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."
Take me to the big show
Take me anywhere but here
Put me in the front row,
Make my problems disappear
Drag these high wires,
Without a safety net
For the present admission,
I wanna witness life or death
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
Are you ready to risk it all,
And be a human cannon ball?
Sharpen up those knives and throw 'em,
At the fool against the wall,
We're all against that wall
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Boys and girls,
Come one, come all
To the Cirque dans la rue!
Check your troubles at the door,
You don't need em anymore!
Leave reality outside,
And come along for the ride,
But just remember
While you're watching us,
Do the things that we do!
We're watching you
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me
Just like me.
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
Take me anywhere but here
Put me in the front row,
Make my problems disappear
Drag these high wires,
Without a safety net
For the present admission,
I wanna witness life or death
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
Are you ready to risk it all,
And be a human cannon ball?
Sharpen up those knives and throw 'em,
At the fool against the wall,
We're all against that wall
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Boys and girls,
Come one, come all
To the Cirque dans la rue!
Check your troubles at the door,
You don't need em anymore!
Leave reality outside,
And come along for the ride,
But just remember
While you're watching us,
Do the things that we do!
We're watching you
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
I wanna make friends with the friends with the freaks,
I wanna throw it down with the clowns that I meet,
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me
Just like me.
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
Invite all the carnies
And the crazy acrobats
And bearded ladies
And the fire breathers
All the people
Just like me.
All the pretty girls get cut in half
While the sad clowns make us laugh.
Lyrics submitted by azeanpryde
Cirque Dans la Rue Lyrics as written by Tom Higgenson Martin Edward Dodson
Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It sounds like some sort of parody on life.
Trapeze high wire Without a safety net For the price of admission I wanna witness life or death
It's kind of sadistic....
All the pretty girls get cut in half, While the sad clowns make us laugh All the pretty girls get cut in half, While the sad clowns make us laugh
It's about not caring what other people think
want to make friends with the freaks I want to throw it down with the clowns that I meet I wanna have a party in the middle of the street
It's about embracing the wild, crazy side, loving adrenaline and the way our society is messed up, if you ask me.
And the gravely "we're watching you" made me laugh.