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."
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me, can't catch me
Ride my bike down that old dirt hill (can't catch me)
First time without my trainin' wheels
First time I kissed you I lost my legs (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
Screamin', shoutin', louder innocence
Days when all we did would never end
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Smokin' on the railroad bridge
I used to ride my bike down that old dirt hill
The first time I kissed you I lost my legs
Bring that beat back to me again
Screamin', shoutin', louder innocence
Days when all we did would never end
Screamin' down that old dirt hill
Bring that beat back to me again
Oh when it gets hard
That's when the days I remember seem so far
When I was just a kid that's what I miss
When I was just a kid that's what I miss
Take me back, Take me back to that beat again
Smokin' on the railroad bridge
Bring that beat back to me again (again)
Bring that beat back to me again (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
First time all we were was good friends
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me, can't catch me
Ride my bike down that old dirt hill (can't catch me)
First time without my trainin' wheels
First time I kissed you I lost my legs (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
Screamin', shoutin', louder innocence
Days when all we did would never end
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Bring that beat back to me again
Take me back, take me back, can't catch me can't catch me
Smokin' on the railroad bridge
I used to ride my bike down that old dirt hill
The first time I kissed you I lost my legs
Bring that beat back to me again
Screamin', shoutin', louder innocence
Days when all we did would never end
Screamin' down that old dirt hill
Bring that beat back to me again
Oh when it gets hard
That's when the days I remember seem so far
When I was just a kid that's what I miss
When I was just a kid that's what I miss
Take me back, Take me back to that beat again
Smokin' on the railroad bridge
Bring that beat back to me again (again)
Bring that beat back to me again (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
First time all we were was good friends
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again (can't catch me)
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
Bring that beat back to me again
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
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.
One of my favorite songs off of Stand Up. Love the album. This song is definitly about daves childhood.