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."
Sick of understanding things I don't know anything about
Tick tock, this clock won't stop
It keeps on breaking
Forget the norm, this uniform is wearing thin
We're not waiting for a closing door, it's half past four
Get this over with, spend some change for what we're worth
What we're worth tonight
Open the window, these walls are caving in,
I'm drifting away
If you know that it's over, then why don't you just drop by
Break out the film, we'll fly
We always take it the wrong way, needless to say,
its alright
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
Paper airplanes taking off and I got just the ticket
Sit still, stand up
These pills aren't putting me to sleep
Your last words don't mean a thing so put your diary away
We're all holding out for so much more, just keep the score
Get this over with, spend some change for what we're worth
What we're worth tonight
Open the window, these walls are caving in,
I'm drifting away
And all that I ask is:
If you know that it's over, then why don't you just drop by
Break out the film, we'll fly
We always take it the wrong way, needless to say,
its alright
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
Take your pills and fade away,
This scene is swallowing me whole
And the hard lights on your day-to-day will make the news
Once again, you know exactly the feeling
Take your pills,
Fade away,
Take your pills,
Fade away,
Take your pills,
Fade away
And all I ask is that if you know that it's over,
Then why don't you just drop by?
Break out the farewells
I know we always take this the wrong way, but needless to say
It's alright,
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
It's alright..
Tick tock, this clock won't stop
It keeps on breaking
Forget the norm, this uniform is wearing thin
We're not waiting for a closing door, it's half past four
Get this over with, spend some change for what we're worth
What we're worth tonight
Open the window, these walls are caving in,
I'm drifting away
If you know that it's over, then why don't you just drop by
Break out the film, we'll fly
We always take it the wrong way, needless to say,
its alright
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
Paper airplanes taking off and I got just the ticket
Sit still, stand up
These pills aren't putting me to sleep
Your last words don't mean a thing so put your diary away
We're all holding out for so much more, just keep the score
Get this over with, spend some change for what we're worth
What we're worth tonight
Open the window, these walls are caving in,
I'm drifting away
And all that I ask is:
If you know that it's over, then why don't you just drop by
Break out the film, we'll fly
We always take it the wrong way, needless to say,
its alright
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
Take your pills and fade away,
This scene is swallowing me whole
And the hard lights on your day-to-day will make the news
Once again, you know exactly the feeling
Take your pills,
Fade away,
Take your pills,
Fade away,
Take your pills,
Fade away
And all I ask is that if you know that it's over,
Then why don't you just drop by?
Break out the farewells
I know we always take this the wrong way, but needless to say
It's alright,
Simple minded is so hard to come by these days
It's alright..
Lyrics submitted by cityonyourspine
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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.
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.
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.
I think it's about a break-up, and maybe friends getting involved trying to help. But this song seems pretty complex, in the way that there seems to be a lot of direct references to real life that most people wouldn't get.