed I guess
By never knowing which road you're choosing
To you the next best thing
To playing and winning is playing and losing
You're the lucky one, I know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where or how
You look at the world through your smiling eye
And laugh at the devil as his train rolls by
Give you a song and a one night stand
And you'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
Well, you're blessed I guess
By never knowing which road you're choosing
To you the next best thing
To playing and winning is playing and losing
You're the lucky one, I know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where or how
No matter where you're at, that's where you'll be
You can bet you're luck won't follow me
Just give you a song and a one night stand
You'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
As free as the wind blowing down the road
Loved by many, hated by none
I'd say you were lucky 'cause you know what you've done
Not a care in the world, not a worry in sight
Everything is gonna be alright
'Cause you're the lucky one
You're the lucky one always having fun
A jack of all trades, a master of none
You look at the world with a smiling eye
And laugh at the devil as his train rolls by
Give you a song and a one night stand
You'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
Well, you're blessed I guess
By never knowing which road you're choosing
To you the next best thing
To playing and winning is playing and losing
You're the lucky one, I know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where or how
You look at the world through your smiling eye
And laugh at the devil as his train rolls by
Give you a song and a one night stand
And you'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
Well, you're blessed I guess
By never knowing which road you're choosing
To you the next best thing
To playing and winning is playing and losing
You're the lucky one, I know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where or how
No matter where you're at, that's where you'll be
You can bet you're luck won't follow me
Just give you a song and a one night stand
You'll bee looking at a happy man
'Cause you're the lucky one
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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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.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
The song is meant to be ironic. She does not really believe the person she is singing about is lucky. She is talking about a shallow life devoid of real love that drifts from song to song, one night stand to one night stand. "Well you're blessed, I guess" Behind the irony she is saying the person is cursed by their emotional immaturity and inability to love another.
I actually didnt think of that...thats actually really good.. I think carrying on from your point: that he thinks he is perfect? and actually nobody likes him? And in some ways she is actually taking the piss? I dont know what do you think?
Best explanation yet! It's seems that she may at one time fell for this person and is crushed for her impulsiveness. My two cents :)
@Roghozin This is borne out, I think, by the video. The "lucky one" is seen on the outside of many relationships, flirting with women with some success. But he seems a little sad, and Alison herself turns him down when he smiles at her.
This song is about the sadness, or perhaps jealousy, that a conservative person may feel by observing a 'free spirit'. Also, it's about the person knowing the free spirit will never be in their life very long because of his restlessness.
I think this song is about people who leave and she's the one who was left. I'm a wildland firefighter so during the summer i'm always leaving to go to fires unexpectedly. It is always a lot harder on the people who stay in their normal lives, I'm lucky because I'm seeing exciting new stuff and so think about it less. That's what I think this song is about. The person who leaves is lucky because he doesn't think about leaving, he just goes.
@amm4sf I just lost a loved one who is a huge Alison krauss fan, and there's part of me that feels he's the lucky one because he's free and I am still here, hoping someday to see him again. The sweet melancholy and the song just tears me up. I think your take is the one that works for me.
more people need to comment on this song b/c it is just amazing, her voice is sooo sweet and compares to nobody right now.
@Peyton2015 you’re absolutely right. Such an amazing song, her voice is so pure, so sweet, so crisp and clean. It’s just amazing, her voice and her songs land right in the middle of my chest, and spread out, leaving a soothing, warm glow. I just love her.
@Peyton2015 you’re absolutely right. Such an amazing song, her voice is so pure, so sweet, so crisp and clean. It’s just amazing, her voice and her songs land right in the middle of my chest, and spread out, leaving a soothing, warm glow. I just love her.
This song is so great. this is what music is missing. AK and US are great musicians.
I ♥♥♥ this song. It's WONDERFUL.
A full 5*s, seriously.
And I agree with leighannh2.
This song is so beautiful. It seems as if she's standing on the sidelines and envying the free spirited lifestyle of someone else.
it seems to me like she i singing about someone who has either moved on from her or who is too free-spirited to fall in love...
"You can bet your love won't follow me Just give you a song and a one-night-stand You'll be lookin' at a happy man, 'cause you're the lucky one"
the one-night-stand part is the biggest indication for me, since the guy seems to just be satisfied drifting around instead of settling. i can't tell if she is envious of the way that person is though
I have always liked this song, for very personal reasons.
I agree with amm4sf and maymyheart. From my perspective it's about being left. There are people who love too much and stay, and there are people who are satisfied with a one-night stand and the excitement of moving on from there to someone new.
I am one of those who stays and holds on, and I know far too many of the lucky ones who can quickly move on and leave behind.
Some people are just born with that certain "it"- a collection of talents and gifts that allow them to move slowly through life, seemingly never struggling and always happy. Being that way, there's no reason for worry- you're blessed enough the life will float you on down the river without your concern, and it won't ensnare you at any point.
I guess we all wish we were that person.
I don't see any evidence in the song to indicate anything more than that.
@OldSouth I agree with your assessment of this song 100%. From the first time I heard this beautiful song, I felt as if the person being sung about was someone who just didn’t let life get them down. They knew how to look on the sunny side and always stay positive. Because of that, the person singing the song was a bit envious, but not in a bad way. They saw “the lucky one” and said, “wow! you’re so fortunate to see life this way. I wish I could be more like you.”