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."
Please don't talk about me
With all your friends
Stuff that big bottomless, cup in my hand (I'll never leave you)
Fill up this riddled with curses old man (so easy to say)
Acting like enemies, out of my way (I never loved you)
Still won't break up with the things I have made (stay the Hell out of my way)
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
That's it, it's over I'm done give me the keys to the car
I'll put the pedal to the metal as you're falling apart
And I don't wanna see the phony look on your face
I should have never fallen for it in the first place
Touch me, fool me, tame me, make me all about it
Then I bleed, you scream, shame me, I'll leave, over-dramatic
Nah, I don't do that anymore
No people, just places I adore
Too fed, I lost the feeling
Leave it alone, I'm asleep, so I'm healing
All great things have battle scars
You wanna swap this belief with a greater art?
My flesh road has only grown
Into a mattress fit for mounting
Stuff that big bottomless, cup in my hand (I'll never leave you)
Fill up this riddled with curses old man (so easy to say)
Acting like enemies, out of my way (I never loved you)
Still won't break up with the things I have made (stay the Hell out of my way)
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
I've faced this allergy it won't go away,
Upgraded salary, employment virus aid
I've faced this allergy it's everything I thought that I could fake
I'll live in the moment
You gave me a reason
Then I fell asleep in the bathroom
Mixing magic potions
Looking for a meaning
To get myself out of this costume
Sick and tired of counting
Bubbles in the ceiling
Feel like a prisoner in my head
I was only trying
To forget the feeling
I get when I think of you
Oh, beautiful and tragic
Oh, beautiful and tragic
I see me riding off, off through the clouds
I see me riding off, off to the bitter end
I see me riding off, off through the clouds
I see me writing off, off all my bitter ends
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
With all your friends
Stuff that big bottomless, cup in my hand (I'll never leave you)
Fill up this riddled with curses old man (so easy to say)
Acting like enemies, out of my way (I never loved you)
Still won't break up with the things I have made (stay the Hell out of my way)
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
That's it, it's over I'm done give me the keys to the car
I'll put the pedal to the metal as you're falling apart
And I don't wanna see the phony look on your face
I should have never fallen for it in the first place
Touch me, fool me, tame me, make me all about it
Then I bleed, you scream, shame me, I'll leave, over-dramatic
Nah, I don't do that anymore
No people, just places I adore
Too fed, I lost the feeling
Leave it alone, I'm asleep, so I'm healing
All great things have battle scars
You wanna swap this belief with a greater art?
My flesh road has only grown
Into a mattress fit for mounting
Stuff that big bottomless, cup in my hand (I'll never leave you)
Fill up this riddled with curses old man (so easy to say)
Acting like enemies, out of my way (I never loved you)
Still won't break up with the things I have made (stay the Hell out of my way)
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
I've faced this allergy it won't go away,
Upgraded salary, employment virus aid
I've faced this allergy it's everything I thought that I could fake
I'll live in the moment
You gave me a reason
Then I fell asleep in the bathroom
Mixing magic potions
Looking for a meaning
To get myself out of this costume
Sick and tired of counting
Bubbles in the ceiling
Feel like a prisoner in my head
I was only trying
To forget the feeling
I get when I think of you
Oh, beautiful and tragic
Oh, beautiful and tragic
I see me riding off, off through the clouds
I see me riding off, off to the bitter end
I see me riding off, off through the clouds
I see me writing off, off all my bitter ends
Sick of being on my game
And understated I
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new
Taken all that I can take
I'm gonna make it
Wanna throw it all away
And open up with something new, brand new
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I just want to say, I love this song, I relate to it a lot. I'm really surprised no one else has commented.