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."
Text from my bro
Out in the six
He got a show told me to pull up
I’m down Virginia
That’s almost 10 hours
I whipped it and drove
Told me I gotta a Lil spot if I wanna perform
Falling asleep on this road
I gotta weather the storm
Was showing friends what I wanna show
They never knew how I really felt
I think really all lost faith
Had to leave up to God's Hand
What if God didn’t have a plan
Why would God ever intervene
Sink my battleship submarine
How could I think I’m so special
I used to think I'm a vessel
That shit would weigh on my mental
I put my foot on the petal
Got to the border
They wanna police
Put me in cuffs and they questioning me
Why are you crossing the boarder at 3
Is there someplace that you needed to be
They took my phone and they went through my texts
Asking me questions this shit got me stressed
What do you do for a living
I think I search for what’s missing
I’m not good at making decisions
But I gotta follow my vision
They told me I need be smart
Officers searching my car
They saw the text all in my phone
Asking what time is my show
I told them tomorrow 4
They told me that I’m free to go
They handed me all my shit
Took off the cuffs
I’m back on the road
Everything changed when I stopped doubting
Water on me
Dripping like a fountain
Racking up the digits
I ain’t really even counting
Went from h&r block
Now I got my own accountant
Now they watch me
And they hit me for advice
Sleep in the day
Cause I cook through the night
5 star kitchen
They take shots
Pew pew they keep missing
Yeah
They gotta a lot to protect
I’m coming straight for they neck
I put it all on the line
I’m finally seeing the signs
Look at the stories they telling now
I pick up the pen just to spell it out
Gossip and hate I can do without
They speaking on my name
That’s without a doubt
I keep it moving
They don’t get replies
I just wanna see my shorty proud
I’m never losing
Beef is ill advised
Flight to Cali
Hit the studio
Fight to New York for a show
Flight to Maryland I’m back home
News flash on my phone
Locked down can’t leave home
Out in the six
He got a show told me to pull up
I’m down Virginia
That’s almost 10 hours
I whipped it and drove
Told me I gotta a Lil spot if I wanna perform
Falling asleep on this road
I gotta weather the storm
Was showing friends what I wanna show
They never knew how I really felt
I think really all lost faith
Had to leave up to God's Hand
What if God didn’t have a plan
Why would God ever intervene
Sink my battleship submarine
How could I think I’m so special
I used to think I'm a vessel
That shit would weigh on my mental
I put my foot on the petal
Got to the border
They wanna police
Put me in cuffs and they questioning me
Why are you crossing the boarder at 3
Is there someplace that you needed to be
They took my phone and they went through my texts
Asking me questions this shit got me stressed
What do you do for a living
I think I search for what’s missing
I’m not good at making decisions
But I gotta follow my vision
They told me I need be smart
Officers searching my car
They saw the text all in my phone
Asking what time is my show
I told them tomorrow 4
They told me that I’m free to go
They handed me all my shit
Took off the cuffs
I’m back on the road
Everything changed when I stopped doubting
Water on me
Dripping like a fountain
Racking up the digits
I ain’t really even counting
Went from h&r block
Now I got my own accountant
Now they watch me
And they hit me for advice
Sleep in the day
Cause I cook through the night
5 star kitchen
They take shots
Pew pew they keep missing
Yeah
They gotta a lot to protect
I’m coming straight for they neck
I put it all on the line
I’m finally seeing the signs
Look at the stories they telling now
I pick up the pen just to spell it out
Gossip and hate I can do without
They speaking on my name
That’s without a doubt
I keep it moving
They don’t get replies
I just wanna see my shorty proud
I’m never losing
Beef is ill advised
Flight to Cali
Hit the studio
Fight to New York for a show
Flight to Maryland I’m back home
News flash on my phone
Locked down can’t leave home
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
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.