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."
Hear this three monkeys sitting under a coconut tree (really?)
Discussing things as they are said to be
Said one to the others, now listen you two
There's a strange rumor that can't be true
They say man was descended from our noble race
But the very idea is a big disgrace
No monkey ever deserted his wife
Or her baby, to ruin their lives
Yeah The monkeys drift is mine (that's right)
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
And then Rasta fuck it up and insight riot
Warn dem fi cool and we did warn dem fi quiet
Now dem hear the kick drum di snare and di hi hat
Load up dem belly with some copper shot diet
Imagine after so much chanting and prayers
But a revolutionary situation requires
Mi fi come tear off unno face wid pliers
Surround dem ends wid all some burning tires
Round up dem friends and put dem pon trials
Until dem send di reparation dollars
Warning to all di political scholars political thieves and political liars
Political cocaine and gun suppliers
Di whole a dem a go down inna flames and fires
Well unno better fly out like some frequent fliers
Bound to feel the wrath of di real Bongonyahs
Hey don't fuck yourself next time you read out di budget
Di government case, ah poor people a judge it
Dem bring di guns but di youths dem ah bust it
Bun dem skeletons weh lock up inna closet
Wipe out dem species and all dem inhabits
With a warm series of pain and havoc
Nah clean no feces fi money prefer grab it
Dem mek mi resort to violence di race get lead up
Somebody nah live up
Somebody goin dead up BLOW!!
Whole ah di garment dem red up BLOW!!
Car and apartment get bled up
Didn't you get ample warning say poor people fed up
And still every morning
Dem try hold dem head up
Emperor Selassie calling
Youths dem fi dread up
Babylon is fallen
Gun nozzle bend up
Releasing di whole of di youth dem weh pen up
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
And then Rasta fuck it up and insight riot
Warn dem fi cool and we did warn dem fi quiet
Now dem hear the kick drum di snare and di hi hat
Load up dem belly with some copper shot diet
Check it now
Junior Gong a junior bong
Done beat up Babylon and Vatican
Mi nuh come here fi praise up no pagan
Mi nuh come here fi big up no batty man
See dem a come, move, throw Satan
And forgot all about the good great one
Tell 'em say that dem lead
(?)
Injustice nah go last too long
See the weapon here inna me hand
Politician me ago buss it pon
Them hide the truth and kill we with (?)
Poor people across the world this is a special dedication
Africans and ? alike
Don't lose unnu meditation
See them a come with racism
Nah support segregation
Nah go spot me in a fi dem clique and dem congregation
(?)
That's why them ban me song
Them (?) thru me make a stand
Check di starifacation, Yo
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
Well educated fools
Educated demons
And educated goons
Educated mules
Educated fools
Educated demons
And educated goons
Minutes after minutes I say hour after hour
All dem shady people dem nasty and sour
This is warlord style me as black noah
'Cause I represent black power
Well, almighty God inna da statue a tower
A long time me know some more did come to devour
They have me people dem and shout power and shower
And trick them with them rice and flour ya know
Me respect rastafarians, me respect church goers
Dem fi no say poor people, on a boat can't no row a
Fire a flame me bring fi ya ya drug for ya
And that me want the whole of them fi know ya
Well I heard that man came from sands and other molecules
Way before bodies and barbecues
With a good side a bad side and still argue too
Before schemin and thievin and dreamin of gleamin and feenin
Even before Adam and Eve and even
Before it was about being the nicest or whose diamonds that are priceless
B.C. around Tutankhamun and Isis
On the continent of Africa
Pass out and tribes to create a character
Sold us shit on earth was magical
Then the strangers came from the boat with the ropes
Chains that felt strange, they called it the slave game
The game changed
They had shackled like assholes
The Bloodclot
So nowadays the way we prevent it is a thugs Glock
Seen them rape and kill our children and women
The villain the bill gonna sort the black man how to kill men
Let's keep it real man
You can't harm me or scar me
Respect for me History's priority with the Marleys
Discussing things as they are said to be
Said one to the others, now listen you two
There's a strange rumor that can't be true
They say man was descended from our noble race
But the very idea is a big disgrace
No monkey ever deserted his wife
Or her baby, to ruin their lives
