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."
Today, I will be a savior,
Tomorrow a demon.
You crave my erratic behavior
And watch my every move.
Obsession at all costs,
You'll be the death of me.
Broken and torn apart,
Why can't you let me be?
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your guilty addiction.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Today, a savior,
Tonight, I am the new messiah you deify.
When I'm no longer desired,
I'll be crucified.
The one who's free from sin,
The first to cast the stone.
Fighting the fear within,
I won't be left alone.
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your morning obsession.
Build me up!
Break me down!
(I will be your savior)
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
Your iconic fixation.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Build me up!
Break me down!
Tomorrow a demon.
You crave my erratic behavior
And watch my every move.
Obsession at all costs,
You'll be the death of me.
Broken and torn apart,
Why can't you let me be?
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your guilty addiction.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Today, a savior,
Tonight, I am the new messiah you deify.
When I'm no longer desired,
I'll be crucified.
The one who's free from sin,
The first to cast the stone.
Fighting the fear within,
I won't be left alone.
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
I'm your morning obsession.
Build me up!
Break me down!
(I will be your savior)
You build me up, you break me down
Until I'm falling to pieces.
The price I pay to live this way,
And the fantasy stays alive.
I can't live up, I can't let down
And leave you falling to pieces.
I crash and burn, I never learn,
Your iconic fixation.
Build me up!
Break me down!
Build me up!
Break me down!
Lyrics submitted by Octavarium64
Build Me Up, Break Me Down Lyrics as written by John Petrucci John Myung
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Could be about celebrities in general whether they be musicians, actors, sports stars. People fixate on them, build them up to god-like proportions they could never uphold, and tear them apart when they are seen as typical frail and mistake making people.
I just saw Dream Theater tonight and James LeBrie said the song was about celebrities before they played it. lbiancan you nailed it!
I just saw Dream Theater tonight and James LeBrie said the song was about celebrities before they played it.
Perfect description of how people view celebrities. Interesting. I thought it was more about themselves, but they have the celebrity experience too.
I think it's about how religion really brainwashes people in today's society. It talks about how you can't live up, can't let down, and that the fantasy stays alive. I believe that it's talking about how you can never please a society that bases everything off of religion. That's my opinion.
At least, this is what it means to me, personally.
Pretty self-explanatory: it's about being with somebody that you know is bad for you, but you stick around for the little bit of good and pleasure (as if what's bad is somehow fueling and enhancing the good). It seems like the feeling is mutual.
I was actually going to say it was self-explanatory, it's about Jesus Christ. Apparently it's not self explanatory for either of us
I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's about television, or perhaps the media in general. "Your morning obsession" for example...that's the first thing many do in the morning. Today a savior, tomorrow a demon...
Think about it.
The album booklet has allowed me to fix that phrase - it's "morbid" rather than morning. It is about the media as lbiancan says, explaining the commercial sound of this track.
Here's a possible meaning... This song is actually about the fan reaction to the Mike Portnoy/Dream Theater split... from Portnoy's point of view.
"Today...a savior... Tonight, I am the new messiah you deify. When I'm no longer desired, I'll be crucified."
The song could represent the reaction from some ungrateful fans when MP split. Yes, I know Petrucci wrote the lyrics, but you don't need to be Portnoy to understand what he's been put through by "fans".
Sounds more like drugs or something like that don't you think?
At first I saw on it some kind of Gnostic influence and the story of the bad god, I'm still not sure.
So stop with the messages. Each one was deleted w/o being read. I'd like to remember you fondly, if possible. Thanks.
PLEASE STOP TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH ME. THE INTERNET IF FREE AND VERY VAST LIKE YOUR EGO. I won't use this site anymore. I hope you got what you wanted... blah blah you
I believe it's saying get over yourself. I am not here for your entertainment. And I do believe that's a song:) Whatever I say or do is NOT for you. It's for me. If you can't handle that than you are free to find another site...
I had already said goodbye for the last time. You are my past. And the Internet is free and belongs to us all. Pretend you don't see me. That works for me.
YOU GOT IT
WELL YOU AND THE BIG TURNOFF ARE ONE AND THE SAME RIGHT? IM YOUR PAST RIGHT? ITS BELLABABY AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR YOU RIGHT? RIGHT...
However, I'll always check my messages as promised because I'll always be here for you. Toodles
I think in part that this is actually about touring, about the toll it takes from Petrucci's point of view...
"The price I pay To live this way And the fantasy stays alive..."
Basically using these lines, trying to interpret touring and band life, sacrificing time with his wife and daughters to live in the dream that is Dream Theater...
That's exactly what I thought it's about.