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."
The empty skies turn black,
Their bones turn to figments,
Desolation is in the air
This is distention
Though we linger off,
It dies
Before our eyes,
It dies
As far as the eye can see,
Only destruction
Is it hopeless?
What can be done?
Is it too late?
Are we too late to save ourselves?
We're living in, in a dead world
Crying out for a change
What can be done?
Each day we slip further away,
On the edge of ruin
It won't be long
Before we shut down
Is it hopeless?
What can be done?
Is it too late?
Are we too late to save ourselves?
We're living in, in a dead world
It's so cold
And we're no one to blame,
Blame ourselves
Now this is our fight
Because there is little left
To hold on to
And to beg forgiveness
For willing blindness
Now I can say:
It's not too late, oh! Not too late
To save ourselves
It's not too late, oh! Not too late
To save ourselves.
Their bones turn to figments,
Desolation is in the air
This is distention
Though we linger off,
It dies
Before our eyes,
It dies
As far as the eye can see,
Only destruction
Is it hopeless?
What can be done?
Is it too late?
Are we too late to save ourselves?
We're living in, in a dead world
Crying out for a change
What can be done?
Each day we slip further away,
On the edge of ruin
It won't be long
Before we shut down
Is it hopeless?
What can be done?
Is it too late?
Are we too late to save ourselves?
We're living in, in a dead world
It's so cold
And we're no one to blame,
Blame ourselves
Now this is our fight
Because there is little left
To hold on to
And to beg forgiveness
For willing blindness
Now I can say:
It's not too late, oh! Not too late
To save ourselves
It's not too late, oh! Not too late
To save ourselves.
Lyrics submitted by ZeroAA, edited by BreezyDragon
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
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,
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Please feel free to correct, as I am sure there are a few mistakes.
Correct lyrics:
The end. Destruction burns. Fear pumps through the famous. Desolation is in the air. This is our station.
The weak, the corrupt. It dies. Before our eyes it dies. As far as the eye can see: only destruction.
Is it hopeless? What can be done?
Chorus Is it too late? Are we too late to save ourselves? We’re living in, in a dead world.
Crying out for a change. What can be done?
Each day, we slip further away. On the edge of ruin.
It won’t be long before we succumb.
Is it hopeless? What can be done?
Chorus
It’s so cold, and with no joy, we must save Ourselves.
Now this is a fight, because there is little left to hold on to. And to beg forgiveness, for when in blackness, now I can see.
Chorus II It’s not too late, oh, not too late to save ourselves. It’s not too late, oh, not too late to save ourselves.
apologies, that's still slightly wrong.here's the correct:<br /> <br /> The end. <br /> Destruction burns.<br /> Fear pumps through the faithless.<br /> Desolation is in the air.<br /> This is our station.<br /> <br /> The weak, the corrupt. It dies.<br /> Before our eyes it dies.<br /> As far as the eye can see: only destruction.<br /> <br /> Is it hopeless?<br /> What can be done?<br /> <br /> Chorus<br /> Is it too late?<br /> Are we too late to save ourselves?<br /> We’re living in, in a dead world.<br /> <br /> Crying out for a change.<br /> What can be done?<br /> <br /> Each day, we slip further away.<br /> On the edge of ruin.<br /> <br /> It won’t be long before we succumb.<br /> <br /> Is it hopeless?<br /> What can be done?<br /> <br /> Chorus<br /> <br /> It’s so cold, and with no joy, blame ourselves.<br /> <br /> Now this is a fight, because there is little left to hold on to.<br /> And to beg forgiveness, for when in blindness, now I can see.<br /> <br /> Chorus II<br /> It’s not too late, oh, not too late to save ourselves.<br /> It’s not too late, oh, not too late to save ourselves.<br />
one of the best songs off the new cd by far.
i dont really like the new cd....