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."
[Dessa]
Oh's of the cigarette just to say who lights it first. All of you didn't think the pirouettes would lift your stink? On the phone with a close friend whose name you don't know something they became a face so sad you can't go. It's amazing what they let you get away with in dim lights, and it's crazy watching you go pale in stage lights. The hand bills the fan mail, the phones that they shoot. You show up just to look at them looking at you? You've got that gold touch you've got that mad rush of the bored and over-lonely adored by young strangers and stranger to old friends. You came up quick and now you've got the bad bends can't remember which houses you live in and which ones you visit. Business is different than what you'd envisioned it isn't it? All this cause and not an effect check. Just gauze and perkasit bump the set till God can hear it. And quell this fear that I'm feeling that heaven is quite deaf.
And all I hear is can we love me, watch me, did he love me, honey kiss me, is she awfully naughty, even naughty laadee daadee move your body
[Cecil Otter]
Or use your body language A) cause it's easy to read B) cause you're stuck in anxiousville C) you don't speak so easily. You know we can be mindfuck buddies or the beast with two backpacks. Just gotta trust somebody after you suck somebody into your laugh track. Your audience is crying and I know you've noticed you're focusin' in circles dear. I see your lips moving but all I hear is does he still love me? Why don't he know that I'm in pain? Why don't he still need me? Why don't he know that I can change?
[P.O.S.]
Take steps like I don't wanna wake ya, not a sound from the floor board four more steps to the door. Don't look back don't get sh don't crack. Don't act so took don't tack another story on the time is gone for that just go. Maybe cuz the time was wrong up in the head but the heart's a strong one. Is what I should have said. Woulda coulda but the door still creaks. Just leave please just don't speak. These dreams need sleep and I walk to remove to relieve not cope. Hope don't float. Hope sinks low. Hope breeds free with the demons below. Faith is a razor blade you can raise to the face of any hangman that gives you up just go.
And all I hear is can we love me, watch me, did he love me, honey kiss me, is she awfully naughty, even naughty laadee daadee move your body
Oh's of the cigarette just to say who lights it first. All of you didn't think the pirouettes would lift your stink? On the phone with a close friend whose name you don't know something they became a face so sad you can't go. It's amazing what they let you get away with in dim lights, and it's crazy watching you go pale in stage lights. The hand bills the fan mail, the phones that they shoot. You show up just to look at them looking at you? You've got that gold touch you've got that mad rush of the bored and over-lonely adored by young strangers and stranger to old friends. You came up quick and now you've got the bad bends can't remember which houses you live in and which ones you visit. Business is different than what you'd envisioned it isn't it? All this cause and not an effect check. Just gauze and perkasit bump the set till God can hear it. And quell this fear that I'm feeling that heaven is quite deaf.
And all I hear is can we love me, watch me, did he love me, honey kiss me, is she awfully naughty, even naughty laadee daadee move your body
[Cecil Otter]
Or use your body language A) cause it's easy to read B) cause you're stuck in anxiousville C) you don't speak so easily. You know we can be mindfuck buddies or the beast with two backpacks. Just gotta trust somebody after you suck somebody into your laugh track. Your audience is crying and I know you've noticed you're focusin' in circles dear. I see your lips moving but all I hear is does he still love me? Why don't he know that I'm in pain? Why don't he still need me? Why don't he know that I can change?
[P.O.S.]
Take steps like I don't wanna wake ya, not a sound from the floor board four more steps to the door. Don't look back don't get sh don't crack. Don't act so took don't tack another story on the time is gone for that just go. Maybe cuz the time was wrong up in the head but the heart's a strong one. Is what I should have said. Woulda coulda but the door still creaks. Just leave please just don't speak. These dreams need sleep and I walk to remove to relieve not cope. Hope don't float. Hope sinks low. Hope breeds free with the demons below. Faith is a razor blade you can raise to the face of any hangman that gives you up just go.
And all I hear is can we love me, watch me, did he love me, honey kiss me, is she awfully naughty, even naughty laadee daadee move your body
Lyrics submitted by Tri_T
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