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."
It's a little bit tough round here
It's a little bit tough round here
It's a little bit tough round here
No one told me to dress up
well you wow how
This is pretty damn queer
Our ship doesn't stop
were stuck together for real
Oh I can see you're looking down at me and frowning and groaning oh I don't like this no I don't like this
Did I adjust to your stomach? Gurgling like this
oooh oooh
It's a little fucked up to be stuck in here with you don't you think
well now you're laughing at me but you won't drop me cause I know how to dot your tricks that's why
with me please do take your time
I'm real I'm cool I'm ooh
I'll let you be all cynical critical or lyrical chemical well you can probably do better than that I assure you
Cause you could be
All cynical criminal animal biblical cynical criminal animal biblical and god knows analytical
Hey hey hey
Hello Kids
I'm gonna have
I'm gonna have to shut down the school let's go home
Go home
I'm gonna have the sharpest flow and you're gonna tremble and go home
Well no I'm not going anywhere cause I wanna stay and tell me your secret tips
I'll let you taste my lips if I have to but please
tell me how teach me how tell me how teach me how
mister
can I call you NO
twister, huh?
Guess who resurrected
Guess whose infected
Guess whose trying to jump out the frame
escape the flames
of hell on my path but no you never expected mister inspector
never respected
You should know whose leading the coup by now
You should see whose feeding the wolves by now
Well now it's time to grab my lipstick and back to my late phone red anyways
No you're not alone in the ring no you never was
You're not the only bloat with a sting
Have you heard of a crown that just stung white
Have you heard of a mighty lady queen dot kong
Queen
Dot
Kong
It's a little bit tough round here
It's a little bit tough round here
No one told me to dress up
well you wow how
This is pretty damn queer
Our ship doesn't stop
were stuck together for real
Oh I can see you're looking down at me and frowning and groaning oh I don't like this no I don't like this
Did I adjust to your stomach? Gurgling like this
oooh oooh
It's a little fucked up to be stuck in here with you don't you think
well now you're laughing at me but you won't drop me cause I know how to dot your tricks that's why
with me please do take your time
I'm real I'm cool I'm ooh
I'll let you be all cynical critical or lyrical chemical well you can probably do better than that I assure you
Cause you could be
All cynical criminal animal biblical cynical criminal animal biblical and god knows analytical
Hey hey hey
Hello Kids
I'm gonna have
I'm gonna have to shut down the school let's go home
Go home
I'm gonna have the sharpest flow and you're gonna tremble and go home
Well no I'm not going anywhere cause I wanna stay and tell me your secret tips
I'll let you taste my lips if I have to but please
tell me how teach me how tell me how teach me how
mister
can I call you NO
twister, huh?
Guess who resurrected
Guess whose infected
Guess whose trying to jump out the frame
escape the flames
of hell on my path but no you never expected mister inspector
never respected
You should know whose leading the coup by now
You should see whose feeding the wolves by now
Well now it's time to grab my lipstick and back to my late phone red anyways
No you're not alone in the ring no you never was
You're not the only bloat with a sting
Have you heard of a crown that just stung white
Have you heard of a mighty lady queen dot kong
Queen
Dot
Kong
Lyrics submitted by aeroplanesongs
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Mountain Song
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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.
No Surprises
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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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
the "heyheyhey hello kids!" part kills me every time. I love this song--it's so fun and silly and upbeat. To be honest, it reminds me of Lady Sovereign. Doesn't sound like other The Dø songs.
cool song. just plain cool.
Better version of lyrics:
It's a little messed up round here... It's a little messed up round here... It's a little messed up round here... It's a little messed up round here...
No one told me to dress up Well, you, wow, how? This is pretty damn queer Oh shit now we're stuck, we're together for real
Oh I can see you're looking down on me and Frowning and groaning oh I don't like this, no I don't like this Did I just hear your stomach gurgling like this - ooh
Ooh ooh Ooh
It's a little fucked up to be stuck in here with you Don't you think? Well now you're laughing at me, but you won't trap me Cos I know how to dodge your tricks, that's alright with me Please do take your time, please do take your time I'm real, I'm cool, I'm ooh, I'm cool
??? fucked up
I'll let you be oh cynical, critical, oh lyrical, chemical Well brother you can do better than that I assure you Cause you could be Oh seminal criminal eminal animal Deminal criminal eminal animal bi-biblical And God knows - analytical
Ooh Ooh Ooh
He-he-hey! Hello kids! I'm gonna have (I'm gonna have) I'm gonna have the shapest flow (The sharpest flow) And you're gonna tremble, and go home GO HOME I'm gonna have the shapest flow And you're gonna tremble and go home
Well no i'm not going anywhere cos I wanna stay And beg you to tell me your secret tips I'll let you taste my lips if I have to but please Tell me how, teach me how Tell me how, teach me how Oh mister (uh)... can i call you (No) twista, huh? Ooh!
(lalalalalalala...)
Guess who's resurrected, guess who's infected Guess who's trying to jump out of the frame Escape the flames of hell on my back But no, you never expected, mister inspecta, Never expected this to spoil, your diagnosis, Lord knows your hypothesis' whack
You should know who's leading the plot right now You should see who's feeding the wolves by now Well now it's time to grab my lipstick and Blab till my lips burn red, anyway Oh you're not alone on the ring, no you never was You're not the only bloke with a sting Ever heard of a crowned fighter dressed all in white Ever heard of the mighty lady queen dot kong Queen dot kong
(lalala...)
The Dø should do more songs like this one. !!!