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."
Oh someone taught
Your walls to talk
But if they ask me
I ain't heard a thing
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
There was a snow storm in Jackson
When you and I met
At a club called Saint Sebastian's
But the sign said something different
I remember thinkin'
That I didn't have a shot at Mississippi-television told us
Which roads they were closing
There goes a rap show
Everybody knew you
As the wife of a famous man
Everybody who knew said
There goes Dixon's girl again
Even the walls all lean closer
When she plays the piano real slow
I haven't met too many women in this business that I really like
But you can hold a little liquor
You could hold a conversation
You could hold your own mic, and
Even that night I learned the truth about your man
You gotta be big to treat pretty girls bad
And it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money, not much, but my money
Not much, but my money
My money's on you
Well I heard from the rest of the world you're in trouble
Bad news moves like fire that you fight on the phone
And I'm too far away, my well-wishing can't touch you
But I think of you still more than you might suppose
Everybody wanna see you with your hair down
Wanna hear you hit the high note
Wanna know if they can get you for a little less, girl I don't
I know how the stones can fly
Had some hard goodbyes
Call me up, day or night
Free drinks and bad advice
And it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money, it's not much, but my money
Not much, but my money
My money's on you
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball
And it's not much but
My money's on you
Your walls to talk
But if they ask me
I ain't heard a thing
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
There was a snow storm in Jackson
When you and I met
At a club called Saint Sebastian's
But the sign said something different
I remember thinkin'
That I didn't have a shot at Mississippi-television told us
Which roads they were closing
There goes a rap show
Everybody knew you
As the wife of a famous man
Everybody who knew said
There goes Dixon's girl again
Even the walls all lean closer
When she plays the piano real slow
I haven't met too many women in this business that I really like
But you can hold a little liquor
You could hold a conversation
You could hold your own mic, and
Even that night I learned the truth about your man
You gotta be big to treat pretty girls bad
And it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money, not much, but my money
Not much, but my money
My money's on you
Well I heard from the rest of the world you're in trouble
Bad news moves like fire that you fight on the phone
And I'm too far away, my well-wishing can't touch you
But I think of you still more than you might suppose
Everybody wanna see you with your hair down
Wanna hear you hit the high note
Wanna know if they can get you for a little less, girl I don't
I know how the stones can fly
Had some hard goodbyes
Call me up, day or night
Free drinks and bad advice
And it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money's on you, it's not much
But my money, it's not much, but my money
Not much, but my money
My money's on you
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball, back to the drawing board
Back to the wall, bat to the ball
And it's not much but
My money's on you
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Sounds like it's genuinely about a girl she met in a bar and apparently is in an abusive relationship.