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."
Dead end girl on the outside looking in
On a dead end world in which she cannot live
And she'd love to leave for someplace all alone
And she'd love to live
Far from every face or name she's ever known
No, I can't say I blame her
No, I can't say I blame her
My oh my dead end girl
My oh my dead end girl made a promise to herself
That this dead end world would be forced to eat itself at gunpoint.
No, I can't say I blame her
No, how can you blame her?
My oh my dead end girl
My oh my dead end girl on the outside looking in
On a dead end world
One of which she cannot live
And she'd love to leave for someplace nice and cold
And she'd love to live far from me or anyone she's ever known
My dead end girl
...But then I stopped and took the picture,
Found myself looking in it,
Found myself drowning in it,
Lost myself for a minute,
The same face in the same mirror
With his eyes a little clearer
Read what the reflection's sending,
This is only the beginning.
My dead end girl
My dead end girl
No, dead end girl
No, dead end girl
On a dead end world in which she cannot live
And she'd love to leave for someplace all alone
And she'd love to live
Far from every face or name she's ever known
No, I can't say I blame her
No, I can't say I blame her
My oh my dead end girl
My oh my dead end girl made a promise to herself
That this dead end world would be forced to eat itself at gunpoint.
No, I can't say I blame her
No, how can you blame her?
My oh my dead end girl
My oh my dead end girl on the outside looking in
On a dead end world
One of which she cannot live
And she'd love to leave for someplace nice and cold
And she'd love to live far from me or anyone she's ever known
My dead end girl
...But then I stopped and took the picture,
Found myself looking in it,
Found myself drowning in it,
Lost myself for a minute,
The same face in the same mirror
With his eyes a little clearer
Read what the reflection's sending,
This is only the beginning.
My dead end girl
My dead end girl
No, dead end girl
No, dead end girl
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
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,
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.
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.
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.
Wow, i must say, that matt has really done it this time, this song is great....I just wander what its about......suicide maybe, who knows???? "Made a promise to herself that this dead end world will be forced to eat itself at gun point"
Wow, i must say, that matt has really done it this time, this song is great....I just wander what its about......suicide maybe, who knows???? "Made a promise to herself that this dead end world will be forced to eat itself at gun point"
hm yeah it could be.. and now he is just trying to convince himself not to blame her
Ooo Heavens. I love this song
Suicide, eh? Hm-
I think this girl is defintely down and out- she's sick of living, especially in this dead end world where she has nowhere to go and theres no progress to be made. She may or may not be contemplating suicide, but she's searching for something and keeps coming up empty. He doesn't blame her for wanting to get away from it all and give up[not necesarrily by dying...]- since she's always on the outside looking in;How can you blame her?
But, I think more than trying to convince himself not to blame her for killing herself or whatever, he's simply relating to and sympathizing with her and the situation[s] she's in.
And then, at the end- the first impression I got when reading [this]
But then I stopped and took a picture I found myself looking in it Found myself drowning in it Lost myself for a minute The same face in the same mirror With his eyes a little clearer We watched the reflection standing This is only the beginning
was that he puts himself in her shoes, and see's how hard it is and finds himself drowning in it. His eyes become a little clearer, and he realizes how far gone she is- this dead end girl with zero oppurtunity in her dead end world, and on top of that "Lost myself for a minute The same face in the same mirror" he see's some of her in himself.
But yeah;; great band, great song. ---> Get the cd =]
Even if might sound like monk. But this kyrics aren´t a 100% correct. Despite from the chorus stuff where he sings "No, I cant say I blame her" twice there are other mistakes. The one who posted these lyrics is missing so much words Can´t stand it :).
Even if might sound like monk. But this kyrics aren´t a 100% correct. Despite from the chorus stuff where he sings "No, I cant say I blame her" twice there are other mistakes. The one who posted these lyrics is missing so much words Can´t stand it :).
I love this song - to the end of the world and back. I've given up hope with uni, friends, work etc. Though didn't feel sucidle. My brother, saw Heaven's live, (so jealous lol) an he said i was his dead end girl. I agree wit skiba junkie - u got a v.gud point hun. Hope u all love this song/album as much as i do xxx
^ lol i meant suicidal (avin one of those days lol) ^
Lyric corrections:
-But then I stopped and took the picture
WIth his eyes a little clearer, -Read what the reflection's sending This is only the beginning.
[DMN: lay off the pot]
Best off Patent Pending.