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."
Though I look like a human
I am lifeless I assure you I am nothing at all
And when I try to be human my own flesh keeps me from doing a thing
All that I see are the faces of the people that I have betrayed
And the ones who gave up at the sight of the fake that I have become
God what a fake I have become
Who was I before this?
Who am I now?
I am breathing barely breathing
He can see right through me
And she can barely see me
I am a ghost but something less I am sure
The items I carry are all that I possess
And my hands have delivered less life than death
And my heart holds the ashes of the people that I have claimed over time
My eyes have seen people doing terrible things
But at night when I close them I can pretend they are extinct
And there is no one to remind me that God can see everything that I have done
God what have I done?
I have been living this way since the day that I was born
I have been trying to change but I am so easily bored
By the idea of saying “thank you” and “how are you?”
Until I go to sleep
But I would like to be loved and I am trying my best
But the devil is inside me and he is coming out through my chest
And he is whispering in my ear that everyone in the world would like me dead
My God what have we become?!
We have fallen along the way and now were to heavy for you to pick up…
God I am only a Boy
Who’s mother tried to raise him right but father was only as
Strong as the world would allow
And now he is nowhere to be found
I am lifeless I assure you I am nothing at all
And when I try to be human my own flesh keeps me from doing a thing
All that I see are the faces of the people that I have betrayed
And the ones who gave up at the sight of the fake that I have become
God what a fake I have become
Who was I before this?
Who am I now?
I am breathing barely breathing
He can see right through me
And she can barely see me
I am a ghost but something less I am sure
The items I carry are all that I possess
And my hands have delivered less life than death
And my heart holds the ashes of the people that I have claimed over time
My eyes have seen people doing terrible things
But at night when I close them I can pretend they are extinct
And there is no one to remind me that God can see everything that I have done
God what have I done?
I have been living this way since the day that I was born
I have been trying to change but I am so easily bored
By the idea of saying “thank you” and “how are you?”
Until I go to sleep
But I would like to be loved and I am trying my best
But the devil is inside me and he is coming out through my chest
And he is whispering in my ear that everyone in the world would like me dead
My God what have we become?!
We have fallen along the way and now were to heavy for you to pick up…
God I am only a Boy
Who’s mother tried to raise him right but father was only as
Strong as the world would allow
And now he is nowhere to be found
Lyrics submitted by jeffreyconway
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