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."
A desert sunrise, you warm my soul
Painting me in shades of clay
Covering me whole
And I'm a lizard, sunbathing in your radiance
Oh I come out of hiding, so sweet
So sweet you are
If I could only have a taste
Wrap my lips around your flavor
Just because you are you
Just because you are, so beautiful
And I've been waiting all this life
In the company of one
And I know I am young
But I don't want to be alone
If you could only just
Consider the two of us
And I know darling
I could be so good to you
I see you rising
On the horizon
Bringing light into the day
And I'm coasting on your rays
When I awoke, you spoke through the mist of the mystic bliss
Casting shadows
On all my dismal yesterdays
Do you remember that you told me, darling
That I was so real
I tell you all, my tears for you are real
And we'll cross that bridge again some day
I know we will
I hope we will
Desert sunset, a lullaby
If I could give it all to you
If you'd only let me try
Sing so sweetly, it's my only wish
Music drips from your lips like sweet sips of a summer's kiss
Summer raindrops are precious, tongues twist
And I've been waiting all this life
In the company of one
And I know I am young
But I don't want to be alone
If you could only just
Consider the two of us
And I know darling
I could be so good to you
I see you rising, on the horizon
Bringing light into the day
And I'm coasting on your rays
When I awoke and you spoke through the mist of a mystic bliss
Casting shadows
On all my dismal yesterdays
Do you remember that you told me, darling
That I was so real
I tell you all, my tears for you are real
We'll cross that bridge again some day
I know we will
I hope we will
Desert moonrise, into the night
Before we lay our heads
I wish to walk under the splendorous starlight
Sing so sweetly, it's the sweetest sound
And I've become weak in the knees
And I drop down and kiss the ground
And all my cares lie far below
In this earth I wish to die
In this hearth my fire grows
Painting me in shades of clay
Covering me whole
And I'm a lizard, sunbathing in your radiance
Oh I come out of hiding, so sweet
So sweet you are
If I could only have a taste
Wrap my lips around your flavor
Just because you are you
Just because you are, so beautiful
And I've been waiting all this life
In the company of one
And I know I am young
But I don't want to be alone
If you could only just
Consider the two of us
And I know darling
I could be so good to you
I see you rising
On the horizon
Bringing light into the day
And I'm coasting on your rays
When I awoke, you spoke through the mist of the mystic bliss
Casting shadows
On all my dismal yesterdays
Do you remember that you told me, darling
That I was so real
I tell you all, my tears for you are real
And we'll cross that bridge again some day
I know we will
I hope we will
Desert sunset, a lullaby
If I could give it all to you
If you'd only let me try
Sing so sweetly, it's my only wish
Music drips from your lips like sweet sips of a summer's kiss
Summer raindrops are precious, tongues twist
And I've been waiting all this life
In the company of one
And I know I am young
But I don't want to be alone
If you could only just
Consider the two of us
And I know darling
I could be so good to you
I see you rising, on the horizon
Bringing light into the day
And I'm coasting on your rays
When I awoke and you spoke through the mist of a mystic bliss
Casting shadows
On all my dismal yesterdays
Do you remember that you told me, darling
That I was so real
I tell you all, my tears for you are real
We'll cross that bridge again some day
I know we will
I hope we will
Desert moonrise, into the night
Before we lay our heads
I wish to walk under the splendorous starlight
Sing so sweetly, it's the sweetest sound
And I've become weak in the knees
And I drop down and kiss the ground
And all my cares lie far below
In this earth I wish to die
In this hearth my fire grows
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i LOVE this song it's so pretty