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."
When I had it all up
And I can't explain why
I keep on changing names
Try to depend on time, you know
To get you out of my mind
What makes it worse than that
Is I can look away
Like watchin' something dull, you know
Holdin' on through your desires
Like a runaway train
Never think my mind will be the same
So now I'm telling you
There's nothing left to show
The silence is over
Some fortune grasp
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
Sometimes, sometimes there's a moment
When all things appear brand new
Maybe the moment is being gone
Never left the sign
Most everything I touched
Seems to fade away
But my dreams are unmistakeable
From effect of your desire
Like a runaway train
Never in my mind will be the same
And now I'm telling you
There's nothing left to show
The silence is over
Some fortune grasp
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
So, if you ever
If you ever change your mind
And, did you ever
Did you ever find your wings in flight, away?
Like a runaway train
My runaway train
Like a runaway train
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
And I can't explain why
I keep on changing names
Try to depend on time, you know
To get you out of my mind
What makes it worse than that
Is I can look away
Like watchin' something dull, you know
Holdin' on through your desires
Like a runaway train
Never think my mind will be the same
So now I'm telling you
There's nothing left to show
The silence is over
Some fortune grasp
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
Sometimes, sometimes there's a moment
When all things appear brand new
Maybe the moment is being gone
Never left the sign
Most everything I touched
Seems to fade away
But my dreams are unmistakeable
From effect of your desire
Like a runaway train
Never in my mind will be the same
And now I'm telling you
There's nothing left to show
The silence is over
Some fortune grasp
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
So, if you ever
If you ever change your mind
And, did you ever
Did you ever find your wings in flight, away?
Like a runaway train
My runaway train
Like a runaway train
And we'll be on the road
For you my heart is beating fast
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Mountain Song
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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