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."
The city feels clean this time of night just empty streets
And me walking home to clear my head
I know it came as no surprise
I'm affected more than I had guessed on what was said
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see how it's broken
It's the quiet time before the dawn and I'm half past making sense of it, was I wrong?
Should I claim to give it all ? in a world where not much ever seems to last long
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken if the smile's not meant to be
If the heart's not ready to open if we make it I won't
See how it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be
If the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see how it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
And me walking home to clear my head
I know it came as no surprise
I'm affected more than I had guessed on what was said
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see how it's broken
It's the quiet time before the dawn and I'm half past making sense of it, was I wrong?
Should I claim to give it all ? in a world where not much ever seems to last long
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken if the smile's not meant to be
If the heart's not ready to open if we make it I won't
See how it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be
If the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see it's broken
If the smile's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open
If we make it I won't see how it's broken
How it's broken
How it's broken
Lyrics submitted by jubjubgurl
Empty Streets Lyrics as written by Angelo Badalamenti
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
I think it could potentially be about a relationship that is slowly losing hope. She knew deep down that it wasn't mean to be and that it's actually falling apart no matter what she tries to do to fix it.
"I know it came as no surprise, I'm affect more than I had guessed on what was said"
She knew where the relationship was, where it stood but whatever was said still affected her because of the denial and little hope she had left. I don't necessarily think that "what was said" was breaking up, but it could have been something hurtful enough or honest enough to make her realize the reality of the situation.
I actually always thought the song was "If this love's not meant to be" and rather than "If we make it i won't see it's broken" I thought it was "If the naked eye won't see, it's broken" and I still think that because I see some other people agree to it.
So I basically think the chorus is her realizing that she has to let go because she's forcing something that wasn't meant to go as far as it has gone
"if this love's not meant to be, if the heart's not ready to open, if the naked eye won't see. It's broken"
She's basically saying with everything happened it was meant to be, it was meant to be broken. "If the naked eye won't see" not that it can't see but it won't see...She refuses to see the relationship for what it is - broken.
Then the next part "I'm half past making sense of it-was I wrong? Should i think to give it all?" Now she's debating with herself, is it actually not meant to be? Am i wrong to be realizing that or am I wrong to have given what i did" then she says should i think to give it all? so she fights with herself to keep trying...
Basically to sum it up, I personally think this song is about a guy and a girl who are in a relationship together but they are happy being miserable together because it would hurt too much to be apart The girl, obviously giving more than her boyfriend slowly begins to realize the harsh truth about the relationship - that she actually already knew but denied. So the beginning of the end of the relationship starts to happen on this walk home lol