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."
Aiyo, slipperly slurp slip, nigga, churped off, two sniffs of cocaine
This motherfucker broke the glass in my whip
Tryna dip, on this twenty dollar bill I had on my dashboard
And police is asking me son, why I whoop his ass for
Save y'all two hours of paperwork, my neighbor lurk
Watchdog, chew ass out, son, and put in major work
We collect antique ammunition's, and plus
We got them big guns, you only see in science fictions
My Uncle Cuffie's the chief, but my little, knucklehead
Cousin Mar', yeah, son, is a thief
And we gave him a job, making three hundred a week
But he slipped on my piece, now he's back in the streets
[Chorus]
How many times have you let your tongue go slip
From the grin in your teeth and the cracks of your lips
I never heard such nerve before
But you better spill slowly through the cracks of my pores
Just to please you honey, just to please you honey
And how many times have you let your tongue go slip
From the grin in your teeth and the cracks of your lips
A.G. is King like Tutankhamen or Haile Selassie
Body the party, watchin' for niggas tryin' to Pac me
Or Biggie Smalls me, come on, please
With these gemstars, I'm Jason Vorhees
A's loose, so much pain inflicted, remain addicted
Carry microphones, with the Passion of Je-sus
It's Flamboyant for life, nigga, throw those L's up
Ain't millionaires, by this year, then catch us in 12 months
Now who's fuckin' with Andre?
A beast on the east, love on the west, ask Kanye
Still Diggin' motherfucker, it's that plain and simple
G.D. til' my heart beat,discontinue
On the ave., til every soul in the ghetto is gone
Where niggaz sell more rock than heavy metal songs
Anything you want to know, then read E2K
Fuck with A, and get broke up like B2K, cause
[Chorus]
Aiyo, aiyo, 'cause I'm the piece, the magnetic, I'm not the weak and pathetic
Sometimes, inside my rhymes, you hear words that perfected
Master your Hung Gar, five animal form Kung Fu
Thunder the Barbarian sword, being swung
Wu-Tang, invincible blade, thrust to parry
Up the Temple steps, much water got carried
In this industrious world, meet the illustrious
Uncombustional, give props like Doctor Huxtable
Knew many men, only trust a few
Women, love the few, mention Wu-Wear linen, rugged blue
God-you's, I tuck a few, known to smash out a club or two
And represent the worldwide W
[Chorus]
Oh, oh, your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Feed you the flesh of men, so you can see end again
Yeah, yeah
This motherfucker broke the glass in my whip
Tryna dip, on this twenty dollar bill I had on my dashboard
And police is asking me son, why I whoop his ass for
Save y'all two hours of paperwork, my neighbor lurk
Watchdog, chew ass out, son, and put in major work
We collect antique ammunition's, and plus
We got them big guns, you only see in science fictions
My Uncle Cuffie's the chief, but my little, knucklehead
Cousin Mar', yeah, son, is a thief
And we gave him a job, making three hundred a week
But he slipped on my piece, now he's back in the streets
[Chorus]
How many times have you let your tongue go slip
From the grin in your teeth and the cracks of your lips
I never heard such nerve before
But you better spill slowly through the cracks of my pores
Just to please you honey, just to please you honey
And how many times have you let your tongue go slip
From the grin in your teeth and the cracks of your lips
A.G. is King like Tutankhamen or Haile Selassie
Body the party, watchin' for niggas tryin' to Pac me
Or Biggie Smalls me, come on, please
With these gemstars, I'm Jason Vorhees
A's loose, so much pain inflicted, remain addicted
Carry microphones, with the Passion of Je-sus
It's Flamboyant for life, nigga, throw those L's up
Ain't millionaires, by this year, then catch us in 12 months
Now who's fuckin' with Andre?
A beast on the east, love on the west, ask Kanye
Still Diggin' motherfucker, it's that plain and simple
G.D. til' my heart beat,discontinue
On the ave., til every soul in the ghetto is gone
Where niggaz sell more rock than heavy metal songs
Anything you want to know, then read E2K
Fuck with A, and get broke up like B2K, cause
[Chorus]
Aiyo, aiyo, 'cause I'm the piece, the magnetic, I'm not the weak and pathetic
Sometimes, inside my rhymes, you hear words that perfected
Master your Hung Gar, five animal form Kung Fu
Thunder the Barbarian sword, being swung
Wu-Tang, invincible blade, thrust to parry
Up the Temple steps, much water got carried
In this industrious world, meet the illustrious
Uncombustional, give props like Doctor Huxtable
Knew many men, only trust a few
Women, love the few, mention Wu-Wear linen, rugged blue
God-you's, I tuck a few, known to smash out a club or two
And represent the worldwide W
[Chorus]
Oh, oh, your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Your veins, may call, in sweat, for blood
Feed you the flesh of men, so you can see end again
Yeah, yeah
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
A Day in the Life Lyrics as written by Daniel Gallegos Carlos Damien Rodriguez
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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