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 sink your teeth in.
Bite the blood that drains the life inside of me and fills your soul eith love and hate and all those things you need to breathe.
My body dies, but still my soul remains eternally in search of Caspian waves and shallow graves.
Explain,why me?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
I watched the sky bleed grey with see-through shades of violent, bloody stains and felt the evil prime and wicked start a course straight through my veins.
I'm so alive, my skin so cold and fake.
I close my eyes,
I know that now's the time to take my chance with death and realize.
Sunrise, sunset, will you wash away the rain?
Sunrise, sunset can you wash away the pain?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
So mute and beautiful to me,
a promise kept on high,
an angelic look at life through open eyes.
Don't be scared, we'll make it work.
We're right on time, don't make things worse.
Now I'm right there by your side.
(Sunrise) I will avenge.
(Sunset) I can't pretend.
(Sunrise) I won't forget this vain.
(Sunset) attempt and promise kept.
Just one more night to make up for the loss of love and time.
Here comes the sun to rid this world of see-through blood and swollen light.
Sunrise, sunset, will you wash away the rain? Sunrise, sunset, can you wash away the pain?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
The last sunrise.
Bite the blood that drains the life inside of me and fills your soul eith love and hate and all those things you need to breathe.
My body dies, but still my soul remains eternally in search of Caspian waves and shallow graves.
Explain,why me?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
I watched the sky bleed grey with see-through shades of violent, bloody stains and felt the evil prime and wicked start a course straight through my veins.
I'm so alive, my skin so cold and fake.
I close my eyes,
I know that now's the time to take my chance with death and realize.
Sunrise, sunset, will you wash away the rain?
Sunrise, sunset can you wash away the pain?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
So mute and beautiful to me,
a promise kept on high,
an angelic look at life through open eyes.
Don't be scared, we'll make it work.
We're right on time, don't make things worse.
Now I'm right there by your side.
(Sunrise) I will avenge.
(Sunset) I can't pretend.
(Sunrise) I won't forget this vain.
(Sunset) attempt and promise kept.
Just one more night to make up for the loss of love and time.
Here comes the sun to rid this world of see-through blood and swollen light.
Sunrise, sunset, will you wash away the rain? Sunrise, sunset, can you wash away the pain?
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
This nightmare won't last long.
Are you scared?
So sing this song.
I'm right there by your side.
Tonight we've got a chance.
The last sunrise.
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i agree. this version is trippy. different but the same IN A WAY. i like how it sounds all industrial.