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."
Come and ask me if I want to dance with you;
I think you will
It gets cold and lonely on my dark side of the moon
The thin air and chill
Come and show me
What the grey world looks like
When it's blue;
I think you can
You've got golden lips
And I have got a silver spoon;
We don't need romance
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
I was thinking love was just
A complicated game you play in the dark
No-one told me strategy was only for defence
And winners thank luck
Take my hand and show me how
To spin around this floor;
I don't know how!
Come unlearn me
Everything I've ever learned before
I'm ready now
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
now that you've warmed me
I never want to be that cold again
Cold may be easy, but
Nothing comes of nothing in the end
Take my hand and lead me
Where the music is alive;
I think you can
You've got golden lips
And a whole lifetime in your eyes;
We don't need no plan
Come and ask me
If I want to dance with you;
I think you will
And when a thousand moons
Have spun around this earth of ours
We'll be dancing still
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
I think you will
It gets cold and lonely on my dark side of the moon
The thin air and chill
Come and show me
What the grey world looks like
When it's blue;
I think you can
You've got golden lips
And I have got a silver spoon;
We don't need romance
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
I was thinking love was just
A complicated game you play in the dark
No-one told me strategy was only for defence
And winners thank luck
Take my hand and show me how
To spin around this floor;
I don't know how!
Come unlearn me
Everything I've ever learned before
I'm ready now
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
now that you've warmed me
I never want to be that cold again
Cold may be easy, but
Nothing comes of nothing in the end
Take my hand and lead me
Where the music is alive;
I think you can
You've got golden lips
And a whole lifetime in your eyes;
We don't need no plan
Come and ask me
If I want to dance with you;
I think you will
And when a thousand moons
Have spun around this earth of ours
We'll be dancing still
'cause I've danced with romeos and gigolos
Philosophers and slackers
Vagabonds and cambridge dons
The king of cool's heir apparent
Infidels and jezebels
And poets with no talent
But they've never shone
On the dark side of my moon
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