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."
When I left you alone to fight your battles
Of long winters in motels, what went through your mind?
How is it that you made it? How is it that you noticed?
It wasn't me who was looking at you
Through foggy glass or windows... it was them
I was out in Coolidge with my head on a counter
Drinking down my chances to ever return to anyone
No I wasn't faking it the hurt I felt was real
And all that was holy just slowly disappeared
Or just appeared in parking lots of truck stops
The lights all blinking and now all I'm thinking is
"How the hell did I get here?"
Does your husband know I call you sweetheart?
Does he know that I call you at all?
It's not like you're cheating we're only meeting
In hotels and not your home
It's not like we're cheating
(We're only meeting in hotels and not your home)
Would you change your last name to mine?
(Would you change your last name to mine?)
I think your kids will mind
I was in the desert waving planes and burning phone books
To a tune that was famous the year I was born
Do not leave me dancing alone
(Do not leave me dancing alone, pick up the phone and call me lover)
Pick up the phone
And call me lover
Say, "Come and get me, I am home"
Please pick up the phone
Please pick up the phone
Of long winters in motels, what went through your mind?
How is it that you made it? How is it that you noticed?
It wasn't me who was looking at you
Through foggy glass or windows... it was them
I was out in Coolidge with my head on a counter
Drinking down my chances to ever return to anyone
No I wasn't faking it the hurt I felt was real
And all that was holy just slowly disappeared
Or just appeared in parking lots of truck stops
The lights all blinking and now all I'm thinking is
"How the hell did I get here?"
Does your husband know I call you sweetheart?
Does he know that I call you at all?
It's not like you're cheating we're only meeting
In hotels and not your home
It's not like we're cheating
(We're only meeting in hotels and not your home)
Would you change your last name to mine?
(Would you change your last name to mine?)
I think your kids will mind
I was in the desert waving planes and burning phone books
To a tune that was famous the year I was born
Do not leave me dancing alone
(Do not leave me dancing alone, pick up the phone and call me lover)
Pick up the phone
And call me lover
Say, "Come and get me, I am home"
Please pick up the phone
Please pick up the phone
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
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.
This is mostly wrong, and since we can't send in corrections anymore, I'll just hope one of the admins see this:
When I left you alone To fight your battles of long winters In hotels, what went through your mind? How is it that you made it? How is it that you noticed?
It wasn't me who was Looking at you through Foggy glass Or windows, it was them
I was out in Coolidge with my head on a counter Drinking down my chances to ever return (To anyone) To anyone
No I wasn't faking it The hurt I felt was real and all that was holy Just slowly disappeared but just appeared In parking lots And truck stops
The blinking lights (The blinking lights) Now I'm sinking you How the hell did I get here?
Does your husband know I call you sweetheart? Does he know that I call you ...? It's not like you're cheating We're only meeting in motels and not your home (It's not like we're cheating We're only meeting in hotels and not your home)
Would you change your last name to mine? (Would you change your last name to mine?)
I think my kids would mind I think my kids would mind
I was in the desert waving planes and burning phonebooks to a tune That was famous the year I was born Do not leave me dancing alone (Do not leave me dancing alone, pick up the phone and call me lover) Pick up the phone Call me lover (Say, "Come and get me, I am home") I am home
Please pick up the phone Please pick up the phone
The meaning is pretty clear, except for the first two parts. Everything after is a man metaphorically stuck in a desert and him asking this woman that he's had an affair with not to abandon him, but to join him in his solitude and dance with him (or, make the best of it).
I think it's a bit more than asking her to join him. The line "Would you change your last name to mine" is asking her to marry him. I think it's possibly one of the best lines Damiens ever written. It's so perfectly understated and yet far more romantic than any grand overblown gesture.
I must have been having a really bad ear day - I was wellllllll off! Changed.
I wish I couldn't relate to the desperation in "do not leave me dancing alone... pick up the phone"
I totally agree. Pick up the phone and call me lover- could be call me, lover or it could be just call me lover I love play on words. This song to me is about obviously cheating but that it feels so good but brings so much sadness.