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."
Hear footsteps creak the floor
The shadows give away
Someone outside the door
Wont let them in
Life damaged, gears to grind
A run-down broke machine
That steals your peace of mind
Before you know it's gone
Lay down
Lay
Silence burning, hold your tongue
Keep us separate, sullen, dumb
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
These things I hate in you
Also reflect it seems
Distortion laced with spite
Takes you out of me
Lay down
Lay
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface something
Crawling on your skin, discomfort
Makes you break and run, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
The shadows give away
Someone outside the door
Wont let them in
Life damaged, gears to grind
A run-down broke machine
That steals your peace of mind
Before you know it's gone
Lay down
Lay
Silence burning, hold your tongue
Keep us separate, sullen, dumb
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
These things I hate in you
Also reflect it seems
Distortion laced with spite
Takes you out of me
Lay down
Lay
Hiding in a darkness under
Boiling to the surface something
Crawling on your skin, discomfort
Makes you break and run, stumble, fall
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
A looking in view too long on the outside
Desperate plans make sense to the low life lie
It's why you never tell me (heaven's on your mind)
Lyrics submitted by stonechainorioles, edited by travislandrews
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.
Almost forgot, I know he isn't but I swear Williams is yelling Layne everytime he sings the "lay down" lyrics. Maybe that was supposed to happen.
it does...I dunno good song tho, to my surprise. good 2 have em back.
Oh, god, did I really write that hideously spelled comment up there? shudders Please, nobody pay the poor spelling mind!