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."
My brother said the highs ain't that high the lows ain't that low
My sail's at half-mast but at least it still blows
I see the glass half empty, I'm flat broke
But it's half full, I've got the punchlines but no jokes
I'm a bird without wings, a voice that can't sing
Last man on the bench about to be the captain of the team
So let's lean on each other like I lean on my brother
We both stare at the snow and daydream about summer
What's the color of love, it's the color of blood
My words sprung a leak slowly starting to flood
Now I shoot for the stars on the wings of a dove
But here come the dark clouds
So let the rain fall but I won't stop
Let the wind blow me down, I get back up
Remember back in the day it was all love
Feels good to be home again, comin' home again
Take my tears but I still cry
You can shoot me down but I still fly
I took a long ride, now I know why
It feels good to be home again, comin' home again
Comin' home again
Now sister I need you, you need me
Now shh don't be scared that's how it's supposed to be
It's just people being people
Good versus evil is the division in life
'Cause we're all created equal
And my humble army will rise from the ash
Darkness won't last, yes this to shall pass
The nature of man is to not understand
And I can't so I fly by the seat of my pants
And I land where I am just by chance
And soak up the indifference of those who have lost what was good
And I'm filled to the brim with the lessons of sin
Now here come the dark clouds
If you want to go back to the beginning
Then count me out, yellow sticky pad notes all around my house
Trying to remind myself about who I used to be
How I got away from that and now I'm free
It's not supposed to be so difficult, it just is
So I look at my surroundings and check out who I'm with
And it should be all about friends but sometimes it's not
And here come the dark clouds
My sail's at half-mast but at least it still blows
I see the glass half empty, I'm flat broke
But it's half full, I've got the punchlines but no jokes
I'm a bird without wings, a voice that can't sing
Last man on the bench about to be the captain of the team
So let's lean on each other like I lean on my brother
We both stare at the snow and daydream about summer
What's the color of love, it's the color of blood
My words sprung a leak slowly starting to flood
Now I shoot for the stars on the wings of a dove
But here come the dark clouds
So let the rain fall but I won't stop
Let the wind blow me down, I get back up
Remember back in the day it was all love
Feels good to be home again, comin' home again
Take my tears but I still cry
You can shoot me down but I still fly
I took a long ride, now I know why
It feels good to be home again, comin' home again
Comin' home again
Now sister I need you, you need me
Now shh don't be scared that's how it's supposed to be
It's just people being people
Good versus evil is the division in life
'Cause we're all created equal
And my humble army will rise from the ash
Darkness won't last, yes this to shall pass
The nature of man is to not understand
And I can't so I fly by the seat of my pants
And I land where I am just by chance
And soak up the indifference of those who have lost what was good
And I'm filled to the brim with the lessons of sin
Now here come the dark clouds
If you want to go back to the beginning
Then count me out, yellow sticky pad notes all around my house
Trying to remind myself about who I used to be
How I got away from that and now I'm free
It's not supposed to be so difficult, it just is
So I look at my surroundings and check out who I'm with
And it should be all about friends but sometimes it's not
And here come the dark clouds
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Comin' Home Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
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