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."
Sunshine, there ain't a thing that you can do that's gonna ruin my night
(But, there's just something about)
This dizzy dreamer and her bleeding little blue boy
Licking your fingers like you're done and,
You've decided there is so much more than me
And baby, honestly it's harder breathing next to you, I shake
I brought a gun and as the preacher tried to stop me
Hold my heart it's beating for you anyway
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Nobody prays for the heartless
Nobody gives another penny for the selfish
You're learning how to taste what you kill now
Don't mind me, I'm just reaching for your necklace
Talking to my mom about this little girl from Texas
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Just give her back to me
You know I can't afford the medicine that feeds what I need
So, baby, what if I can't forget you? (What if I can't forget you?)
Collide invisible lips like a shadow on the wall,
And just throw, oh no
You can't just throw me away
So, what if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What if I don't even want to?
Oh,
Oh, oh
Oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Oh, oh
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Just give her back to me
You know I can't afford the medicine that feeds what I need
So, baby, what if I can't forget you? (What if I can't forget you?)
I'd better learn to live alone
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What's so good about? What's so good about?
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
Oh
(But, there's just something about)
This dizzy dreamer and her bleeding little blue boy
Licking your fingers like you're done and,
You've decided there is so much more than me
And baby, honestly it's harder breathing next to you, I shake
I brought a gun and as the preacher tried to stop me
Hold my heart it's beating for you anyway
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Nobody prays for the heartless
Nobody gives another penny for the selfish
You're learning how to taste what you kill now
Don't mind me, I'm just reaching for your necklace
Talking to my mom about this little girl from Texas
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Just give her back to me
You know I can't afford the medicine that feeds what I need
So, baby, what if I can't forget you? (What if I can't forget you?)
Collide invisible lips like a shadow on the wall,
And just throw, oh no
You can't just throw me away
So, what if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What if I don't even want to?
Oh,
Oh, oh
Oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Oh, oh
What if I can't forget you?
I'll burn your name into my throat
I'll be the fire that'll catch you
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
None of the colors ever light up anymore in this hole
Just give her back to me
You know I can't afford the medicine that feeds what I need
So, baby, what if I can't forget you? (What if I can't forget you?)
I'd better learn to live alone
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
What's so good about? What's so good about?
What's so good about picking up the pieces?
Oh
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Mountain Song
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Plastic Bag
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This is a good song I really love it...