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."
Dull white starlite,
pale as the morning falls away.
The devil each dawn,
and flat greys upon,
we're torn asunder neath his gaze.
So c'mon ye children,
if there's one thing we know,
it's that them gathering clouds are swinging low.
So don't you be precious,
man don't you be meek,
there ain't no damn glory in the long retreat.
Go call the fuzz,
they'll shine their lights on us,
we've been building in the dark,
there's so many of us.
Now blinking in the light,
there's so many of us.
Illuminated and proud,
there's so many of us.
But there ain't no truth but the no truth but the not truth, yeah!
Ain't no thing but the nothing but the nothing, yeah!
Ain't no fall but the long fall is a long fall, yeah!
And there ain't no light but the true light is a dim light, yeah!
But I've been waiting and longing for that light to fall all over me.
6 and 6 parsons and he doth proclaim that the best little bits of us misfits and strays
make a light in the night that needs to be shamed,
all for some none for all,
and all fallen the same.
And we surrender the stage to those pale horse riders.
Go forth, man
Get down,
With a mighty fist and a retarded crown,
do the one-step the two-step,
Sweet jubilee!
And show me the light, goddamn!
And lay me down in a bed full of rain.
Yeah shit is bleak - we've seen it and worried,
our timid leaps get knee-deep and buried,
entire weeks where I swear I can barely rise.
Electrical fits,
tantrums and prayers,
pride un-does what mercy repairs,
the pits of this,
toss a match to it and start again.
The absence of light is its own stubborn light - no light is a light,
no light is the true light,
and there is no light so there is a light so there is no light so there is a light!
Though we've been denied too much hope in our lives
let tonight be the night when it ends.
Tell me there is a light!
There is a light!
There!
Is!
A!
Light!
pale as the morning falls away.
The devil each dawn,
and flat greys upon,
we're torn asunder neath his gaze.
So c'mon ye children,
if there's one thing we know,
it's that them gathering clouds are swinging low.
So don't you be precious,
man don't you be meek,
there ain't no damn glory in the long retreat.
Go call the fuzz,
they'll shine their lights on us,
we've been building in the dark,
there's so many of us.
Now blinking in the light,
there's so many of us.
Illuminated and proud,
there's so many of us.
But there ain't no truth but the no truth but the not truth, yeah!
Ain't no thing but the nothing but the nothing, yeah!
Ain't no fall but the long fall is a long fall, yeah!
And there ain't no light but the true light is a dim light, yeah!
But I've been waiting and longing for that light to fall all over me.
6 and 6 parsons and he doth proclaim that the best little bits of us misfits and strays
make a light in the night that needs to be shamed,
all for some none for all,
and all fallen the same.
And we surrender the stage to those pale horse riders.
Go forth, man
Get down,
With a mighty fist and a retarded crown,
do the one-step the two-step,
Sweet jubilee!
And show me the light, goddamn!
And lay me down in a bed full of rain.
Yeah shit is bleak - we've seen it and worried,
our timid leaps get knee-deep and buried,
entire weeks where I swear I can barely rise.
Electrical fits,
tantrums and prayers,
pride un-does what mercy repairs,
the pits of this,
toss a match to it and start again.
The absence of light is its own stubborn light - no light is a light,
no light is the true light,
and there is no light so there is a light so there is no light so there is a light!
Though we've been denied too much hope in our lives
let tonight be the night when it ends.
Tell me there is a light!
There is a light!
There!
Is!
A!
Light!
Lyrics submitted by conjugal
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
It should be
"And lay me down in a bed full of flame."