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."
In my city it's a summer night
I'm rollin' in my caddy
I'm listening to Marvin Gaye
I got my seat laid way back
As I slide down the boulevard
I see the ladies and I pass em
This is my beautiful ghetto scene
And it's the only way I'll have it
This is Californication
We keep it gangsta
I don't know what they told you
But get it together
'Cause it don't stop
And it won't stop
And it can't stop
We keep it going forever
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
'Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
Dedicated to them boys on the corner
I ain't trippin' homie
Hustle why you want to
Goin' out to the girls in at the nail shop
You ain't scared to back it up and let it drop, drop, drop
Yeah baby that's alligator skin
I'm coverin' up all the swooshes
And feel free to bring a couple of friends
I'ma show you how to do this
Out here it's just a way of life
You get used to it
Good dro mixed with good sunshine
Can't you hear it in the music
Give me love
This is Californication
We keep it gangsta
I don't know what they told you
But get it together
'Cause it don't stop
And it won't stop
And it can't stop
Gotta keep it going forever
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
I come from next to nothing
I'ma have not
I still got pride in what I have got
And ya'll remember when we sold rocks
And now we ain't gotta, god bless hip hop
We sip crystal and smoke weed all day
That's the only way to play
Throw all them silly cares away
Holla if you hear me now
Dedicated to them boys on the corner
I ain't trippin' homie
Hustle why you want to
Goin' out to the girls at the nail shop
You ain't scared to back it up and let it drop, drop, drop
This is comin' from the California kid
Gemini baby
Comin' at ya in a couple minutes
This is something crazy
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
'Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
[fade till end]
I'm rollin' in my caddy
I'm listening to Marvin Gaye
I got my seat laid way back
As I slide down the boulevard
I see the ladies and I pass em
This is my beautiful ghetto scene
And it's the only way I'll have it
This is Californication
We keep it gangsta
I don't know what they told you
But get it together
'Cause it don't stop
And it won't stop
And it can't stop
We keep it going forever
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
'Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
Dedicated to them boys on the corner
I ain't trippin' homie
Hustle why you want to
Goin' out to the girls in at the nail shop
You ain't scared to back it up and let it drop, drop, drop
Yeah baby that's alligator skin
I'm coverin' up all the swooshes
And feel free to bring a couple of friends
I'ma show you how to do this
Out here it's just a way of life
You get used to it
Good dro mixed with good sunshine
Can't you hear it in the music
Give me love
This is Californication
We keep it gangsta
I don't know what they told you
But get it together
'Cause it don't stop
And it won't stop
And it can't stop
Gotta keep it going forever
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
I come from next to nothing
I'ma have not
I still got pride in what I have got
And ya'll remember when we sold rocks
And now we ain't gotta, god bless hip hop
We sip crystal and smoke weed all day
That's the only way to play
Throw all them silly cares away
Holla if you hear me now
Dedicated to them boys on the corner
I ain't trippin' homie
Hustle why you want to
Goin' out to the girls at the nail shop
You ain't scared to back it up and let it drop, drop, drop
This is comin' from the California kid
Gemini baby
Comin' at ya in a couple minutes
This is something crazy
And I got my hat to the back
Drop my top
My base bump all
Through the parking lot
I gets my ride on
Right on
And I got me a fresh throw back
Air force ones
Step on the scene
'Bout to have some fun
I gets my ride on
Right on, right on
[fade till end]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Right On Lyrics as written by Quaites
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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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
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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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.