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."
[Onry Ozzborn]
Day walk, a strut move illy,
Misunderstood because my writing isn’t gimme gimmie,
Gotta see the nozzle leaking first,
Before interpreting what you think of the book’s cover and its worth.
Money have you and this money heavy,
He carry gold in his drapeaux pockets, stop tip profit levy,
Already in the red and fortune telling tumbling.
Sit by myself, talk to myself, murmur of mumbling,
Numbers count on those cards you were dealt blow,
Scuffing a pair of threes on purpose to break yo.
Swagger was created by ish, and just a few we follow
So took the commute, now here aloof, about to shoot
That javelin off the roof, it's you, Olympian, let a moment of truth.
Ask and you shall receive some shit that you just can’t conceive,
But when it finally touches you, remember us forever be.
Overlordian, electric blossoms,
Spoiled rotten, not forgotten, robots block ‘em,
Got a concoction of the god's offering,
Space time argument, street life, we on with it, get off of it.
"Throw them" over and out and tell a better story
"Toss them" over and out and those awards all bore me
"Feed them" aim for me, please
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
"Throw them" over and out!
"Toss them" over and out!
"Feed them" over and out!
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
Dark time sunshine.
[P.O.S.]
Wallowing in it ‘till my head splits it,
To the bottom of it, ‘till I hit the bottom like the bottom line.
They got ‘em, watch, I’m out of lines,
Stop looking undermined, 'cause that aroma doesn't match the cooking
We hunger strike, they like fresh, less to feed.
Yes indeed, there's less and less and less and less and less for me
And less for free, except the heart, especially speech, they call it art, (please)
I’m on my own time, crossing up the Rubicon but yeah
Yeah, my own means, tell me again about your purchases
That’s great, really, nothing seems more poisonous
Than trying to spend your way out of worthlessness (I'm not sorry)
Smack dab but this city’s like the rat’s lab
That big scurry, give me that, hurry back.
Fury in the belly like a hurricane, trapped
But don’t even know to bite back.
Just in-fighting and in-flight meals
Stay in step, smile at cops and pay bills.
We’re probably not like you- correct
We’re probably not what you guess.
Overlordian, electric blossoms,
Spoiled rotten, not forgotten, robots block ‘em,
Got a concoction of the god's offering
Space time argument, street life, we’re on with it, get off of it.
"Throw them" over and out and tell a better story
"Toss them" over and out and those awards all bore me
"Feed them" aim for me, please
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
"Throw them" over and out!
"Toss them" over and out!
"Feed them" over and out!
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
Day walk, a strut move illy,
Misunderstood because my writing isn’t gimme gimmie,
Gotta see the nozzle leaking first,
Before interpreting what you think of the book’s cover and its worth.
Money have you and this money heavy,
He carry gold in his drapeaux pockets, stop tip profit levy,
Already in the red and fortune telling tumbling.
Sit by myself, talk to myself, murmur of mumbling,
Numbers count on those cards you were dealt blow,
Scuffing a pair of threes on purpose to break yo.
Swagger was created by ish, and just a few we follow
So took the commute, now here aloof, about to shoot
That javelin off the roof, it's you, Olympian, let a moment of truth.
Ask and you shall receive some shit that you just can’t conceive,
But when it finally touches you, remember us forever be.
Overlordian, electric blossoms,
Spoiled rotten, not forgotten, robots block ‘em,
Got a concoction of the god's offering,
Space time argument, street life, we on with it, get off of it.
"Throw them" over and out and tell a better story
"Toss them" over and out and those awards all bore me
"Feed them" aim for me, please
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
"Throw them" over and out!
"Toss them" over and out!
"Feed them" over and out!
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
Dark time sunshine.
[P.O.S.]
Wallowing in it ‘till my head splits it,
To the bottom of it, ‘till I hit the bottom like the bottom line.
They got ‘em, watch, I’m out of lines,
Stop looking undermined, 'cause that aroma doesn't match the cooking
We hunger strike, they like fresh, less to feed.
Yes indeed, there's less and less and less and less and less for me
And less for free, except the heart, especially speech, they call it art, (please)
I’m on my own time, crossing up the Rubicon but yeah
Yeah, my own means, tell me again about your purchases
That’s great, really, nothing seems more poisonous
Than trying to spend your way out of worthlessness (I'm not sorry)
Smack dab but this city’s like the rat’s lab
That big scurry, give me that, hurry back.
Fury in the belly like a hurricane, trapped
But don’t even know to bite back.
Just in-fighting and in-flight meals
Stay in step, smile at cops and pay bills.
We’re probably not like you- correct
We’re probably not what you guess.
Overlordian, electric blossoms,
Spoiled rotten, not forgotten, robots block ‘em,
Got a concoction of the god's offering
Space time argument, street life, we’re on with it, get off of it.
"Throw them" over and out and tell a better story
"Toss them" over and out and those awards all bore me
"Feed them" aim for me, please
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
"Throw them" over and out!
"Toss them" over and out!
"Feed them" over and out!
"Ain't got no time for the festive" to the wolves, to the wolves
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.
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.
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.
one of my faves off of the new album
Seems like they (the singers) shirk the traditional path that people take. They do their own thing while chastising those who follow in the footsteps of fame and fortune. Everyday people wanting to buy things to show off their status. Celebrities that just want more while doing mediocre work, politicians that want more for less while not helping their fellow man.