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."
all the girls are drunk
maybe so am i
here beneath the old expressway
i watch them walk on by
all the harbour's humming
gonna light the crackers soon
i just wanna kiss you
beneath the new year moon
all the junkie kids are tired
every single taxi's hired
say i'm moving slow
that you wanna go
but i don't wanna leave
there's no need to feel so bad
growing up can make you sad
you won't be ignored
all on board
tonight is new year's eve
mom and dad are in the backyard
with Gladys Knight and her pips
my little brother's in his bedroom
with nicotine on his fingertips
my big brother's downtown
scaring girls and fighting surfies
said i'd meet him by the doner kebab stand
next to colin murphy
chorus
i can hear the westies blow their horns
desert boots dragging off the dunes
downtown's got its own sound
whistling through these rooms
and the streets are full of action
the burning signs are hanging high
i just gotta get some traction
let the light shoot through my eyes
all the punks are lighting fires
drinking long necks in the park
some girls swimming in the fountain
singing buzzcocks in the dark
your sister always says she's lonely
i stole a new year's kiss from her
and the last train left the station
every red light was a blur
chorus
now all the junkie kids are high
the train driver's getting tired
moon is hanging low
rays are rocking slow
shut your eyes and breathe
i don't know why you're feeling sad
it's the best time that i ever had
let me hold you tight,
let me hold you tight,
tonight is new year's eve
Who's gonna miss us?
maybe so am i
here beneath the old expressway
i watch them walk on by
all the harbour's humming
gonna light the crackers soon
i just wanna kiss you
beneath the new year moon
all the junkie kids are tired
every single taxi's hired
say i'm moving slow
that you wanna go
but i don't wanna leave
there's no need to feel so bad
growing up can make you sad
you won't be ignored
all on board
tonight is new year's eve
mom and dad are in the backyard
with Gladys Knight and her pips
my little brother's in his bedroom
with nicotine on his fingertips
my big brother's downtown
scaring girls and fighting surfies
said i'd meet him by the doner kebab stand
next to colin murphy
chorus
i can hear the westies blow their horns
desert boots dragging off the dunes
downtown's got its own sound
whistling through these rooms
and the streets are full of action
the burning signs are hanging high
i just gotta get some traction
let the light shoot through my eyes
all the punks are lighting fires
drinking long necks in the park
some girls swimming in the fountain
singing buzzcocks in the dark
your sister always says she's lonely
i stole a new year's kiss from her
and the last train left the station
every red light was a blur
chorus
now all the junkie kids are high
the train driver's getting tired
moon is hanging low
rays are rocking slow
shut your eyes and breathe
i don't know why you're feeling sad
it's the best time that i ever had
let me hold you tight,
let me hold you tight,
tonight is new year's eve
Who's gonna miss us?
Lyrics submitted by solvent_d
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Mountain Song
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What a great song, seems to capture the mood of New Years Eve in a run down Sydney suburb.