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."
Even the spiritual environment
Higher divinity, Rastaman
Dilution which is like earth create
Because the earth come back from what it wants
Someone is trying to be as powerful as God
Here's a little story that must be told
Here's a little story that must be told
Come on, come on
Concrete Jungle
Here's a little story that must be told
Here's a little story that must be told
Come on, come on
No solution in my day today,
The high yellow moon won't come out to play
I said darkness has covered my life, (oh)
And has changed order, (oh)
Where is this love to be found (Where's this love to be found)
I would say that life must be somewhere to be found (sweet life)
Instead of Concrete Jungle (jungle, oh, oh oh)
Concrete Jungle (jungle)
Man you have to do your thing yeah (jungle)
Oh yeah
Come on
No chains around my feet but I'm not free, here now
I know I am bound here in captivity
Oh
Never know
Never known happiness
Never known
Never known what real
Well I'm always laughing like a clown (oh)
I said I've, I've got to be passing from off the ground yeah (oh, instead of)
Concrete Jungle (jungle)
Illusions, illusions (concrete Jungle)
Concrete Jungle (concrete Jungle)
Oh, no no no
Concrete Jungle
Yeah, yeah, yeah (come on)
In the lion's den
You hear the cry of the dying men
The lions in
Every puddle about it then
You try and win go against the blind to win
It'll put the eye of the tiger in iron men
The heart beats like animals in dark street
Starve to eat
In the jungle it's concrete
Instead of wood we use the metal to draw heat
The habitats the hood
They single the god beats
The tribals in a deadly game of survival
Genocidal
Read you Koran and your Bible
When the merciful get merciless
We need to read Psalms 82 verse 6
Its real so make you sure you do real thing
Females never forget your still queens
Feel it till you feel free with wings
And the male we ain't got to kill to be kings
Concrete Jungle (jungle) (come on now)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Higher divinity, Rastaman
Dilution which is like earth create
Because the earth come back from what it wants
Someone is trying to be as powerful as God
Here's a little story that must be told
Here's a little story that must be told
Come on, come on
Concrete Jungle
Here's a little story that must be told
Here's a little story that must be told
Come on, come on
No solution in my day today,
The high yellow moon won't come out to play
I said darkness has covered my life, (oh)
And has changed order, (oh)
Where is this love to be found (Where's this love to be found)
I would say that life must be somewhere to be found (sweet life)
Instead of Concrete Jungle (jungle, oh, oh oh)
Concrete Jungle (jungle)
Man you have to do your thing yeah (jungle)
Oh yeah
Come on
No chains around my feet but I'm not free, here now
I know I am bound here in captivity
Oh
Never know
Never known happiness
Never known
Never known what real
Well I'm always laughing like a clown (oh)
I said I've, I've got to be passing from off the ground yeah (oh, instead of)
Concrete Jungle (jungle)
Illusions, illusions (concrete Jungle)
Concrete Jungle (concrete Jungle)
Oh, no no no
Concrete Jungle
Yeah, yeah, yeah (come on)
In the lion's den
You hear the cry of the dying men
The lions in
Every puddle about it then
You try and win go against the blind to win
It'll put the eye of the tiger in iron men
The heart beats like animals in dark street
Starve to eat
In the jungle it's concrete
Instead of wood we use the metal to draw heat
The habitats the hood
They single the god beats
The tribals in a deadly game of survival
Genocidal
Read you Koran and your Bible
When the merciful get merciless
We need to read Psalms 82 verse 6
Its real so make you sure you do real thing
Females never forget your still queens
Feel it till you feel free with wings
And the male we ain't got to kill to be kings
Concrete Jungle (jungle) (come on now)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Concrete Jungle (come on)
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Concrete Jungle Lyrics as written by Bob Marley
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.