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."
The sun is gone and the flowers rot
Words are spaces between us
And I should have been drowned in the rivers I found of token lost
And I should have been down when you made me insecure
So break me down if it makes you feel right
And hate me now if it keeps you alright
You can break me down if it takes all your might
Because I'm so much more than meets the eye
And I'm the one you can never trust
Because wounds are ways to reveal us
And yeah I could have tried and devoted my life to both of us
But what a waste of my time when the world we had was yours
So break me down if it makes you feel right (so break me down)
And hate me now if it keeps you alright (so break me down)
You can break me down if it takes all your might
Because I'm so much more than all your lies
Hate me, break me down (so break me down)
So break me down if it makes you feel right (so break me down)
And hate me now if it keeps you alright (so break me down)
You can break me down if it takes all your might
'Cause I'm so much more than meets the eye
Words are spaces between us
And I should have been drowned in the rivers I found of token lost
And I should have been down when you made me insecure
So break me down if it makes you feel right
And hate me now if it keeps you alright
You can break me down if it takes all your might
Because I'm so much more than meets the eye
And I'm the one you can never trust
Because wounds are ways to reveal us
And yeah I could have tried and devoted my life to both of us
But what a waste of my time when the world we had was yours
So break me down if it makes you feel right (so break me down)
And hate me now if it keeps you alright (so break me down)
You can break me down if it takes all your might
Because I'm so much more than all your lies
Hate me, break me down (so break me down)
So break me down if it makes you feel right (so break me down)
And hate me now if it keeps you alright (so break me down)
You can break me down if it takes all your might
'Cause I'm so much more than meets the eye
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
And yeah I could have tried and devoted my life to both of us
But what a waste of my time when the world we had was yours
My favorite line of the song. Shaun's a strong man.
Responce to Evanescence's Call Me When You're Sober, possibly?
it's not.
Yeah you might say that, and Shaun Morgan might have said that, but how can you not see some sort of message towards her?
one can hope
definately a song to Miss Lee
it better be a song to Amy! it a perfect responce to call me when your sober.
I've been thinking all this time he says 'token lust'.. i don't have the CD inlet, but that's what it sounds like to me.. and it makes a lot more sense.
I thought it said "Lust" rather than lost... I should really check the booklet. Shaun said in an interview that this was about Amy, I think its a very good responce to CMWYS, not too aggressive but not mopey either.
It says 'token lost' in the booklet. I've been listening to this song a lot lately, cause it's one of my favorite on the cd and the first thing I thought it was about was Amy. I agree with prettypoison, he was lot better about writing a song about her. She was too aggressive with cmwys.
It's an awesome song. I read that it is a response to "that" crappy song as well. It is beautiful. it seems to be about a relationship that has gone sour, one person holds a lot of resent towards the other and the other is saying, you know if it makes you feel better better to bitch me out fine, because I know I'm better than that.
lyricperson1 if you support amy lee, post on CMWYS not this song. Shaun didnt do anything wrong he resonded to her song with a great one in breakdown. People get addicted to substances, it happens, but he went and got help for it. Shaun Morgan is a great writer and this song proves it revenge or not!