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."
[Chorus]
We've been down to the bottom
Stories we got 'em , when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
To let the lost know that someone cares
'Cause we've been down to the bottom
Stories we've got 'em, when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
And let somebody know that the Most High cares
I never knew that it would feel like this
When the two that raised you up and call it quits
Nobody told me 'bout the emptiness
When the place you call home is closed for business
I push the pain down, I gotta get by
Always knowin' in my heart that it ain't gonna fly
Rock bottom's never felt so near before
And if pain is God's megaphone it's loud and clear
So hold me now father, human love ain't enough
I've failed and been failed by the people I love
But your beautiful arms they surround me
And any other soul who has to sail those seas
Of a broken family
[Chorus]
Been so many times that I've been close to rock bottom
Trying to look for answers but nobody's got 'em
Like the time my mother looked me in the eye
Tryin' not to cry, tellin' me the cancer might cause her to die
How can this be, I thought that God loved me?
So why would he try to take my mother from me?
And as I cry myself to sleep at night, holding on my pillow tight
He spoke to me and said that everything gonna be alright
So I tried to fight all the pain that it caused
Try to move on and I try to stay strong
So put your hands up, hey, if y'all are feelin' me
And put your hands up for everyone to see
So put your hands up, we all a family
So put your hands up, in unity, in unity
[Chorus]
I've been there too
When everything falls apart and the best you can do is
Get through each day wonderin' will this never end?
Is it always going to be this way?
And the greatest lie you've ever been told is that
You're the only one to ever walk on this road
And that you'll never see the light of dawn, so we came together to say
Hold on
'Cause we've been there and found our way home
We promise you that you're not on your own
One day this will pass, God will see us all through
God will see us all through
God will see us all pass through
[Chorus]
We've been down to the bottom
Stories we got 'em , when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
To let the lost know that someone cares
'Cause we've been down to the bottom
Stories we've got 'em, when we hit rock bottom
If you been there put your hands in the air
And let somebody know that the Most High cares
I never knew that it would feel like this
When the two that raised you up and call it quits
Nobody told me 'bout the emptiness
When the place you call home is closed for business
I push the pain down, I gotta get by
Always knowin' in my heart that it ain't gonna fly
Rock bottom's never felt so near before
And if pain is God's megaphone it's loud and clear
So hold me now father, human love ain't enough
I've failed and been failed by the people I love
But your beautiful arms they surround me
And any other soul who has to sail those seas
Of a broken family
[Chorus]
Been so many times that I've been close to rock bottom
Trying to look for answers but nobody's got 'em
Like the time my mother looked me in the eye
Tryin' not to cry, tellin' me the cancer might cause her to die
How can this be, I thought that God loved me?
So why would he try to take my mother from me?
And as I cry myself to sleep at night, holding on my pillow tight
He spoke to me and said that everything gonna be alright
So I tried to fight all the pain that it caused
Try to move on and I try to stay strong
So put your hands up, hey, if y'all are feelin' me
And put your hands up for everyone to see
So put your hands up, we all a family
So put your hands up, in unity, in unity
[Chorus]
I've been there too
When everything falls apart and the best you can do is
Get through each day wonderin' will this never end?
Is it always going to be this way?
And the greatest lie you've ever been told is that
You're the only one to ever walk on this road
And that you'll never see the light of dawn, so we came together to say
Hold on
'Cause we've been there and found our way home
We promise you that you're not on your own
One day this will pass, God will see us all through
God will see us all through
God will see us all pass through
[Chorus]
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you sure? check this "He spoke to me and said that everything gonna be alright" although now that I look your probably right "So I tried to fight all the pain that it caused" superchick is a great band\idol for anyone who is struggling to carry on