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."
I've been kicked right down
I've been spat in the face
I've been pulled, weighed down
To the lowest place
I've been lied to, shamed
I have been disgraced
Been ex-communicated from every holy place
I've been beat up and robbed
I've been left for dead
For the way I look
For the things I said
When trouble thinks it's found us
The world falls down around us
I promise baby you won't ever
You won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
I've been cleared on the street
I've been left in the cold
Had my dreams held up
Had them shot full of holes
I've been laughed at, burnt, beat and butt of the joke
I've been lit up in flames
I have gone down in smoke
I've been stabbed in the back
While they promised the earth
Tried to keep my head high
For all I am worth
Outside our double glazing
I know a war is raging
I promise baby you won't ever
You won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
Yeah
And if I fall here
At least you know my dear that I would die for you
Promise you won't ever feel a thing
And if I fall here
At least you know my dear that I would die for you
Promise you won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
Yeah everything the world could throw
I'll take the sticks, I'll take the stones for you
For you
I've been spat in the face
I've been pulled, weighed down
To the lowest place
I've been lied to, shamed
I have been disgraced
Been ex-communicated from every holy place
I've been beat up and robbed
I've been left for dead
For the way I look
For the things I said
When trouble thinks it's found us
The world falls down around us
I promise baby you won't ever
You won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
I've been cleared on the street
I've been left in the cold
Had my dreams held up
Had them shot full of holes
I've been laughed at, burnt, beat and butt of the joke
I've been lit up in flames
I have gone down in smoke
I've been stabbed in the back
While they promised the earth
Tried to keep my head high
For all I am worth
Outside our double glazing
I know a war is raging
I promise baby you won't ever
You won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
Yeah
And if I fall here
At least you know my dear that I would die for you
Promise you won't ever feel a thing
And if I fall here
At least you know my dear that I would die for you
Promise you won't ever feel a thing
'Cause I will take it on the chin
Eh, for you
So lay your cuts and bruises over my skin
I promise you won't feel a thing, no
'Cause everything the world could throw
I'll stand in front, I'll take the blow for you.
For you.
Yeah everything the world could throw
I'll take the sticks, I'll take the stones for you
For you
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Mountain Song
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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“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.
My partner is going through flashbacks from 3 lesbian rapes, We are working threw the issues right now, and that song is how i feel about protecting her always! I especially like the line about putting her cuts and bruises over my skin. I have not had an easy life and this song is perfect for both of us!!