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."
These tears stain the wood
Like cups and condensation
I am bound to you
I cannot break the situation
He's every subject
Of every song
Like the wind carries
He moves me along
And the shadows I can't run from
They won't let me go
He's the ending of a story
That I'll never know
He's electric
Can't forget it
Yeah he's electric
Don't forget it
Sometimes he fills me up
Sometimes it's such a shock
This is more than I bargained for
More than I would have bought
You still look at me
With well acquainted eyes
As the memories come flooding back
In a field of butterflies
It's electric
Don't forget
Yeah it's electric
I can't forget it
I know there's hope in there
But I wanna walk away
He's says it's bright in there
Even in lighter shades of grey
And though it looks like rain
I'm not gonna cry
As the seasons are changing
In your heart
So will I
I will fly
Electric
Oh yes the seasons are changing
Oh yes the seasons are changing
I'm burning up
I'm burning up
I'm electric
Like cups and condensation
I am bound to you
I cannot break the situation
He's every subject
Of every song
Like the wind carries
He moves me along
And the shadows I can't run from
They won't let me go
He's the ending of a story
That I'll never know
He's electric
Can't forget it
Yeah he's electric
Don't forget it
Sometimes he fills me up
Sometimes it's such a shock
This is more than I bargained for
More than I would have bought
You still look at me
With well acquainted eyes
As the memories come flooding back
In a field of butterflies
It's electric
Don't forget
Yeah it's electric
I can't forget it
I know there's hope in there
But I wanna walk away
He's says it's bright in there
Even in lighter shades of grey
And though it looks like rain
I'm not gonna cry
As the seasons are changing
In your heart
So will I
I will fly
Electric
Oh yes the seasons are changing
Oh yes the seasons are changing
I'm burning up
I'm burning up
I'm electric
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Mountain Song
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
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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.
I think this is about losing the love of your life and the contradicting feelings you experience when trying to get over someone.
These tears stain the wood Like cups and condensation I am bound to you I cannot break the situation = She can't get over him, she is bound to him because she believes they are meant to be together
He’s every subject Of every song Like the wind carries He moves me along = She thinks about him all time, again not getting over him
And the shadows I can’t run from They won’t let me go He’s the ending of a story That I’ll never know = The shadows are memories of him chasing her and that she will never know what could have been
He’s electric Can’t forget it Yeah he’s electric Don’t forget it = Electric suggests that he gives her shivers, butterflies of love
Sometimes he fills me up Sometimes it’s such a shock This is more than I bargained for More than I would have bought = The contradicting feelings when they are getting over someone. She might not have gotten into this relationship had she known the pain she would fill
You still look at me With well acquainted eyes As the memories come flooding back In a field of butterflies = He still looks at her in way that she believes he still loves her and all the orginal feelings come back
It’s electric Don’t forget Yeah it’s electric I can’t forget it = Self explanatory...
I know there’s hope in there But I wanna walk away He’s says it’s bright in there Even in lighter shades of grey = She is hoping that they can reconcile, but knows that it won't happen so she needs to move on
And though it looks like rain I’m not gonna cry As the seasons are changing In your heart So will I I will fly = He doesn't want the realtionshing, and again, she need or wants to get over him but he is electric and keeps bringing her in