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."
Personne n'aurait cru ce cave
Prophétisant que par malheur
Mon pauvre petit rat de cave
Tu débarquerais avant l'heure
Tu n'étais pas du genre qui vire
De bord et tous on le savait
Du genre à quitter le navire
Et tu es la premièr' qui l'aies fait
Maintenant m'amie qu'on te séquestre
Au sein des cieux
Que je m'déguise en chanteur d'orchestre
Pour tes beaux yeux
En partant m'amie je te l'assure
Tu as fichu le noir au fond de nous
Quoiqu'on n'ait pas mis de crêpe sur
Nos putains de binious
On n'm'a jamais vu, faut que tu l'notes
C'est une primeur
Faire un bœuf avec des croque-notes
C'est en ton honneur
Sache aussi qu'en écoutant Bechet
Foll' gamberge, on voit la nuit tombée
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Sans aucun "au revoir mes frères"
Mais on n't'en veut pas pour autant
Mine de rien tu est allée faire
Ton trou dans les neiges d'antan
Désormais, c'est pas des salades
Parmi Flora, Jeanne, Thaïs
J'inclus ton nom à la ballade
Des belles dam's du temps jadis
Maintenant m'amie qu'ta place est faite
Chez les gentils
Qu'tu as r'trouvé pour l'éternelle fête
Papa Zutty
Chauff' la place à tous les vieux potaches
Machin, Chose, et Luter et Longnon
Et ce gras du bide de Moustache
Tes fidèl's compagnons
S'il est brave, pourquoi que Dieu le père
Là-haut ferait
Quelque différence entre Saint-Pierre
Et Saint-Germain-des-Prés
De tout cœur on espère que dans ce
Paradis miséricordieux
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Prophétisant que par malheur
Mon pauvre petit rat de cave
Tu débarquerais avant l'heure
Tu n'étais pas du genre qui vire
De bord et tous on le savait
Du genre à quitter le navire
Et tu es la premièr' qui l'aies fait
Maintenant m'amie qu'on te séquestre
Au sein des cieux
Que je m'déguise en chanteur d'orchestre
Pour tes beaux yeux
En partant m'amie je te l'assure
Tu as fichu le noir au fond de nous
Quoiqu'on n'ait pas mis de crêpe sur
Nos putains de binious
On n'm'a jamais vu, faut que tu l'notes
C'est une primeur
Faire un bœuf avec des croque-notes
C'est en ton honneur
Sache aussi qu'en écoutant Bechet
Foll' gamberge, on voit la nuit tombée
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Ton fantôme qui sautille en cachette
Rue du Vieux Colombier
Sans aucun "au revoir mes frères"
Mais on n't'en veut pas pour autant
Mine de rien tu est allée faire
Ton trou dans les neiges d'antan
Désormais, c'est pas des salades
Parmi Flora, Jeanne, Thaïs
J'inclus ton nom à la ballade
Des belles dam's du temps jadis
Maintenant m'amie qu'ta place est faite
Chez les gentils
Qu'tu as r'trouvé pour l'éternelle fête
Papa Zutty
Chauff' la place à tous les vieux potaches
Machin, Chose, et Luter et Longnon
Et ce gras du bide de Moustache
Tes fidèl's compagnons
S'il est brave, pourquoi que Dieu le père
Là-haut ferait
Quelque différence entre Saint-Pierre
Et Saint-Germain-des-Prés
De tout cœur on espère que dans ce
Paradis miséricordieux
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Brill'nt pour toi des lendemains qui dansent
Où y a pas de bon Dieu
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Elégie A Un Rat De Cave Lyrics as written by Georges Charles Brassens
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.