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."
For 20 years I've held this pulpit.
Preached the word, served the Eucharist,
Gained the trust of the townsfolk.
Made every football game, never missed a social.
Last week, a boy I taught theology
Came back in town with a new ideology,
And now those feelings-- I tucked away
Threaten this sanctuary.
A lifetime of burning culminated in one innocent, forbidden touch.
I know this is wrong because I'm told this is wrong.
A new recruit, twenty-five years old.
He joined the habit with a chip on his shoulder.
Some nights he'd proclaim his preference
But only flat back drunk on a bottle of Jameson.
One of those nights we stayed up, the two of us.
Singing our lives, just the two of us.
We were hiding in the dark,
I fell asleep by his side.
We woke to the chimes of the bells in the steeple and ran off to separate rooms.
They can't know what we've done,
Or our whole world would come undone.
You'll never live this down,
You'll never live this down,
You'll never live this down,
(They're gonna find you out!),
You'll never live this down,
(And when they find you out!),
You'll never live this down,
(They're gonna drag you out! Don't let them find you!).
I know this is wrong, because we're told this is wrong.
Preached the word, served the Eucharist,
Gained the trust of the townsfolk.
Made every football game, never missed a social.
Last week, a boy I taught theology
Came back in town with a new ideology,
And now those feelings-- I tucked away
Threaten this sanctuary.
A lifetime of burning culminated in one innocent, forbidden touch.
I know this is wrong because I'm told this is wrong.
A new recruit, twenty-five years old.
He joined the habit with a chip on his shoulder.
Some nights he'd proclaim his preference
But only flat back drunk on a bottle of Jameson.
One of those nights we stayed up, the two of us.
Singing our lives, just the two of us.
We were hiding in the dark,
I fell asleep by his side.
We woke to the chimes of the bells in the steeple and ran off to separate rooms.
They can't know what we've done,
Or our whole world would come undone.
You'll never live this down,
You'll never live this down,
You'll never live this down,
(They're gonna find you out!),
You'll never live this down,
(And when they find you out!),
You'll never live this down,
(They're gonna drag you out! Don't let them find you!).
I know this is wrong, because we're told this is wrong.
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I agree about the homosexual relationship. I would also like to point out the play on words with the title "Bad Sects" which ryhmes with "bad sex," what homosexual love-making is often considered.