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."
How've you been?
Can I come in?
Just came to get my things and then I guess I'm leaving
If I could say
What you'd like to hear
I'd whisper in your ear it's only temporary
But I've been taking you for granted
And I thought you'd feel the same as me
It's time that I come clean, but
But for now can we
Just both pretend to sleep
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
You should know me by now
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than
I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
Our talk is small, I'm seven inches tall
And you should keep the apartment
So here's my keys
Changed all the bills
We're only built to spill and wonder where the heart went
And you've been taking me for granted
And I thought you'd feel the same as me
It's time that I come clean, but
But for now can we
Just both pretend to sleep
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
You should know me by now
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
I know that I remember you
I think that you remember me too
How can one of us still feel blessed when the other one's lost
I know you've got to feel the change
It just stays worse when it stays the same
How can one of us
Still feel blessed when the other one's so lost
By now
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
Don't you know me by now?
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
Can I come in?
Just came to get my things and then I guess I'm leaving
If I could say
What you'd like to hear
I'd whisper in your ear it's only temporary
But I've been taking you for granted
And I thought you'd feel the same as me
It's time that I come clean, but
But for now can we
Just both pretend to sleep
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
You should know me by now
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than
I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
Our talk is small, I'm seven inches tall
And you should keep the apartment
So here's my keys
Changed all the bills
We're only built to spill and wonder where the heart went
And you've been taking me for granted
And I thought you'd feel the same as me
It's time that I come clean, but
But for now can we
Just both pretend to sleep
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
You should know me by now
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
I know that I remember you
I think that you remember me too
How can one of us still feel blessed when the other one's lost
I know you've got to feel the change
It just stays worse when it stays the same
How can one of us
Still feel blessed when the other one's so lost
By now
Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need
What goes around don't come around
Don't you know me by now?
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, I should know you as well
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, better than
You should know me
Better than, you should know me by now
Lyrics submitted by PetiteGrenouille, edited by kaycupcake
By Now Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Story of my life once upon a time. A relationship between two people is ending but they don't want to face it; they just want to "pretend to sleep," instead of talking about it. "Sometimes the one you want is not the one you need,"