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."
Testin my mic one two one two
I'm here to entertain yes this means you
Don't need no help all by myself
I proceed 'cause you need to enjoy yourself
Try to compare? oh don't you dare
'cause I'm sweeter than the cream in a french eclair
Smoother than the ice in a skatin rink
Have I forgotten anything? hm let me think
Oh yes I take a pen draw you all in line
You'll find that I'm a lyrical mastermind
The more you scream, the more I strive
So get live and put your body in overdrive
Let's check the situation from a serious tip
want to hear somethin wack? well, this ain't it
'cause the beat is def and now you're told
So prepare to work out a little rock and roll
Lace them shoes, tighten up that belt
And beware 'cause it's somethin that you never felt
'cause it's ruffer than ruff, hipper than hip
Don't be a drip, let it rip
But on the smooth tip
Toes are tappin, hands are clappin
My deejay's on the cuts and Sweet Tee's rappin
Rockin the spot 'cause the jam is hot
You think i'm through? hm, not by a long shot
I'm not a doctor, but I'm on call
I'm not the police, so get off the wall
In a club on stage to make you move
A mic and a beat are the tools I use
Yeah, I been crowned the gift of wax
Sweet Tee's in the house, so just relax
Give your hips a ride, give your feet some slide
And do what you feel inside, you know
It's easy to do if the beat is hip
Dancin and swingin, if the needle don't skip
Straight to the dancefloor, run, don't walk
Move to the groove, let your body talk
To me 'cause I happen to know what you like
So when I pick up a pen I know what to write
To hype the jam, so the jam'll hit
So rock with Sweet Tee on the smooth tip
Move that stuff, put your body in cruise
Take it easy and slow, but make it smooth
Gather around and get on down
Ain't nothin like hangin when you got some sounds
To this career I been ordained
Doin things a anthropolgist can't explain
Try if you will, I leave em stand still
Rap better than me, that noise please kill
Solve any crime like the great Dick Tracy
Make more jazz than the late Count Basie
Rhythmic sounds flow like Lake Eerie
Alterin any scientifical theory
Another like me well, I - never
You know why? 'cause I'm too damn clever
I'm the rap soloist that you can't resist
Bust that, party people, then again, bust this
It's time for my rhyme to reach the end of the line
I hope you all had a groovy time
Without further ado I'ma take my trip
But remember Sweet Tee, y'all, on the smooth tip
I'm here to entertain yes this means you
Don't need no help all by myself
I proceed 'cause you need to enjoy yourself
Try to compare? oh don't you dare
'cause I'm sweeter than the cream in a french eclair
Smoother than the ice in a skatin rink
Have I forgotten anything? hm let me think
Oh yes I take a pen draw you all in line
You'll find that I'm a lyrical mastermind
The more you scream, the more I strive
So get live and put your body in overdrive
Let's check the situation from a serious tip
want to hear somethin wack? well, this ain't it
'cause the beat is def and now you're told
So prepare to work out a little rock and roll
Lace them shoes, tighten up that belt
And beware 'cause it's somethin that you never felt
'cause it's ruffer than ruff, hipper than hip
Don't be a drip, let it rip
But on the smooth tip
Toes are tappin, hands are clappin
My deejay's on the cuts and Sweet Tee's rappin
Rockin the spot 'cause the jam is hot
You think i'm through? hm, not by a long shot
I'm not a doctor, but I'm on call
I'm not the police, so get off the wall
In a club on stage to make you move
A mic and a beat are the tools I use
Yeah, I been crowned the gift of wax
Sweet Tee's in the house, so just relax
Give your hips a ride, give your feet some slide
And do what you feel inside, you know
It's easy to do if the beat is hip
Dancin and swingin, if the needle don't skip
Straight to the dancefloor, run, don't walk
Move to the groove, let your body talk
To me 'cause I happen to know what you like
So when I pick up a pen I know what to write
To hype the jam, so the jam'll hit
So rock with Sweet Tee on the smooth tip
Move that stuff, put your body in cruise
Take it easy and slow, but make it smooth
Gather around and get on down
Ain't nothin like hangin when you got some sounds
To this career I been ordained
Doin things a anthropolgist can't explain
Try if you will, I leave em stand still
Rap better than me, that noise please kill
Solve any crime like the great Dick Tracy
Make more jazz than the late Count Basie
Rhythmic sounds flow like Lake Eerie
Alterin any scientifical theory
Another like me well, I - never
You know why? 'cause I'm too damn clever
I'm the rap soloist that you can't resist
Bust that, party people, then again, bust this
It's time for my rhyme to reach the end of the line
I hope you all had a groovy time
Without further ado I'ma take my trip
But remember Sweet Tee, y'all, on the smooth tip
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
On the Smooth Tip Lyrics as written by Toi Crystal Jackson Herby E. Azor
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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