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."
So now I am older
Than my mother and father
When they had their daughter
Now what does that say about me?
Oh, how could I dream of
Such a selfless and true love
Could I wash my hands of
Just looking out for me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
In dearth or in excess
Both the slave and the empress
Will return to the dirt, I guess
Naked as when they came
I wonder if I'll see
Any faces above me
Or just cracks in the ceiling
Nobody else to blame
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Gold teeth and gold jewelry
Every piece of your dowry
Throw them into the tomb with me
Bury them with my name
Unless I have someday
Ran my wandering mind away
Oh man, what I used to be
Montezuma to Tripoli
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Than my mother and father
When they had their daughter
Now what does that say about me?
Oh, how could I dream of
Such a selfless and true love
Could I wash my hands of
Just looking out for me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
In dearth or in excess
Both the slave and the empress
Will return to the dirt, I guess
Naked as when they came
I wonder if I'll see
Any faces above me
Or just cracks in the ceiling
Nobody else to blame
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Oh man, what I used to be
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Gold teeth and gold jewelry
Every piece of your dowry
Throw them into the tomb with me
Bury them with my name
Unless I have someday
Ran my wandering mind away
Oh man, what I used to be
Montezuma to Tripoli
Oh man, oh my, oh me
Lyrics submitted by rockisgroovy, edited by Rannoch
Montezuma Lyrics as written by Robin Noel Pecknold
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
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.
"i wonder if I'll see any faces above me or just cracks in the ceiling nobody else to blame"
when i first heard these lines, i immediately thought of heaven. questioning if it exists at all.
this songs resonates with me as just a reflection of how he used to be and how he is now, whether that is good or bad. just a change. ive often reflected on my life and have been in awe of all that has happened - the good the bad the mediocre, and questioned what is before me.
I interpret these lines to be at the end of his life, on his deathbed. Are there people around him, or is all he sees the cracks in the ceiling?
great thoughts, i was instantly reminded of fyodor ivanovich's rant on the physical aspects of hell in the brothers karamozov upon hearing those lines. the ceiling or no ceiling debate on the afterlife is quite interesting but even in a more literal deathbed interpretation, or both, these lyrics are quite well thought-out and certainly meaningful.
I agree! The best metaphors can be interpreted literally without loss of meaning or beauty. <br /> <br /> I believe Robin intentionally made this metaphor ambiguous so that it can be interpreted both ways. In the first layer of metaphor, the narrator asks if he would see faces looking down on him on his death bead. In the second layer, he is asking if there is really a "man upstairs" (although the lyrics uses the plural, so his questioning extends not only to the existence of a God, but also to the existence of souls in heaven and to angles).