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."
Boom, b-boom, b-boom-boom
Drive slow homie, drive slow homie
You never know homie, might meet some hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow homie
My homie Mali used to stay, 79th and May
One of my best friends from back in the day
Down the street from Calumet, a school full of stones
He nicknamed me K-Rock so they'd leave me alone
Bulls jacket with his hat broke way off
And walked around the mall with his radio face off
Plus he had the spinner from his Daytons in his hand
Keys in his hand, reason again to let you know he's the man
Back when we rocked Ellesses, he had dreams of Caprices
Drove by the teachers, even more by polices
How'd he get the cash? The day his father passed away
Left him with a lil' somethin', sixteen he was stuntin'
Al B. Sure nigga with the hair all wavy
Hit Lake Shore, girls go all crazy
Hit the freeway, go at least 'bout eighty
Boned so much that summer, even had him a baby
See back-back then-then if you had a car
You was the Chi-Town version of Baby
And I was just a virgin, a baby
One of the reasons I looked up to him crazy
I used to love to play my demo tape when the system yanked
Felt like I was almost signed when the shit got cranked
We'll take a Saturday and just circle the mall
They had they Lincolns and Auroras, we was hurtin' 'em all
With the girls a lotta flirtin' involved, but dawg
Fuck all that flirtin', I'm tryna get in some drawers, so
Put me on with these hoes, homie
He told me, "don't rush to get grown, drive slow, homie"
Drive slow homie (drive slow)
You never know, homie, about these hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
What it do? I'm posted up in the parkin' lot, my trunk wavin'
The candy gloss is immaculate, it's simply amazin'
Them elbows pokin' wide on that candy 'Lac
Trunk open, screens on, neon's lit with fifth, relaxed
I'm on a mission for dime pieces and sexy ladies
Allow me to introduce you to my CL Mercedes
It's a star-studded event when I valet park
Open up my mouth and sunlight illuminates the dark
You see them fours crawlin', you see them screens fallin'
The disco ball in my mouth insinuates I'm ballin'
I'm leanin' on the switch, sittin' crooked in my slab
But I could still catch boppers if I drove a cab
A young Houston hard-hitter all about the scrilla
Ridin' somethin' candy coated, crawlin' like a caterpillar
I'm tippin' on them fours, I'm jammin' on that Screw
I'm lookin' for them hoes, baby, what it do? Drive slow homie
Turn your hazard lights on when you see them hoes (drive slow, homie)
If you ridin' around the city with nowhere to go (drive slow, homie)
Live today 'cause tomorrow, man, you never know
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
My car's like the movie, my car's like the crib
I got more TV's in here than where I live
And that don't make no sense, but, baby, I'm the shit
And everything I flip, you know it's somethin' serious
I got the custom grill, I got the Brabus rims
I got the baller genetics, baby, this evidence
You see a player flickin', and how you ain't convinced
That you should go on and kiss it, just a lil' bit (just a lil' bit)
I wear my custom kicks, I got my Jesus chain
My canaries is gleamin', through my angel wings
They see me, hoes actin like they seen a king
With that mean lean, smokin' on that finest Cali green
My woodgrain oak, I'm ridin' on Vogues
My cylinder quiet, like tip-toes
I sold O's, and this I know
When you see them hoes, lil' homie drive slow (drive slow)
Yeah
Boom, b-boom, b-boom-boom
Drive slow homie
Drive slow homie
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
Drive slow homie
Drive slow homie, drive slow homie
You never know homie, might meet some hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow homie
My homie Mali used to stay, 79th and May
One of my best friends from back in the day
Down the street from Calumet, a school full of stones
He nicknamed me K-Rock so they'd leave me alone
Bulls jacket with his hat broke way off
And walked around the mall with his radio face off
Plus he had the spinner from his Daytons in his hand
Keys in his hand, reason again to let you know he's the man
Back when we rocked Ellesses, he had dreams of Caprices
Drove by the teachers, even more by polices
How'd he get the cash? The day his father passed away
Left him with a lil' somethin', sixteen he was stuntin'
Al B. Sure nigga with the hair all wavy
Hit Lake Shore, girls go all crazy
Hit the freeway, go at least 'bout eighty
Boned so much that summer, even had him a baby
See back-back then-then if you had a car
You was the Chi-Town version of Baby
And I was just a virgin, a baby
One of the reasons I looked up to him crazy
I used to love to play my demo tape when the system yanked
Felt like I was almost signed when the shit got cranked
We'll take a Saturday and just circle the mall
They had they Lincolns and Auroras, we was hurtin' 'em all
With the girls a lotta flirtin' involved, but dawg
Fuck all that flirtin', I'm tryna get in some drawers, so
Put me on with these hoes, homie
He told me, "don't rush to get grown, drive slow, homie"
Drive slow homie (drive slow)
You never know, homie, about these hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
What it do? I'm posted up in the parkin' lot, my trunk wavin'
The candy gloss is immaculate, it's simply amazin'
Them elbows pokin' wide on that candy 'Lac
Trunk open, screens on, neon's lit with fifth, relaxed
I'm on a mission for dime pieces and sexy ladies
Allow me to introduce you to my CL Mercedes
It's a star-studded event when I valet park
Open up my mouth and sunlight illuminates the dark
You see them fours crawlin', you see them screens fallin'
The disco ball in my mouth insinuates I'm ballin'
I'm leanin' on the switch, sittin' crooked in my slab
But I could still catch boppers if I drove a cab
A young Houston hard-hitter all about the scrilla
Ridin' somethin' candy coated, crawlin' like a caterpillar
I'm tippin' on them fours, I'm jammin' on that Screw
I'm lookin' for them hoes, baby, what it do? Drive slow homie
Turn your hazard lights on when you see them hoes (drive slow, homie)
If you ridin' around the city with nowhere to go (drive slow, homie)
Live today 'cause tomorrow, man, you never know
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
My car's like the movie, my car's like the crib
I got more TV's in here than where I live
And that don't make no sense, but, baby, I'm the shit
And everything I flip, you know it's somethin' serious
I got the custom grill, I got the Brabus rims
I got the baller genetics, baby, this evidence
You see a player flickin', and how you ain't convinced
That you should go on and kiss it, just a lil' bit (just a lil' bit)
I wear my custom kicks, I got my Jesus chain
My canaries is gleamin', through my angel wings
They see me, hoes actin like they seen a king
With that mean lean, smokin' on that finest Cali green
My woodgrain oak, I'm ridin' on Vogues
My cylinder quiet, like tip-toes
I sold O's, and this I know
When you see them hoes, lil' homie drive slow (drive slow)
Yeah
Boom, b-boom, b-boom-boom
Drive slow homie
Drive slow homie
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
Drive slow homie
Lyrics submitted by pearljam79
Drive Slow Lyrics as written by Harris Leonard Edwards Doug
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
it's not about picking up hoes off the street. It's about not being in a rush to lose your virginity.
And I was just a virgin a baby One of the reasons I looked up to him crazy He said don't rush to get grown drive slow homey