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."
I tried so hard to make a change
But now I'm here and I'm the same
And once I tried to let it go
But its so impossible I just don't know
And once again I've let it go
It's so impossible now I know
So is it still too late
Two sides decide my fate
And once again I've let it go
It's so impossible now I know
But now I'm here and I'm the same
And once I tried to let it go
But its so impossible I just don't know
And once again I've let it go
It's so impossible now I know
So is it still too late
Two sides decide my fate
And once again I've let it go
It's so impossible now I know
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to me this song is directed not so much towards anyone else...but the person inside, that voice that tells us everythign we do is wrong, i beleive this song is takn from the christian view of separating from ourselves, because often all we do is hurt ourselves, in the same way, this song could be directed to the world as a whole, who beat down christians simply for beleiving and stating what they beleive, but really i'm not sure, it could be both or none of these things, that's for you to decide the lines "you love me you hate me" make me think more of an inward battle simple because that little thing inside of us that tells us we're wrong always says it knows best silently, by telling us it cares, and at the same time it hates us, then when it moves on and says "you can't have me anymore" it feels like a personal revelation that it can't controll you, that it's just a feeling and it couldnt exist without you, and in that way it can't have me anymore, i have gone through many personal struggles so this may just be my own feeling of the song, btu as always this is simply my oppinion, try and form yor own and jsut use mine as a guideline if anything at all
Thatguy517 omg this is exactly what I take from the song too. I've had a lot of inward battles too. So like u said it could just be us that thinks this. Lol but great thought and awesome song. I love RED soooo much!
This song is talking about Satan. Christians are constantly targeted by the devil with temptation. I believe he is going through a phase where the devil is just after him hardcore and throwing things at him that are hurting or ruining his life. He's affraid but he doesn't want to be. "Let Go" is a cry for Christ to finally relieve him of his spiritual battle with satan, he wants to finally be free of these trials he's going through so he is begging God.
Many Christians go through this phase. Especially when you are a new or struggling Christian, satan targets the weak, trying to stop the progression of the faith before it is solid. If you persevere through this part of your relationship with Christ, your foundation is stronger than it probably ever will be.
@sevenrowsback..I think you’re spot on!
This song is about Demon like Wishing brought up. The ultimate Demon the Devil. Red is a Christian band so from that its a lot easier to understand the whole song. I Love this song. It holds a lot of weight for me and a lot of Christians in this world.
Fo-sho. This song is about excercising the demon that is satan in a figurative sense that consume our lives. great band
Also---this whole CD seems to be a cry of desperation, calling out to Christ. I like how he keeps the theme going for the most part of the CD.
ok although red is a christian band it does not have to be directed in that way i do not believe it has anything to do with god or satan i believe its about battling your inner demons and the fact that u cant control what youve become and its ruined everything you had and you just want to be yourself again not that bad part of you
battling inner demons does have to do with god. If you're eaten up inside you're of no use to him.
I can see what you're talking about, but the problem is that those inner demons are caused by Satan, and I get the feeling that he is talking to a specific person or being. In this case, that person is Satan because he recognizes Satan as the source of those demons.
A battle between ones true self and ones ego, ones power of God within and ones always needy false-self, and ones goodness and the temptation of the devil
@Lyteheart..spot on!
This is an awesome song. Doesn't matter which way you slice it the message is this: There are things in life that try to control us and try to break us down (addictions, sicknesses, etc). We have to tell these things to release their grip on us, fight them and then make them leave us alone.
The "LET GO" screams give me a sense of confidence when I am in a good mood and a sense of please take it all away when I am down. Red already outdid themselves when they made this song.
Always will be an epic song to me.
This is clearly about a relashionship.... " You bruise me" " YOU hate me" YOU always wanna take me down"
LET GO!!!!! in other words... BREAK up...
Well, to me (as I listen to the song, of course), this song is about the singer getting sick of his inner devil (or THE Devil him/herself) telling him what to do but what he's being told to do is wrong and is just tearing him down even more; to the point where he just couldn't ignore it anymore and is calling for God to help him fight off "his inner demon". The "You love me, you hate me" part sounds like him first being tricked into listening to this "inner demon" and thinks that it cares about him, but then he realizes that, no, it doesn't. It just wants to hurt him. Then, when the singer starts singing, "You can't have me anymore" it sounds like he's finally winning (and maybe that God is helping him win in the fight against his "inner demon") and the ending music sounds like the battle between him and his inner demon is over, even though he knows that it'll probably happen again.