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."
Never Had A Friend Like Me
Never
You ain't never had a friend like me
Believe dat
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
See at night I watch the sky
I take another breath
I smoke my Newport to the butt
Like it's the last motherfucker left
Just me and you evading enemies
Let you get my last shot of Hennessy
Ain't never had a friend like me
Remember memories so vividly
Was once a little dust kicker now becomes a G
Who can I call when they all fail
Collect calls to my Dogz from the County Jail
Sendin' me mail
Heard the blocks in the same shape
Ain't nothin' changed
Niggaz slangin' at the same place
The same faces
We suppose to alwayz hate our foes
This lifestyle is forever
Watch the game unfold
Shedding Crocodile tears
Just got Life plus
And you wonder if these white judges like us
Just Stay Strong
We'll appeal
Nigga You'll be free
Down with cha to the very end
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
[Chorus X2]
I'm down for you so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My Enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
How can I be blamed
Forgive me Lord I'm insane
In search of fame
Won't hurt to change
Follow in foot steps of past dealers
Equipped with ski masks
No witnesses, as we blast fearless
Reckon now they feel us
In this act of war
more casualties
no survivors
Any man the defies us
Quickly dies
Cuz we Ridahs
In my quest for chips
We wear vest
Equipped with automatic fire
We reply when my enemies trip
Me and you against the nation
Whispering while we conversatin'
Cuz niggaz died over information
How much more can we take?
Expect us all to wait
The world ain't ready for us yet
So lets make Clinton pay
(haha)
They never wanted us to make it
Everything that we posses
We had to fight and take it
I think the president is smoking weed
Bumpin' his beat
Makin' a livin' out of my misery
Till he got a friend like me
[Chorus X2]
Promise to visit
I know it's rough in your cell
Receiving mail to the county jail
This is hell
When I was young
I could picture livin'
In Luxury
So how the fuck did I end up in prison?
Fuckin' snitches
They got me crossed by my own side
I found him by his self
No drama, he alone die
Nobody cry
Should have never testified
You got my nigga 25
So now I sacrifice your life
Help to separate me and my dog
Broken ties
Why the fuck should I let you live?
When I'm dead inside
Rapid fire my delivery
I'm bustin' at their whole crew
Nigga remember me
Hit up my Outlaw set
Then throw my pistol in the ocean
Ditch my ski mask
And get to straight coastin'
It's visitin' day at San Quinton
Always there to see your closest row dog
Cuz You ain't ever had a friend like me
[Chorus X4]
[Small Chorus X2]
Come after us, best be complete
My enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My Enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
You ain't ever had a friend like me
Never
You ain't never had a friend like me
Believe dat
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
See at night I watch the sky
I take another breath
I smoke my Newport to the butt
Like it's the last motherfucker left
Just me and you evading enemies
Let you get my last shot of Hennessy
Ain't never had a friend like me
Remember memories so vividly
Was once a little dust kicker now becomes a G
Who can I call when they all fail
Collect calls to my Dogz from the County Jail
Sendin' me mail
Heard the blocks in the same shape
Ain't nothin' changed
Niggaz slangin' at the same place
The same faces
We suppose to alwayz hate our foes
This lifestyle is forever
Watch the game unfold
Shedding Crocodile tears
Just got Life plus
And you wonder if these white judges like us
Just Stay Strong
We'll appeal
Nigga You'll be free
Down with cha to the very end
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
[Chorus X2]
I'm down for you so ride with me
My enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My Enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
How can I be blamed
Forgive me Lord I'm insane
In search of fame
Won't hurt to change
Follow in foot steps of past dealers
Equipped with ski masks
No witnesses, as we blast fearless
Reckon now they feel us
In this act of war
more casualties
no survivors
Any man the defies us
Quickly dies
Cuz we Ridahs
In my quest for chips
We wear vest
Equipped with automatic fire
We reply when my enemies trip
Me and you against the nation
Whispering while we conversatin'
Cuz niggaz died over information
How much more can we take?
Expect us all to wait
The world ain't ready for us yet
So lets make Clinton pay
(haha)
They never wanted us to make it
Everything that we posses
We had to fight and take it
I think the president is smoking weed
Bumpin' his beat
Makin' a livin' out of my misery
Till he got a friend like me
[Chorus X2]
Promise to visit
I know it's rough in your cell
Receiving mail to the county jail
This is hell
When I was young
I could picture livin'
In Luxury
So how the fuck did I end up in prison?
Fuckin' snitches
They got me crossed by my own side
I found him by his self
No drama, he alone die
Nobody cry
Should have never testified
You got my nigga 25
So now I sacrifice your life
Help to separate me and my dog
Broken ties
Why the fuck should I let you live?
When I'm dead inside
Rapid fire my delivery
I'm bustin' at their whole crew
Nigga remember me
Hit up my Outlaw set
Then throw my pistol in the ocean
Ditch my ski mask
And get to straight coastin'
It's visitin' day at San Quinton
Always there to see your closest row dog
Cuz You ain't ever had a friend like me
[Chorus X4]
[Small Chorus X2]
Come after us, best be complete
My enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't ever had a friend like me
Nobody knows where we'll be
My Enemies your enemies
Cause you ain't never had a friend like me
You ain't ever had a friend like me
Lyrics submitted by sweetinsanitee
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
who was the friend he was talkin to