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."
Ten wars in the game no chains remains
Quick to spit more shit than like 0 dog and kane
Betty white taught a nigga no pain no gain
So I grabs the mic and spit like I’m going insane
Y’all better duck down protect ya chest with a vest
Reminscing with a verse like roxanne’s yes
You know my steez chester gets the cheese
Try to find out who made the gun clap with a phone tap
Soul brother #1 beats weigh a ton
From the west to the east now ya days is done
Last to laugh last as we stash the cash
Party til the sun come up then we smash
Alright all night flashlight nobody on that bullshit
Keepin it tight ya heard me a menace ii society
But right now I’m on some who wanna get high with me
We got one life to live til it’s done
Lets all get together and have some fun
You got my back I got yours son
It’s the mc eiht and soul brother #1
Loving the way it sounds already
Eiht found the flow the soul brother’s rock steady
So brace ya self ain’t having no fear
As the planets revolve shift into high gear
Move ahead of the pack living right and exact
Peepin shorty in a dress for the way she was stacked
But hold on the topic gotta say peace to all the brothers
That lock it down for they town living the one life
Guided and influenced by the one james brown
Godfather of soul now let the horn blow
Reflect to the days with me and marley in control
Hip hop pays now it’s back to the future
With the twist of the dial
Reloaded with my man from the menace file
Reppin for the west so I takes a deep breath
Exhaling on the track kid ... so fresh
Chorus (2x)
I heard music calms the savage beast
To the g’s in the clubs put away ya piece
For the gun clap leaves nothing but the blood stain
Sips on ya drink puffs on ya mary jane
Lots of lovin this time bringing no pain
Girls they love when a homie use his brain
Relax let your conscience be free
And smoke blunts to tha sounds of the e and p
What ya didn’t know we shut shut shut ’em down
To the east and west team coming straight to ya town
How ya like it but please don’t be afraid of us
Like me nigga busta these two is dangerous
Can’t hang with us too blind ta see
Been puttin shit down since the p was free
I ain’t mad at y’all don’t be mad at me
I been just like y’all tryin to collect my fee
Chorus (4x)
Get down y’all
Quick to spit more shit than like 0 dog and kane
Betty white taught a nigga no pain no gain
So I grabs the mic and spit like I’m going insane
Y’all better duck down protect ya chest with a vest
Reminscing with a verse like roxanne’s yes
You know my steez chester gets the cheese
Try to find out who made the gun clap with a phone tap
Soul brother #1 beats weigh a ton
From the west to the east now ya days is done
Last to laugh last as we stash the cash
Party til the sun come up then we smash
Alright all night flashlight nobody on that bullshit
Keepin it tight ya heard me a menace ii society
But right now I’m on some who wanna get high with me
We got one life to live til it’s done
Lets all get together and have some fun
You got my back I got yours son
It’s the mc eiht and soul brother #1
Loving the way it sounds already
Eiht found the flow the soul brother’s rock steady
So brace ya self ain’t having no fear
As the planets revolve shift into high gear
Move ahead of the pack living right and exact
Peepin shorty in a dress for the way she was stacked
But hold on the topic gotta say peace to all the brothers
That lock it down for they town living the one life
Guided and influenced by the one james brown
Godfather of soul now let the horn blow
Reflect to the days with me and marley in control
Hip hop pays now it’s back to the future
With the twist of the dial
Reloaded with my man from the menace file
Reppin for the west so I takes a deep breath
Exhaling on the track kid ... so fresh
Chorus (2x)
I heard music calms the savage beast
To the g’s in the clubs put away ya piece
For the gun clap leaves nothing but the blood stain
Sips on ya drink puffs on ya mary jane
Lots of lovin this time bringing no pain
Girls they love when a homie use his brain
Relax let your conscience be free
And smoke blunts to tha sounds of the e and p
What ya didn’t know we shut shut shut ’em down
To the east and west team coming straight to ya town
How ya like it but please don’t be afraid of us
Like me nigga busta these two is dangerous
Can’t hang with us too blind ta see
Been puttin shit down since the p was free
I ain’t mad at y’all don’t be mad at me
I been just like y’all tryin to collect my fee
Chorus (4x)
Get down y’all
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
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