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."
Stitching threads of truth into the emptiest deception
To bleed the open scabs once more and multiply obsession
Intangible seduction and a manufactured dream
Faith is what is hoped for but heaven isn't free
The path to God
A downward slide
Something to reach for
When you can't hide
Words to live by
Most of the time
Words that pacify your mind
Salvation is yours
If you follow the rest in line
Conform to the process of giving in
And rise above the swine
The only solution
Is this endless reprise
Breaking your knees all day
To reach for the sky
Working shards of guilt into the ignorant perspective
To tear the open wound once more and justify redemption
Reversible acceptance by a contradicting doctrine
God is love to everyone except for those who question
The light is here
To blind your way
Something to help you
Explain it away
Words to support
Whatever you say
Words that mask your human ways
The age of your belief doesn't validate the message
And faith is not a fact despite all that you've invested
Your word is just a veil to hide what you can never be
A reason to deny all responsibility
The path to God
A downward slide
Something to use
To hide your life
Words to kill for
When others refuse
Words that silence all you abuse
To bleed the open scabs once more and multiply obsession
Intangible seduction and a manufactured dream
Faith is what is hoped for but heaven isn't free
The path to God
A downward slide
Something to reach for
When you can't hide
Words to live by
Most of the time
Words that pacify your mind
Salvation is yours
If you follow the rest in line
Conform to the process of giving in
And rise above the swine
The only solution
Is this endless reprise
Breaking your knees all day
To reach for the sky
Working shards of guilt into the ignorant perspective
To tear the open wound once more and justify redemption
Reversible acceptance by a contradicting doctrine
God is love to everyone except for those who question
The light is here
To blind your way
Something to help you
Explain it away
Words to support
Whatever you say
Words that mask your human ways
The age of your belief doesn't validate the message
And faith is not a fact despite all that you've invested
Your word is just a veil to hide what you can never be
A reason to deny all responsibility
The path to God
A downward slide
Something to use
To hide your life
Words to kill for
When others refuse
Words that silence all you abuse
Lyrics submitted by azraelfarishta
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This is clearly stating how ridiculous (..."manufactured dream"), empty, and destructive ("words to kill for when others refuse") religion is.
Example: "Something to reach for When you can't hide"
Those in society who believe in religion find it to be the only thing to help them get through life, their "salvation" from their problems. And, just as the above quote states, these people look up to (i.e. "something to reach for") religion to give them hope for a better life only because they have nothing else (i.e. "...when you can't hide") to, supposedly, get them through life on their own.