Yeah The monkeys drift is mine (that's right)
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
And then Rasta fuck it up and insight riot
Warn dem fi cool and we did warn dem fi quiet
Now dem hear the kick drum di snare and di hi hat
Load up dem belly with some copper shot diet
Imagine after so much chanting and prayers
But a revolutionary situation requires
Mi fi come tear off unno face wid pliers
Surround dem ends wid all some burning tires
Round up dem friends and put dem pon trials
Until dem send di reparation dollars
Warning to all di political scholars political thieves and political liars
Political cocaine and gun suppliers
Di whole a dem a go down inna flames and fires
Well unno better fly out like some frequent fliers
Bound to feel the wrath of di real Bongonyahs
Hey don't fuck yourself next time you read out di budget
Di government case, ah poor people a judge it
Dem bring di guns but di youths dem ah bust it
Bun dem skeletons weh lock up inna closet
Wipe out dem species and all dem inhabits
With a warm series of pain and havoc
Nah clean no feces fi money prefer grab it
Dem mek mi resort to violence di race get lead up
Somebody nah live up
Somebody goin dead up BLOW!!
Whole ah di garment dem red up BLOW!!
Car and apartment get bled up
Didn't you get ample warning say poor people fed up
And still every morning
Dem try hold dem head up
Emperor Selassie calling
Youths dem fi dread up
Babylon is fallen
Gun nozzle bend up
Releasing di whole of di youth dem weh pen up
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
And then Rasta fuck it up and insight riot
Warn dem fi cool and we did warn dem fi quiet
Now dem hear the kick drum di snare and di hi hat
Load up dem belly with some copper shot diet
Check it now
Junior Gong a junior bong
Done beat up Babylon and Vatican
Mi nuh come here fi praise up no pagan
Mi nuh come here fi big up no batty man
See dem a come, move, throw Satan
And forgot all about the good great one
Tell 'em say that dem lead
(?)
Injustice nah go last too long
See the weapon here inna me hand
Politician me ago buss it pon
Them hide the truth and kill we with (?)
Poor people across the world this is a special dedication
Africans and ? alike
Don't lose unnu meditation
See them a come with racism
Nah support segregation
Nah go spot me in a fi dem clique and dem congregation
(?)
That's why them ban me song
Them (?) thru me make a stand
Check di starifacation, Yo
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
Well educated fools they have ruined di world
And start make it hard for both di boys and di girls
Dem steal all di Africans diamonds and pearls
And start bank it up inna federal reserves
Well educated fools
Educated demons
And educated goons
Educated mules
Educated fools
Educated demons
And educated goons
Minutes after minutes I say hour after hour
All dem shady people dem nasty and sour
This is warlord style me as black noah
'Cause I represent black power
Well, almighty God inna da statue a tower
A long time me know some more did come to devour
They have me people dem and shout power and shower
And trick them with them rice and flour ya know
Me respect rastafarians, me respect church goers
Dem fi no say poor people, on a boat can't no row a
Fire a flame me bring fi ya ya drug for ya
And that me want the whole of them fi know ya
Well I heard that man came from sands and other molecules
Way before bodies and barbecues
With a good side a bad side and still argue too
Before schemin and thievin and dreamin of gleamin and feenin
Even before Adam and Eve and even
Before it was about being the nicest or whose diamonds that are priceless
B.C. around Tutankhamun and Isis
On the continent of Africa
Pass out and tribes to create a character
Sold us shit on earth was magical
Then the strangers came from the boat with the ropes
Chains that felt strange, they called it the slave game
The game changed
They had shackled like assholes
The Bloodclot
So nowadays the way we prevent it is a thugs Glock
Seen them rape and kill our children and women
The villain the bill gonna sort the black man how to kill men
Let's keep it real man
You can't harm me or scar me
Respect for me History's priority with the Marleys
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Educated Fools Lyrics as written by Damian Robert Nesta Marley Anthony Shawn Criss
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
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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.
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Plastic Bag
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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.