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."
It's the common reactor
It's the long way out
It's the stream of a motion blur
That swirls around till you drown
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
It's the colorless picture
In a heart-shaped frame
The silhouette of a doe-eyed girl
Who at one point had a name
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But now it's too late
Brush away all the memories
And keep the cries curbside
I'll be ashen on the images
That have all been caught inside
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
It's the long way out
It's the stream of a motion blur
That swirls around till you drown
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
It's the colorless picture
In a heart-shaped frame
The silhouette of a doe-eyed girl
Who at one point had a name
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But now it's too late
Brush away all the memories
And keep the cries curbside
I'll be ashen on the images
That have all been caught inside
But I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down, no, I couldn't put it down
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
Let's break the windowpanes
And separate the walls from all the nails
And maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive
While everybody wants to join the fight
But even if we barricade the door
And seal it with the blood found on the floor
We're always going to cross the finish line
While everybody wants to run and hide
But now it's too late
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
personal i think this song could easily be about death- i mean, what other true common reactor between everyone in life is there? i think he knew a girl who died, someone obviously close to her. and i think the last part that no one seems to understand could be looking at death in general. "but even if we barricade the door and seal it with the blood found on the floor" possibly referring to the angel of death from the 10 plagues? "we’re always going to cross the finish line while everybody wants to run and hide but now it’s too late" crossing the finish line in this point means dying i think, like death is the finish line to life and its unavoidable. just some thoughts.
"someone obviously close to her."- oops, him
This song really reminds me of Winston and Julia from George Orwell's novel 1984.
pretty sure that should be "doe-eyed"...
Yeah. "Doe-eyed girl." Why would you call someone a "dough-eyed girl?" Clearly, it is DOE.
i think this song is about rebellion or fighting for a cause. 'its the stream of a motion blur that swirls around you til you drown' i think is talking about the conformty of the modern world pulling people in. when hes talking about the picture of a girl 'who at one point had name' is i possibly a person from the past who fought for what they beleived? a hero? 'maybe if we're loud we'll stay alive' i think this verse is reffering to the urge that people have to fight for something that they beleive in to keep them going.
it's describing heart ach. not being able to let go of the person. reacting in pain on an emotional level. eather picking through things to figure out what went wrong or trying to seal out the truth & hiding from it. thats what I think explains the blood on the floor & destroying the building. the "finish line" is kinda strange in there but I think it represents the realization of whats happened. it's coming weather they like it or not. & most would rather not face it.
It's about regret.
@FlashlightDestiny Yes. Regret is the common reactor in the song.
wow, what a good song, not quite sure what its about. The part about the blood and joining the fight makes me think its about war.
i just recently started listening to sspu and it didn't take much to get me hooked. Quality vocals,excelent guitar riffs, great style and cryptic lyrics, whats not to like? to me this song seems to be about addiction or excess. it has a bit of imagery which makes me think of drug use; "it’s the stream of a motion blur that swirls around til you drown", "i’ll be ashing on the images". feels like Aubert is describing how drugs isolate you from the world around you and everyone in it.
@Drew_613 you're the only one who really listened and understood the meaning. The only way to know it is to have gone through it. It's obvious what the song is about. The only way You would only know that meaning is through experience. They are genius and so are you.
To me this song is talking about a relationship that ended for the singer, that he didn't want to end.
"it’s the colorless picture in a heart shaped frame the silhouette of a dough eyed girl who at one point had a name"
The singer picks up a photograph of his ex and remembers how it used to be and that once meant somethign to him.
"but I couldn’t put it down no I couldn’t put it down"
He dosn't want to stop remembering.
"brush away all the memories keep the cries curbside i’ll be ashing on the images that have all been caught inside"
Here he's saying that he wants to burn all the images of them and along with the memories that are held inside so he could move on perhaps.
"but i couldn’t put it down no i couldn’t put it down no i couldn’t put it down"
But again he can't just forget her.
"let’s break the window panes and separate the walls from all the nails cuz maybe if we’re loud we’ll stay alive while everybody wants to join the fight but even if we barricade the door and seal it with the blood found on the floor we’re always going to cross the finish line while everybody wants to run and hide but now it’s too late"
Not so sure about this one...
Not every song is about a relationship. Sometimes ppl sing about something else - this song is about fighting for something you believe in, in a world that is overrun by comformity.