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."
I'm shooting for the stars no matter how far
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't phase me
I'm going for it all. So what if I fall?
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't break me
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
Til' the wheels fall off I just won't stop
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't phase me
So deal me in the cards, whatever they are
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't break me
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
I ain't felt like this in so long, hands up, go long
But just stop, make it drop, get your roll on
Everything's a gamble, baby, you can call me ?
I'm just falling for the feeling and no longer trying to hold on
Forget bout the future, I'm too faded to feel it
Not superstitious but I embody the spirit
of saying fuck it, what's it to ya? I'll break all your computers
trying to calculate the hour, and I'm ? booyah!
Let it fall like leaves in September
So let it rain and feel the thunder
Let the waves crash down, pull you under
And let your heart go boom like a drummer
Just to feel so alive
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't phase me
I'm going for it all. So what if I fall?
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't break me
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
Til' the wheels fall off I just won't stop
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't phase me
So deal me in the cards, whatever they are
And there's nothing you can say to me, it just won't break me
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
I ain't felt like this in so long, hands up, go long
But just stop, make it drop, get your roll on
Everything's a gamble, baby, you can call me ?
I'm just falling for the feeling and no longer trying to hold on
Forget bout the future, I'm too faded to feel it
Not superstitious but I embody the spirit
of saying fuck it, what's it to ya? I'll break all your computers
trying to calculate the hour, and I'm ? booyah!
Let it fall like leaves in September
So let it rain and feel the thunder
Let the waves crash down, pull you under
And let your heart go boom like a drummer
Just to feel so alive
You shouldn't hold on, just let it all go
It's gonna feel wrong to let go of what you know
Cause nothing else matters
Go higher, go harder, go faster and don't worry about after
Because sometimes you gotta lose it all and let it all die
just to feel so alive
Just to feel so alive
When it comes down to the wire
I'm walking through the fire
Just to feel so alive
Lyrics submitted by Bskiffington
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