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."
(Watch out) oh girls, you know we've got to
(Watch out) girls, you know we've got to
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he is a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he is a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy)
Playboy, get away from my door
I heard about the lovers you had before
(You took their love for a game of joy)
Oh yeah
(And tossed their heart around as thougt it was a toy, playboy) oh yeah
Well, playboy, find yourself another toy
'Cause this is one heart you won't destroy
('Cause I can't stand for what you're putting down) oh yeah
(Fooling around with every girl in town playboy) oh yeah
Well, you ain't saying nothin' in my book (playboy, playboy)
'Cause this is one fish you'll never-ever hook (playboy, playboy)
You left the others standing with their hearts in pain (he is a playboy)
And now you got me 'round trying to do me the same (playboy, playboy)
So playboy, I've seen your kind
Winnin' every girl with that same old line
(So playboy, stay away from my door) oh yeah
(I know about the lovers you had before) oh yeah (playboy)
Oh, you know you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
Yes, you know you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
Oh, you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
You better (watch out)
You better (watch out)
You ain't saying nothin' in my book
'Cause this is one fish you'll never-ever hook
You left the others standing with their hearts in pain (he is a playboy)
And now you got me 'round tryin' to do me the same
So playboy, I've seen your kind
Winnin' every girl with that same old line
(So playboy, stay away from my door) oh, yeah
(I know about the lovers you had before) oh, yeah (playboy)
Oh, you know you better (Watch out, here comes that playboy)
(Watch out, here comes that playboy)
Watch for the playboy, he's bringing you false joy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he's a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he's a playboy...
(Watch out) girls, you know we've got to
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he is a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he is a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy)
Playboy, get away from my door
I heard about the lovers you had before
(You took their love for a game of joy)
Oh yeah
(And tossed their heart around as thougt it was a toy, playboy) oh yeah
Well, playboy, find yourself another toy
'Cause this is one heart you won't destroy
('Cause I can't stand for what you're putting down) oh yeah
(Fooling around with every girl in town playboy) oh yeah
Well, you ain't saying nothin' in my book (playboy, playboy)
'Cause this is one fish you'll never-ever hook (playboy, playboy)
You left the others standing with their hearts in pain (he is a playboy)
And now you got me 'round trying to do me the same (playboy, playboy)
So playboy, I've seen your kind
Winnin' every girl with that same old line
(So playboy, stay away from my door) oh yeah
(I know about the lovers you had before) oh yeah (playboy)
Oh, you know you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
Yes, you know you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
Oh, you've got to (watch out, here comes that playboy)
You better (watch out)
You better (watch out)
You ain't saying nothin' in my book
'Cause this is one fish you'll never-ever hook
You left the others standing with their hearts in pain (he is a playboy)
And now you got me 'round tryin' to do me the same
So playboy, I've seen your kind
Winnin' every girl with that same old line
(So playboy, stay away from my door) oh, yeah
(I know about the lovers you had before) oh, yeah (playboy)
Oh, you know you better (Watch out, here comes that playboy)
(Watch out, here comes that playboy)
Watch for the playboy, he's bringing you false joy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he's a playboy
(Watch out, here comes that playboy) he-he's a playboy...
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Playboy Lyrics as written by Brian Holland Robert Bateman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
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.