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."
Make my world a better place to be
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Take my hand and lead me as you choose
It seems we ain't got much to lose
Give this place one season without shame
Forgive me Lord I've sinned again
I been down on my luck, as a matter of fact
I've even been chaste
Drifting along, singing a song
For the whole human race
I been caught in the act, as a matter of fact
I'm even well known
Floating on by with a laugh and a sigh
On the road that leads home
I got no more time left to roam, if you love me
Take this world and build it as you please
With a little help from the likes of me
Keep it safe from harm and make it pure
Forgive the rich and save the poor
Like the dust on the wind I've been taken again by my foolish pride
Drifting along, singing a song, that's how I get by
I been caught in the act, as a matter of fact I've even been chased
Floating on by with a laugh and a sigh for the whole human race
I got no more time left to waste, if you love me
Make my world a better place to be
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my face a different point of view
Forgive us Lord if we run to you
If you love me
Make my world a better place to be
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Take my hand and lead me as you choose
It seems we ain't got much to lose
Give this place one season without shame
Forgive me Lord I've sinned again
I been down on my luck, as a matter of fact
I've even been chaste
Drifting along, singing a song
For the whole human race
I been caught in the act, as a matter of fact
I'm even well known
Floating on by with a laugh and a sigh
On the road that leads home
I got no more time left to roam, if you love me
Take this world and build it as you please
With a little help from the likes of me
Keep it safe from harm and make it pure
Forgive the rich and save the poor
Like the dust on the wind I've been taken again by my foolish pride
Drifting along, singing a song, that's how I get by
I been caught in the act, as a matter of fact I've even been chased
Floating on by with a laugh and a sigh for the whole human race
I got no more time left to waste, if you love me
Make my world a better place to be
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my face a different point of view
Forgive us Lord if we run to you
If you love me
Make my world a better place to be
Remove these chains and set me free
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Give my life one reason to begin
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Forgive Me Lord Lyrics as written by Gordon Lightfoot
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.