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."
I'm right on target, my aim is straight
So you're in love, I say what of it?
Things can change, there's always changes
I want to try some rearranging, I say
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
You're kissing cousins, there's no smoke, no flame
If you lose that pilot I can fly your plane
If you want solid ground, come on and try me
Oh I can take you so high that you're never gonna want to come down, I say
I say
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I said, animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm an Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I say drop the pilot (yeah)
Drop the monkey
Drop the mahout
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
So you're in love, I say what of it?
Things can change, there's always changes
I want to try some rearranging, I say
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
You're kissing cousins, there's no smoke, no flame
If you lose that pilot I can fly your plane
If you want solid ground, come on and try me
Oh I can take you so high that you're never gonna want to come down, I say
I say
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I said, animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm an Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Drop the pilot, try my balloon
Drop the monkey, smell my perfume
Drop the mahout, I'm the Easy Rider
Don't use your army to fight a losing battle
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I say drop the pilot (yeah)
Drop the monkey
Drop the mahout
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual
I'm the one you need, I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
I'm the one you need
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Mountain Song
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
No comments?
Well let me just say this song is obviously about her trying to court a married woman.
I had to look up "mahout." For anyone else who also didn't happen to know, a "mahout" is a driver of an elephant; derived from Hindi.
Joan herself recently answered this: stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/10514581/Joan-Armatradings-enduring-charm
'"People read all kinds of things into that song," she says, "but it's just about trying to convince someone to leave the person they're with because you're a better match. The bit about elephant riders and guys on motorbikes and so on confused a lot of people, but the message is very basic: forget him and get with me.'"
Im not sure, but with Joan I would imagine this is political.
idiomdictionary.com/definition/drop-the-pilot.html
"Don't use your army To fight a losing battle"
Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual (The riches of Africa)
@MMFB2001 Nope
I should have added that it could be political about the exploitation of Africa's riches and that trying to fight against this is a loosing battle. Perhaps Joan thinks there is someone better to lead the continent or country she is singing about - "Im the one you need".
It could be a metaphor, or it could be as straight forward as it sounds.
Oh.. and "kissing cousins" - suggests you are in bed with someone you shouldnt be - metaphorically. So, perhaps she is saying that the leaders of the African country in the song are in cahoots with people that they shouldn't be - not in the best interests of the people.
Im not sure about this, it's just an interpretation and Im looking forward to what others have to say about this truly great song.
Here's the meaning plain and simple. It is a story about her trying to turn a straight woman gay (probably for the first time) hence "I'm right on target My aim is STRAIGHT" Her object of desire is "In love", from then on she is trying to persuade the woman to start a gay relationship with her. She then confirms her lesbian contempt of men referring to them as monkeys. balloons could be a reference to breasts, i had to look for the definition of mahout and wikipedia recognizes it as an elephant rider... in my quick opinion mahout is one and the same with pilot, maybe she was trying to be derogatory once more to males without resorting to name-calling as with "monkey", where 'pilot' doesn't automatically bring up any negative connotations mahout certainly does, and i think the overall implications are that of the male being the master of the woman, riding her, piloting her, controlling her and bending her to his will. the "kissing cousins" line is simple to decipher as it is explained in the following lyrics "theres no smoke no flame" she is advising the woman that she is in a passionless relationship. finally i believe that the line " don't use your army to fight a losing battle" is referring to the woman using the excuse that she is heterosexual for not wanting a relationship with joan as irrelevant and if it is a losing battle i think this strongly implies that there is some connection, maybe they shared a moment or had an affair.
Plausible analysis; the political analysis seems strained. although it's always possible both are true (look at "Eye in the Sky" by the Alan Parsons Project... two meanings). <br /> <br /> However, when she says "Try my balloon," that makes me think of a "trial balloon," I don't think it's so obvious a reference as breasts... it just means "Try me." and fits in with the overall aeronautic theme.
I think that the song is being over analyzed.
It might be about lesbianism however that cannot be confirmed in this small viewpoint window that we see of the song.
In my opinion i think the song relates to one person trying to convince the other person into starting a relationship with them, however the other person is already in a relationship. So she tries to explain the dead end relationship by comparing it to "kissing cousins, no smoke, no flame". Drop the pilot / monkey / mahout all revers to that same person where she tries to convince them that she would be the better choice. "im the one you need" to put it as simple as possible.
Basically, asking, pleading or trying to convince that she is the better choice.
Maybe Joan is suggesting to all women the potential for engaging in a rewarding relationship outside hetersexualism? The real irony here is the tone of her lyrics are very masculine and if it would suit a mans seduction of a woman (or a man) by just changing the occupations.
This is a great song. Very catchy and fun lyrics that are a little deeper.
wilfturnbull.co.uk/DearJoanArmatradingReDropThePilot.htm