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."
Ah woo
Dishing out the phonemic vibes
(Marc D you nasty production)
Uh
And its your man Marc D
Uh Huh
Woo
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Ay sauce on us good gracious
(Good gracious)
None of my niggas be tasteless
(Nah)
Shawty want me to clap cheeks
Oooh
Hit her with the standing ovations
(Ah woo)
Drip come through bodacious
(Like what)
Hold up real quick step back
(Step back)
Gon and get in all in yo bag
(Yo bag)
Plus you know they like it like that
Wait
Okay
(Uh)
Time to go and make something shake
(Yeah)
Took a overseas vaca
(Tion)
Came back making more plays
(Yeah)
Eating up shrimp with the steak
(Uh)
On top of every piece of my cake
(Yeah)
Big bro hit me like bro keep going
Cause you know that the grind gon pay
(Hold Up)
So i keep it moving when its popping properly
Latin baddie like to call me papi
(Woo)
Now she giving up the sloppy toppy
Cause im building up not talking hobby lobby
(Woo)
Plus im styling out to the max
(Yeah)
Fed flexing when im shipping packs
(Oh)
W's yeah i get them to
You better hit me up before i start to tax cause
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Say that right there be big facts
(Be big facts)
Moving and grooving cant sit back
(Nah)
Sorry i own it didn't rent that
(Didn't rent that)
More progress less chit cat
(Ah Woo)
Shout-out to my kinfolk
D F Dub yeah i dip from
(Look)
Now im in Japan having fun with fam
And im counting yen and then some
(Lil)
Ho
(You)
Better let them know
Shout-out to the plug cause i got it for the low
(Bye)
Haters couldn't see me if they had a telescope
(Im)
Getting fettuccine with a side of the toast
(Schmoney)
Bruh
I got this feeling that my watch is clingy
Cause it love to cuddle my wrist
(Woo)
And i be from Texas don't dress like cowboys
But miss me with that bull
(Chill out)
Hold up
Always stepped on all my doubters
Even before the bowie soulja days
(Woo)
If they throwing dirt on my name
Gon and dust it off of my shoulder blades
(Woo)
Treat it like its a dance move
Might hit South Padre or Cancun
(Woo)
But me hitting a button
To actually give a damn
On how they talking down
No can do
(Woo)
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
(Know that be high)
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
(Cause)
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
(Know that be high)
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Lets go
(Yeah)
Ha
Wop
Ooh
Wop
Ooh
Ay
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Lets go
(Ah woo)
Ha
Wop
Ooh
Wop
Ooh
Ay
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Dishing out the phonemic vibes
(Marc D you nasty production)
Uh
And its your man Marc D
Uh Huh
Woo
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Ay sauce on us good gracious
(Good gracious)
None of my niggas be tasteless
(Nah)
Shawty want me to clap cheeks
Oooh
Hit her with the standing ovations
(Ah woo)
Drip come through bodacious
(Like what)
Hold up real quick step back
(Step back)
Gon and get in all in yo bag
(Yo bag)
Plus you know they like it like that
Wait
Okay
(Uh)
Time to go and make something shake
(Yeah)
Took a overseas vaca
(Tion)
Came back making more plays
(Yeah)
Eating up shrimp with the steak
(Uh)
On top of every piece of my cake
(Yeah)
Big bro hit me like bro keep going
Cause you know that the grind gon pay
(Hold Up)
So i keep it moving when its popping properly
Latin baddie like to call me papi
(Woo)
Now she giving up the sloppy toppy
Cause im building up not talking hobby lobby
(Woo)
Plus im styling out to the max
(Yeah)
Fed flexing when im shipping packs
(Oh)
W's yeah i get them to
You better hit me up before i start to tax cause
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Say that right there be big facts
(Be big facts)
Moving and grooving cant sit back
(Nah)
Sorry i own it didn't rent that
(Didn't rent that)
More progress less chit cat
(Ah Woo)
Shout-out to my kinfolk
D F Dub yeah i dip from
(Look)
Now im in Japan having fun with fam
And im counting yen and then some
(Lil)
Ho
(You)
Better let them know
Shout-out to the plug cause i got it for the low
(Bye)
Haters couldn't see me if they had a telescope
(Im)
Getting fettuccine with a side of the toast
(Schmoney)
Bruh
I got this feeling that my watch is clingy
Cause it love to cuddle my wrist
(Woo)
And i be from Texas don't dress like cowboys
But miss me with that bull
(Chill out)
Hold up
Always stepped on all my doubters
Even before the bowie soulja days
(Woo)
If they throwing dirt on my name
Gon and dust it off of my shoulder blades
(Woo)
Treat it like its a dance move
Might hit South Padre or Cancun
(Woo)
But me hitting a button
To actually give a damn
On how they talking down
No can do
(Woo)
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
(Know that be high)
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
(Cause)
Right off the rip man i get to the gwop
And it end on a note that you know that be high
(Know that be high)
Rocking these haters that's sleeping on me
Babysitting the stacks with a new lullaby
(New lullaby)
Stay on my job yeah stay on my job
Had to get right till it was nothing left
(Was nothing left)
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Lets go
(Yeah)
Ha
Wop
Ooh
Wop
Ooh
Ay
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Lets go
(Ah woo)
Ha
Wop
Ooh
Wop
Ooh
Ay
People may quit on you
(But what)
Just don't quit on yourself
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.