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."
I wanna be a witchman
No one will wear my silver ring
Poor little turtle dove
Sitting up in pine
Mourning for your own true love
Why not me for mine?
I got hogs in the pen
And corn to feed them on
And all I want is someone
Who will feed them
When I'm dead and gone
Feed them when I'm dead
And gone
'Cause I know
I'm not going to marry in the fall
And I'm not going to marry in the spring
I will never marry, marry at all
No one will wear my silver ring
Wear my silver no one will
Poor little turtle dove
Sitting up in pine
Mourning for your own true love
Why not me for mine?
So I went up to this mountain
To give my horn a blow
And all the boys in the valley said
Yonder comes my beau
Yonder comes my beau
'Cause I know
I'm not going to marry in the fall
And I'm not going to marry in the spring
I will never marry, marry at all
No one will wear my silver ring
Wear my silver no one will
But who will feed them
When I'm dead and gone?
No one will wear my silver ring
Poor little turtle dove
Sitting up in pine
Mourning for your own true love
Why not me for mine?
I got hogs in the pen
And corn to feed them on
And all I want is someone
Who will feed them
When I'm dead and gone
Feed them when I'm dead
And gone
'Cause I know
I'm not going to marry in the fall
And I'm not going to marry in the spring
I will never marry, marry at all
No one will wear my silver ring
Wear my silver no one will
Poor little turtle dove
Sitting up in pine
Mourning for your own true love
Why not me for mine?
So I went up to this mountain
To give my horn a blow
And all the boys in the valley said
Yonder comes my beau
Yonder comes my beau
'Cause I know
I'm not going to marry in the fall
And I'm not going to marry in the spring
I will never marry, marry at all
No one will wear my silver ring
Wear my silver no one will
But who will feed them
When I'm dead and gone?
Lyrics submitted by stentorian
The Bachelor Lyrics as written by Patrick Wolf
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It seems to me that this song is a lament, not that Patrick chooses never to marry, but that he CANNOT marry.
No one will wear my silver ring
Poor little turtle dove sitting up in pine, Mourning for your own true love, Why not me for mine, why not, why not me for mine?
I've got hogs in the pen and corn to feed them up, All I want is someone who will feed them when I'm dead and gone, feed them when I'm dead and gone.
'Cause I'm not gonna marry in the fall And I'm not gonna marry in the spring I'll never marry - marry at all No one will wear my silver ring Wear my silver ring, boy
I'm not gonna marry in the fall And I'm not gonna marry in the spring I'll never marry - marry at all No one will wear my silver ring Wear my silver ring, boy
Poor little turtle dove sitting up in pine, Mourning for your own true love, Why not me for mine? why not me for mine?
So I went up to this mountain to give my horn a blow, All the boys in the valley said, "Yonder comes my beau, Oh, yonder comes my beau."
But I'm not gonna marry in the fall And I'm not gonna marry in the spring I will never marry - marry at all No one will wear my silver ring
I'm not gonna marry in the fall And I'm not gonna marry in the spring I will never marry - marry at all No one will wear my silver ring (wear my silver ring, no one)
Poor little turtle dove sitting up in pine Mourning for your own true love, Why not me for mine?
All I want is someone who'll feed them when I'm dead and gone When I'm dead and gone, now I will never marry - marry at all No one will wear my silver sing
Feed them when I'm dead, feed them when I'm dead, Feed them when I'm dead and and gone I will never marry - marry at all no one will wear my silver ring
Thanks! :D
easily the best song on the album, especially live. So moving. No wonder it's the title track.
I wonder, who does the lovely second voice on this song belong to?
I believe its Eliza Carthy, a folk singer.
A... woman?? o__o<br /> !!! I thought the voice was male and... attractive! D:
omg even though i saw the name in the cd booklet i was sure they made a mistake! omg!
alec empire. its a mislabel.
eliza carthy played violin on that song.
As MiteeMoose said, it's Eliza Carthy. She does have a very gravelly voice. Alec Empire collaborated on Vulture.
Amazing song. The whole album is great.