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."
Mama knew my mind would know this song.
Mama knew my mind would know this song.
I muscle holler and a moan.
I muscle holler and a moan.
Black Chords in the night.
Daddy burnt the dirt but the seed survived.
Daddy burnt the dirt but the seed survived.
I muscle holler and I moan.
I muscle holler and I moan.
Black Chords in the night.
I know that old Catholic tone.
I know that old Catholic tone.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells
The heavy bells are tolling out a tune.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells oh god I felt that metal move.
You're gonna wake up
You're gonna wake up
You’re gonna wake up and find the heavy bells toll their tune for you too.
Black sounds shake upon his folds.
Black sounds shake upon his folds.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
chop talking in the night.
Blood and honey drip from his beard.
Chaser to the taste I've come to fear.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
He's chop talking in the night
and I know that old Catholic tone.
I know that old Catholic tone.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells
The heavy bells are tolling out a tune.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells oh god I felt that metal move.
You're gonna wake up
You're gonna wake up
You’re gonna wake up and find the heavy bells toll their tune for you too.
All hail heavy bells
Or
All hell heavy bells
Or
Aww hell heavy bells
Mama knew my mind would know this song.
I muscle holler and a moan.
I muscle holler and a moan.
Black Chords in the night.
Daddy burnt the dirt but the seed survived.
Daddy burnt the dirt but the seed survived.
I muscle holler and I moan.
I muscle holler and I moan.
Black Chords in the night.
I know that old Catholic tone.
I know that old Catholic tone.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells
The heavy bells are tolling out a tune.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells oh god I felt that metal move.
You're gonna wake up
You're gonna wake up
You’re gonna wake up and find the heavy bells toll their tune for you too.
Black sounds shake upon his folds.
Black sounds shake upon his folds.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
chop talking in the night.
Blood and honey drip from his beard.
Chaser to the taste I've come to fear.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
I hear that nerve hound moan.
He's chop talking in the night
and I know that old Catholic tone.
I know that old Catholic tone.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells
The heavy bells are tolling out a tune.
The heavy bells
The heavy bells oh god I felt that metal move.
You're gonna wake up
You're gonna wake up
You’re gonna wake up and find the heavy bells toll their tune for you too.
All hail heavy bells
Or
All hell heavy bells
Or
Aww hell heavy bells
Lyrics submitted by CASmith1224
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
(Like this web site . . . at least so far . . .)
Heavy Bells
I maintain that most artists don't want you to know "what they were thinkin" at the time or in general . . . they say want the tune/lyric to have it's "own meaning to you" - but i think they are chicken, and don't want to bias your understanding . . . which is cool as far as that goes . . . but I wish they would just say.
Yes, I agree with those who have spoken of the cult or religious symbols (i understand that when Chatholic is capitolized it is the Church, when it is small case, it is universal, but then that would be the person posting this, rather than the artist. Everyone can see in the video there is a "lending of itself" to experiential, religious, spiritual, maybe even "high" or cult-like groups of people. Once "one" has been "inducted" into the "body" or group . . . they get to go into the next room and dance.
This could be anything from cult induction, drug experimentation/useage, maybe even being accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . . . most likely all the above! Ha!
I like the line, "Daddy burnt the dirt but the seed survived". To me . . . and it has nothing to do with the song, it has to do with my background . . . "Daddy" is God, "burnt the earth" is like Noahs' Flood, and "but the seed survived" is the saving of a remenant of people to go forward with the work and plan. (Same thing as: "Charlie stole the handle, and the train, it won't slow down - Jethro Tull")
But again . . . that is a personal "touch" i put on the meaning
I like the song better, now that I have seen the words . . . i was hearing it everyday on the radio and it was "jiberish" . . . now at least it has mystery . . . which may be the "real meaning", after all is said and done!