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 was five past the hour
When you said your train was due
But in the spirit of the evening
I arrived on fifty-two
I was going through my inbox
On a regular basis
And occasionally scanning
Through all the rush-hour faces
I wandered down the platform
But I could not see a sign
I looked at the clock
And it was only fifty-nine
Just you and me together
That's the way it needs to be
I'm standing here, waiting for you
On Platform 23
[CHORUS]
It feels like time is slowing down
For our secret rendezvous in town
As anticipation beckons
I start counting down the seconds
My heart beats fast but the clock ticks slowly
You could be my one and only
As anticipation beckons
I've felt the thrill of thirty seconds
Felt the thrill of thirty seconds
It almost seems too perfect
As you glide along the floor
I looked for imperfections
And loved everything I saw
I'd never feld so scared
Infatuated or excited
I felt just like a school-boy
And for some reason I liked it
I wandered down the platform
But I could not see a sign
I looked at the clock
And it was only fifty-nine
Just you and me together
That's the way it's gonna be
I'm standing here, waiting for you
On Platform 23
[CHORUS]
And I could not seem to settle
So I tried to make a call
And then I suddenly remembered
What you'd written on my wall
It wasn't even special
Just the fact that it was you
And the fact that we were meeting
Was just too good to be true
[CHORUS]
When you said your train was due
But in the spirit of the evening
I arrived on fifty-two
I was going through my inbox
On a regular basis
And occasionally scanning
Through all the rush-hour faces
I wandered down the platform
But I could not see a sign
I looked at the clock
And it was only fifty-nine
Just you and me together
That's the way it needs to be
I'm standing here, waiting for you
On Platform 23
[CHORUS]
It feels like time is slowing down
For our secret rendezvous in town
As anticipation beckons
I start counting down the seconds
My heart beats fast but the clock ticks slowly
You could be my one and only
As anticipation beckons
I've felt the thrill of thirty seconds
Felt the thrill of thirty seconds
It almost seems too perfect
As you glide along the floor
I looked for imperfections
And loved everything I saw
I'd never feld so scared
Infatuated or excited
I felt just like a school-boy
And for some reason I liked it
I wandered down the platform
But I could not see a sign
I looked at the clock
And it was only fifty-nine
Just you and me together
That's the way it's gonna be
I'm standing here, waiting for you
On Platform 23
[CHORUS]
And I could not seem to settle
So I tried to make a call
And then I suddenly remembered
What you'd written on my wall
It wasn't even special
Just the fact that it was you
And the fact that we were meeting
Was just too good to be true
[CHORUS]
Lyrics submitted by oli.G
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Correct lyrics:
It was five past the hour When you said your train was due But in the spirit of the evening I arrived on :52 I was going through my inbox On a regular basis And ocassionaly scanning Through all the rush-hour faces I wander down the platform But I could not see a sign I looked at the clock And it was only :59
Just you and me together That's the way it needs to be I'm standing here waiting for you On platform 23
[CHORUS] It feels like time is slowing down For our secret rendezvous in town Has anticipation beckons I start counting down the seconds My heart beats fast but my clock ticks slowly You can be my one and only Has anticipation beckons I felt the thrill of thrity seconds
It almost seems too perfect As you glide among the floor I look for inperfections I've looked everything I saw I've never felt so scared Infatuated or excited I felt just like a schoolboy And for some reason I liked it I wander down the platform But I could not see a sign I looked at the clock And it was only :59
Just you and me together That's the way it's gonna to be I'm standing here waiting for you On platform 23
[CHORUS]
And I could not seem to settle So I tried to make a call And then I suddenly remembered What you've written on my wall It wasn't even special Just the fact that it was you And the fact that we were meeting Was just too good to be true
I love how this song describes the nervous feeling before meeting someone you like, maybe for the first time... you heart really does beat fast and the clock ticks slowly :)
btw thanks for the correction, simon. the artist himself also wrote the correct lyrics for me in his last.fm shoutbox and yours are the same, except one word (try to find it)... and I guess he's the one who's right :D
Simon got it wrong:
"I look for inperfections I've looked everything I saw"
Fail.
Good song by a great artist though.