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."
Well this is one place where
Your gods can't dwell
It's like walking in
To the mouth of hell
Sweating our dignities out on the subway
At the beginning of another long, long day
As for my mortal remains
I couldn't care
'Cause when the day is done
She'll be waiting here
That's when I love the accommodations
In a urine smelling transit station
I'll move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your time is worth
And I'll give my days to the Neanderthals
With the classic rock
And the wrecking ball
I'll go swimming in the wet concrete
And I'll cast my pearls at the unpaved streets
I don't mind the mental atrophy
'Cause when the lids come down, you're all I see
You're like a lovely hallucination
You get me through my current occupation
I'll move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your time is worth
See I'm towering
Above mortal men
I'll emerge from the darkness
And there you stand
You're the Queen of all the surface streets
I'm a wiener boy, that you're here to meet
I don't need the money
I couldn't care
'Cause everything I want Is standing right here
I would live on the street
In a cardboard shack
Just the worship the feet
And the curve of your back
You'll be my only preoccupation
On a permanent vacation
Now I will move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your love is worth
What your love is worth
What your love is worth
Your gods can't dwell
It's like walking in
To the mouth of hell
Sweating our dignities out on the subway
At the beginning of another long, long day
As for my mortal remains
I couldn't care
'Cause when the day is done
She'll be waiting here
That's when I love the accommodations
In a urine smelling transit station
I'll move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your time is worth
And I'll give my days to the Neanderthals
With the classic rock
And the wrecking ball
I'll go swimming in the wet concrete
And I'll cast my pearls at the unpaved streets
I don't mind the mental atrophy
'Cause when the lids come down, you're all I see
You're like a lovely hallucination
You get me through my current occupation
I'll move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your time is worth
See I'm towering
Above mortal men
I'll emerge from the darkness
And there you stand
You're the Queen of all the surface streets
I'm a wiener boy, that you're here to meet
I don't need the money
I couldn't care
'Cause everything I want Is standing right here
I would live on the street
In a cardboard shack
Just the worship the feet
And the curve of your back
You'll be my only preoccupation
On a permanent vacation
Now I will move these rocks
For you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine
'Til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your love is worth
What your love is worth
What your love is worth
Lyrics submitted by jucho
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