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."
To your knees this daily passion, you don't feel anything
You couldn't race a knife across him
But would you dare ask anyone to take away all the blame?
What if you aren't responsible?
Would it ease this life a little to see him buried instead?
The sweat of your back now sticks to the carpet
As he pulls himself out from the press
You couldn't ask for a better father, the words once expressed from your mouth
Now eat them away, or take to the grave, you're a pretty girl honey!
If he would just die, then I might be happy, mother
(kill again) so count to sleep, my dearest Martha
(should no one know) you know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
(kill him slow) would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you don't they will
(if you won't, they will) and maybe for them, maybe them
This is the last you'll say in the shower
As your blood curves a path when mixed with the water
I'll do it myself so it's done
To the right of all ways I will bury his grave, I'm a pretty girl, funny
Out from the woods a light burns in shadow, unnoticed to a girl with a gun
(kill again) so count to sleep, my dearest Martha
(should no one know) you know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
(kill him slow) would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you don't they will
(if you won't, they will) and maybe for them, maybe them
So count to sleep, my dearest Martha
You know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
Would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you won't they will
And maybe for them, maybe them
You couldn't race a knife across him
But would you dare ask anyone to take away all the blame?
What if you aren't responsible?
Would it ease this life a little to see him buried instead?
The sweat of your back now sticks to the carpet
As he pulls himself out from the press
You couldn't ask for a better father, the words once expressed from your mouth
Now eat them away, or take to the grave, you're a pretty girl honey!
If he would just die, then I might be happy, mother
(kill again) so count to sleep, my dearest Martha
(should no one know) you know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
(kill him slow) would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you don't they will
(if you won't, they will) and maybe for them, maybe them
This is the last you'll say in the shower
As your blood curves a path when mixed with the water
I'll do it myself so it's done
To the right of all ways I will bury his grave, I'm a pretty girl, funny
Out from the woods a light burns in shadow, unnoticed to a girl with a gun
(kill again) so count to sleep, my dearest Martha
(should no one know) you know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
(kill him slow) would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you don't they will
(if you won't, they will) and maybe for them, maybe them
So count to sleep, my dearest Martha
You know you should, but you won't leave Arthur
Would it not be for you, then please for the children
'cause if you won't they will, if you won't they will
And maybe for them, maybe them
Lyrics submitted by Street Spirit, edited by SephNite
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This song is about Arthur McCloud abusing her daughter Cecillia (the main character), she was clearly raped as it suggests "The sweat of your back, now sticks to the carpet, As he moves himself out from the press" she tells her mother, Martha, but I don't think she does anything about it, until Cecillia ends up running away with her brothers (the missing McCloud Boys) at which point Martha decides to "do it myself so it's done". This could be reffering to either the actual killing of Arthur or simply disposing of his body (Cecellia may have already killed him).