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."
[Slug]
I examine the visual surroundings, the now and here
It's near, become aware of the immediate area
Intake peripheral, study the physical
Look over the logic and land this rebel roaming comet
[Dose]
How, so soon? I've only
Can't be the moisture, it must be
That's no spartan accent, that it
The cure, my father spoke of it
Look how slow, the damn jackknife he knows I'm here
[Slug]
Look at the simple free run
Probably no clue as to why they need to complete retreat, complete secession
Surrendering, rendering me active is more of an act of drama
Symbolizing his new designated position of passive
[Dose]
I should have never left the channels, it's patterned movement
This one's a flesh-eater, I've come so far
It's heading straight for the shelter
[Slug]
Straight for the shelter
Basics tell me this steel piece will suffice as a makeshift opening device
[Dose]
Aw, it's found the rations
I'm finished, it'll know just when I hit the lab
I've got to destroy everything
That thing will delete everything the brotherhood has come to
I think he's caught on to my vibrations
(I'm dead)
[Slug]
Visual confirmation
I've been programmed to prosecute for the info contained in the alien you label "thought"
There's no man can escape or elude this window of pain
I have received orders from my boss
It's time to run
[Dose]
It's almost...my life's end
It's seen me...there's nowhere
On this track...at least try
I'm almost...the backdoor
I feel it...there's no time
The old desk...three latches
A few more...get inside
It's rightly...this can't be..!
Door's jammed
Ugh...I can't see...railing
Ah, my shoulder, it's broken, my shoulder!
No time for…so close, I mustn’t
Swallow the shriek, no time for numb
[Slug]
This building is a man-built labyrinth
I can and will master it's primitive blueprint
My prey is twice as clever as assessed
Rest assured, time invested shall reap
Side of the contract secure
His stamina must fray, decay
Audio sensors indicate he took the stairway
Checkmate
[Dose]
2, 4, turn first
2, 4, 6, turn second
2, 4, 8, he's in the building!
10, turn third, one more to go
[Slug]
One more to go, path is followed
And I know that you know now that there's no tomorrow
[Dose]
8, at the doorknob
Unlocked (thank god)
Turn on the light switch
No, no, no lights
I'll be done for sure
Straight back, there's not a moment to...
I knew one day mine would be given
It's vital
[Slug]
It's vital
It's time to plot
[Dose]
Focus...must focus
The desk is...but then free
The right hand...I can't think
The first drawer...I've brought the
The butane...I can't just
The window...the war puts
No, not yet...it's in the
It's now or...my justice
[Slug]
The future, I've seen his future
[Dose]
One strike
And nothing was for naught
That crash, where is it?
Quickly, there, it's eyes
There, there's no other I know
It's come for...
Three left, I say let it come
[Slug]
Is he even aware of why I'm here?
[Dose]
If one drop find its way to the sky again
Look at it's figure sharpening with every step
C'mon demon, closer, close
The butane, I'll smell it's circuits then we dance
[Slug]
Perpendicular would be pointless at this point
[Dose]
For those burning eyes
That keep for the dream
And those that fail to bleed
I'll not give their faith to meddle
The inevitable has brought me to this angel of poison
[Slug]
Any last words?
[Dose]
Freedom
You know nothing of it
It's your hell (machine)
Aaah, the flames lashed, roaring beneath the ceiling's edges
Stomaching the whole lab into a pillar
It's swallowing
Eyes, that pull my breath
And flash, blinding, ringing
Glass, it's tearing my eyes
I'm blind
[Slug]
You dumb little man
Was that the best plan you could cook up?
You managed to think that that would slow me up?
You think the powers that pull would program something so fragile?
Hell no, I'm wearing fire guard courtesy of Proctor & Gamble
I examine the visual surroundings, the now and here
It's near, become aware of the immediate area
Intake peripheral, study the physical
Look over the logic and land this rebel roaming comet
[Dose]
How, so soon? I've only
Can't be the moisture, it must be
That's no spartan accent, that it
The cure, my father spoke of it
Look how slow, the damn jackknife he knows I'm here
[Slug]
Look at the simple free run
Probably no clue as to why they need to complete retreat, complete secession
Surrendering, rendering me active is more of an act of drama
Symbolizing his new designated position of passive
[Dose]
I should have never left the channels, it's patterned movement
This one's a flesh-eater, I've come so far
It's heading straight for the shelter
[Slug]
Straight for the shelter
Basics tell me this steel piece will suffice as a makeshift opening device
[Dose]
Aw, it's found the rations
I'm finished, it'll know just when I hit the lab
I've got to destroy everything
That thing will delete everything the brotherhood has come to
I think he's caught on to my vibrations
(I'm dead)
[Slug]
Visual confirmation
I've been programmed to prosecute for the info contained in the alien you label "thought"
There's no man can escape or elude this window of pain
I have received orders from my boss
It's time to run
[Dose]
It's almost...my life's end
It's seen me...there's nowhere
On this track...at least try
I'm almost...the backdoor
I feel it...there's no time
The old desk...three latches
A few more...get inside
It's rightly...this can't be..!
Door's jammed
Ugh...I can't see...railing
Ah, my shoulder, it's broken, my shoulder!
No time for…so close, I mustn’t
Swallow the shriek, no time for numb
[Slug]
This building is a man-built labyrinth
I can and will master it's primitive blueprint
My prey is twice as clever as assessed
Rest assured, time invested shall reap
Side of the contract secure
His stamina must fray, decay
Audio sensors indicate he took the stairway
Checkmate
[Dose]
2, 4, turn first
2, 4, 6, turn second
2, 4, 8, he's in the building!
10, turn third, one more to go
[Slug]
One more to go, path is followed
And I know that you know now that there's no tomorrow
[Dose]
8, at the doorknob
Unlocked (thank god)
Turn on the light switch
No, no, no lights
I'll be done for sure
Straight back, there's not a moment to...
I knew one day mine would be given
It's vital
[Slug]
It's vital
It's time to plot
[Dose]
Focus...must focus
The desk is...but then free
The right hand...I can't think
The first drawer...I've brought the
The butane...I can't just
The window...the war puts
No, not yet...it's in the
It's now or...my justice
[Slug]
The future, I've seen his future
[Dose]
One strike
And nothing was for naught
That crash, where is it?
Quickly, there, it's eyes
There, there's no other I know
It's come for...
Three left, I say let it come
[Slug]
Is he even aware of why I'm here?
[Dose]
If one drop find its way to the sky again
Look at it's figure sharpening with every step
C'mon demon, closer, close
The butane, I'll smell it's circuits then we dance
[Slug]
Perpendicular would be pointless at this point
[Dose]
For those burning eyes
That keep for the dream
And those that fail to bleed
I'll not give their faith to meddle
The inevitable has brought me to this angel of poison
[Slug]
Any last words?
[Dose]
Freedom
You know nothing of it
It's your hell (machine)
Aaah, the flames lashed, roaring beneath the ceiling's edges
Stomaching the whole lab into a pillar
It's swallowing
Eyes, that pull my breath
And flash, blinding, ringing
Glass, it's tearing my eyes
I'm blind
[Slug]
You dumb little man
Was that the best plan you could cook up?
You managed to think that that would slow me up?
You think the powers that pull would program something so fragile?
Hell no, I'm wearing fire guard courtesy of Proctor & Gamble
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