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."
If I was to be gone tomorrow
And you new it today
I wonder how we’d spend the remaining hours
On my life’s terminating train
I think we’d play a song, with a melody so true
Or a clash, of messy chords
Or perhaps we’d sit in silence, and listen one last time
To my favourite records
Just with you my friends
There’s this girl I love, I think I’d call her up
And ask, Hey, would you like to come round
So I can kiss your soft lips and feel your touch
I’d take you to a place that I found
And perhaps there we’d make love in a sea of tears
Gasp for air between broken speech
And I’d tell you I was sorry for all the times passed that I
Failed to reach
Out and hold your hand
Could you please play me a song of yours?
You know the one about going home
Cause your words they make me shiver and reassure me that
I’m never thinking alone
And if I go tomorrow know that I’d wait
However long
For you to come and join me, we’d sit round a fire
And sing song after song after song
Til we can sing no more
If I was to be gone tomorrow
And you new it today
I wonder how we’d spend the remaining hours
On my life’s terminating train
Could you all please come back to my place
There’s something I’ve been meaning to do
Together play a song, with a melody so true
I know I’d be singing it for you
My friends
Won’t you play along?
Oh, there has been times
When i have felt alone
In the darkest night, you've been the light
That's guided me home
And if life is dealt, like a hand of cards
I've played my share of bluffs
But with you my friends, I'll go all in
I hold a royal flush
And you new it today
I wonder how we’d spend the remaining hours
On my life’s terminating train
I think we’d play a song, with a melody so true
Or a clash, of messy chords
Or perhaps we’d sit in silence, and listen one last time
To my favourite records
Just with you my friends
There’s this girl I love, I think I’d call her up
And ask, Hey, would you like to come round
So I can kiss your soft lips and feel your touch
I’d take you to a place that I found
And perhaps there we’d make love in a sea of tears
Gasp for air between broken speech
And I’d tell you I was sorry for all the times passed that I
Failed to reach
Out and hold your hand
Could you please play me a song of yours?
You know the one about going home
Cause your words they make me shiver and reassure me that
I’m never thinking alone
And if I go tomorrow know that I’d wait
However long
For you to come and join me, we’d sit round a fire
And sing song after song after song
Til we can sing no more
If I was to be gone tomorrow
And you new it today
I wonder how we’d spend the remaining hours
On my life’s terminating train
Could you all please come back to my place
There’s something I’ve been meaning to do
Together play a song, with a melody so true
I know I’d be singing it for you
My friends
Won’t you play along?
Oh, there has been times
When i have felt alone
In the darkest night, you've been the light
That's guided me home
And if life is dealt, like a hand of cards
I've played my share of bluffs
But with you my friends, I'll go all in
I hold a royal flush
Lyrics submitted by CaseyJHartnett
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Gentle Hour
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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