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 sinking yet I'll stride
A satchel filled with files
The secrets of the tribe
The cameras follow me for miles
Born a slave in 1984,
I discovered that my life is just a record they perform
A major album,
Please, tell me what you think of this one
Tell me what you think of this one
'Cause now I've sold you out
Now that there's no doubt
Now I've called you out
Now I've sold you out
They strapped me to the roof
and cut right through me
Diggin' through my wounds
I watched them helplessly in shock
Where are my pills, where is my former lover?
I've been betrayed by everyone I know who's blown my feeble cover
So tell me what you think of this one
Tell me what you think of this gun
Now I've sold you out
Now that there's no doubt
Now I've called you out
Now I've sold you out
'Cause the truth is this:
I finally know what they conceived so long ago
A baby wrapped, Defence a test,
The poison learned from what we're pressed
The needle burn, the Pendants fly, the shackles tear...
Could never guard
This place I live in hyper speed
I shall not live; I shall not breathe again
This is fuckin' ecstasy
This is fuckin' leprosy
This life that's fuckin' testin' me
I'm in fuckin' ecstasy
A satchel filled with files
The secrets of the tribe
The cameras follow me for miles
Born a slave in 1984,
I discovered that my life is just a record they perform
A major album,
Please, tell me what you think of this one
Tell me what you think of this one
'Cause now I've sold you out
Now that there's no doubt
Now I've called you out
Now I've sold you out
They strapped me to the roof
and cut right through me
Diggin' through my wounds
I watched them helplessly in shock
Where are my pills, where is my former lover?
I've been betrayed by everyone I know who's blown my feeble cover
So tell me what you think of this one
Tell me what you think of this gun
Now I've sold you out
Now that there's no doubt
Now I've called you out
Now I've sold you out
'Cause the truth is this:
I finally know what they conceived so long ago
A baby wrapped, Defence a test,
The poison learned from what we're pressed
The needle burn, the Pendants fly, the shackles tear...
Could never guard
This place I live in hyper speed
I shall not live; I shall not breathe again
This is fuckin' ecstasy
This is fuckin' leprosy
This life that's fuckin' testin' me
I'm in fuckin' ecstasy
Lyrics submitted by chia like
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I'm sprinting yet I stride, my satchel filled with files (The secrets of the tribe) The cameras follow me for miles Born a slave in 1984, discovered that my life is just a record they performed. A maze where I was placed Tell me what you think of this one Tell me what you think of this one Because now I've sold you out (Erase me, erase me I'm done) Now that there's no doubt (My feet find the freeway, I run) Now I've called you out (Erase me, erase me I'm done) Now I've sold you out They strap me to the roof and they cut right through me Digging through my wounds, I watch them hopelessly and choke: "Where are my pills? Where is my former lover?" I've been betrayed by everyone I know, don't blow my feeble cover. Tell me what you think of this one Tell me what you think of this gun Because now I've sold you out (Erase me, erase me I'm done) Now that there's no doubt (My feet find the freeway, I run) Now I've called you out (Erase me, erase me I'm done) Now I've sold you out Because the truth is this: I finally know what they conceived so long ago. A baby rat for them to test the poisons on, a rubber breast for me to learn dependence on. The shackles here, but now they're gone In place I live in hyperspeed. I shall not live. I shall not breathe again This is fucking ecstasy. This is fucking leprosy It's like they're fucking testing me. This is fucking ecstasy.