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."
music and lyrics by Corb Lund
The show was a big one, an olde rodeo
They'd been trying to hire us for a few years or so
The grandstand was bursting, the infield was full
They'd run all the chucks and they'd bucked all the bulls
I felt stiff in the saddle, had been a year since I'd rode
And I'd never been on him save an afternoon lope
But this was the last thing on my tortured mind
As I put heels to belly and my band played the time
He was a big sorrel gelding with a golden streaked mane
A silver mounted saddle and hand braided reins
He had one blue eye that was clear like the rain
But the horse I rode in on felt none of my pain
Well we made quite an entrance in show business style
And twelve thousand people all witnessed my smile
But you were not there among them I'm sorry to say
As I rode through the crowd toward the big outdoor stage
If my pony was skittish with all the people around
And if he spooked just a little when the spotlight shone down
It's nothing compared to the heart break and pain
That come with a love that has withered in vain
So we played through the show and like I always do
I sang every one of the love songs for you
Then I climbed right back on him and I spurred him away
And as the cheers and the dust from the arena did fade
I didn?t feel like no cowboy anymore, anyway
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Horse I Rode in On Lyrics as written by Rich Hopkins
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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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,
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