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."
Twenty miles left to the show
Hello, my old country
Hello
Stars are just beginning to appear
And I have never, in my life
Before been here
And it's my heart, not me
Who cannot drive
At which conclusion you arrived
Watching me sit here, bolt upright
And cry for no good reason
At the Eastering sky
And the tilt of this strange nation
And the will to remain for the duration
(Waving the flag
Feeling it drag)
Like a bump on a bump on a log, baby
Like I'm in a fistfight with the fog, baby
Step, ball-change, and a-pirouette
And I regret, I regret
How I said to you
Honey, just open your heart
When I've got trouble
Even opening a honey jar
And that, right there, is where we are
And I've been 'fessing, double-fast
Addressing questions nobody asked
I'll get this joy off of my chest, at last
And I will love you
Till the noise has long since passed
And I did not mean to shout
Just drive
Just get us out, dead or alive
The road's too long to mention
Lord, it's something to see
Laid down by the Good Intentions Paving Company
All the way to the thing
We've been playing at, darling
I can see that you're wearing
Your staying-hat, darling
And for the time being, all is well
Won't you love me a spell?
This is blindness, beyond all conceiving
While behind us, the road is leaving
And leaving, and falling back
Like a rope gone slack
And, I saw straightaway
That the lay was steep
But I fell for you, honey
Easy as falling asleep
And that, right there
Is the course I keep
And no amount of talking
Is going to soften the fall
But, like after the rain
Step out of the overhang, that's all
It had a nice ring to it
When the old opry house rang
So, with a solemn auld lang
Syne, sealed, delivered
I sang
And there is hesitation
And it always remains
(Concerning you, me
And the rest of the gang)
And, in our quiet hour
I feel I see everything
And am in love
With the hook
Upon which everyone hangs
And I know you meant
To show the extent
To which you gave a goddang
You ranged real hot and real cold
But I'm sold
I am at home on that range
And I do hate to fold
Right here, at the top of my game
When I've been trying
With my whole heart and soul
To stay right here, in the right lane
But it can make you feel over, and old
(Lord, you know it's a shame)
When I only want for you to pull over
And hold me
Till I can't remember my own name
Hello, my old country
Hello
Stars are just beginning to appear
And I have never, in my life
Before been here
And it's my heart, not me
Who cannot drive
At which conclusion you arrived
Watching me sit here, bolt upright
And cry for no good reason
At the Eastering sky
And the tilt of this strange nation
And the will to remain for the duration
(Waving the flag
Feeling it drag)
Like a bump on a bump on a log, baby
Like I'm in a fistfight with the fog, baby
Step, ball-change, and a-pirouette
And I regret, I regret
How I said to you
Honey, just open your heart
When I've got trouble
Even opening a honey jar
And that, right there, is where we are
And I've been 'fessing, double-fast
Addressing questions nobody asked
I'll get this joy off of my chest, at last
And I will love you
Till the noise has long since passed
And I did not mean to shout
Just drive
Just get us out, dead or alive
The road's too long to mention
Lord, it's something to see
Laid down by the Good Intentions Paving Company
All the way to the thing
We've been playing at, darling
I can see that you're wearing
Your staying-hat, darling
And for the time being, all is well
Won't you love me a spell?
This is blindness, beyond all conceiving
While behind us, the road is leaving
And leaving, and falling back
Like a rope gone slack
And, I saw straightaway
That the lay was steep
But I fell for you, honey
Easy as falling asleep
And that, right there
Is the course I keep
And no amount of talking
Is going to soften the fall
But, like after the rain
Step out of the overhang, that's all
It had a nice ring to it
When the old opry house rang
So, with a solemn auld lang
Syne, sealed, delivered
I sang
And there is hesitation
And it always remains
(Concerning you, me
And the rest of the gang)
And, in our quiet hour
I feel I see everything
And am in love
With the hook
Upon which everyone hangs
And I know you meant
To show the extent
To which you gave a goddang
You ranged real hot and real cold
But I'm sold
I am at home on that range
And I do hate to fold
Right here, at the top of my game
When I've been trying
With my whole heart and soul
To stay right here, in the right lane
But it can make you feel over, and old
(Lord, you know it's a shame)
When I only want for you to pull over
And hold me
Till I can't remember my own name
Lyrics submitted by mutinyinheaven_x
Good Intentions Paving Co. Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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