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."
[Intro: Stic.Man (Computer)]
Computer
(Where would you like to go?)
Take me to the future
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready for change, I'm hungry for change
I'm asking for change, I'm willing to change
I'm ready for change, I'm searching for change
I'm looking for change, I'm willing to change
And I don't what it's gonna be like
But I believe that the future's bright
I take a few more steps towards it today
Our generation gotta leave it's mark
Be our own light because the world's so dark
I know it's hard to say goodbye to yesterday
But take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready
I want change I could live in, not just to believe in
You know these politicians, they change with the seasons
I’m starting with the man in the mirror, my vision getting clearer
Feel like I’m at the dawn of a new era
I see a free world with no more police terror
A foundation I could pass on to E Twella
I look ahead to when their system is dead
When everybody in the hood is sheltered and fed
A black and brown real life heaven on earth
Where the last shall be first and your work is your worth
I've never been free so I can only imagine what it’d look like
But I know we need it with a passion, the good life
I ain’t got to live in no mansion
To me being wealthy is being free and healthy
Power in the hands of the people, not the state
I’m so ready, how much longer? I can’t wait
Can't Wait [x6]
(Almost there)
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I’m ready
What’s your 10-20-30 year plan?
If we play it right then we outta here man
If we take it light, end of conversation
No hesitation, that’s the time that we facing
Count down to a new beginning
We’ve been losing too long, it’s time to start winning
On this land with this love and this life that we live
If we stand with each other and we fight, we can give
The babies something they can dream about, or maybe sing about
I’m looking forward to our finest hour
Give the babies something they can dream about
And maybe sing about
I’m looking forward to our finest hour
Take me to the future
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready for change, I'm hungry for change
I'm asking for change, I'm willing to change
I'm ready for change, I'm searching for change
I'm looking for change, I'm willing to change
And I don't what it's gonna be like
But I believe that the future's bright
I take a few more steps towards it today
Our generation gotta leave it's mark
Be our own light because the world's so dark
I know it's hard to say goodbye to yesterday
But take me to the future
Computer
(Where would you like to go?)
Take me to the future
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready for change, I'm hungry for change
I'm asking for change, I'm willing to change
I'm ready for change, I'm searching for change
I'm looking for change, I'm willing to change
And I don't what it's gonna be like
But I believe that the future's bright
I take a few more steps towards it today
Our generation gotta leave it's mark
Be our own light because the world's so dark
I know it's hard to say goodbye to yesterday
But take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready
I want change I could live in, not just to believe in
You know these politicians, they change with the seasons
I’m starting with the man in the mirror, my vision getting clearer
Feel like I’m at the dawn of a new era
I see a free world with no more police terror
A foundation I could pass on to E Twella
I look ahead to when their system is dead
When everybody in the hood is sheltered and fed
A black and brown real life heaven on earth
Where the last shall be first and your work is your worth
I've never been free so I can only imagine what it’d look like
But I know we need it with a passion, the good life
I ain’t got to live in no mansion
To me being wealthy is being free and healthy
Power in the hands of the people, not the state
I’m so ready, how much longer? I can’t wait
Can't Wait [x6]
(Almost there)
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I’m ready
What’s your 10-20-30 year plan?
If we play it right then we outta here man
If we take it light, end of conversation
No hesitation, that’s the time that we facing
Count down to a new beginning
We’ve been losing too long, it’s time to start winning
On this land with this love and this life that we live
If we stand with each other and we fight, we can give
The babies something they can dream about, or maybe sing about
I’m looking forward to our finest hour
Give the babies something they can dream about
And maybe sing about
I’m looking forward to our finest hour
Take me to the future
Take me to the future, take me to a better place
To another time in space, than here
Take me to the future, future for the human race
Tell me what does it take, to get there
I'm ready for change, I'm hungry for change
I'm asking for change, I'm willing to change
I'm ready for change, I'm searching for change
I'm looking for change, I'm willing to change
And I don't what it's gonna be like
But I believe that the future's bright
I take a few more steps towards it today
Our generation gotta leave it's mark
Be our own light because the world's so dark
I know it's hard to say goodbye to yesterday
But take me to the future
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