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."
(Verse 1: Kid Cudi)
Wake up in the morning same shirt same jeans
Wishing of the rich life, I roll when I lean
Not knowing what that life or that day bring
Wonder what if the light shines bright what if i can't see
If I do what I do to get through, then that's what I'mma do
Pure focus when I spew, having been in a pew for some time now
But that don't necessarily mean I'm hell bound
Stuck in my ways, hoping better days come through the cracks
Every day same thing: eat, sleep, shit, rap
Then shake it, mice running round my damn sticky trap
Ants on the plates and food, rapping the only thing cool
My mood chilling in my staring up at the ceiling
Nigga my life day to day is lord willing
The dry wall pillars metaphors for my feelings
Yeah, starting a new life no more drug dealing nigga
(Hook x2)
Let me shed a little light for my niggas in the dark
Let me shed a little light for my niggas
All my niggas on that day to day grind tryna' to live they dreams
Just trying to get this cream
(Verse 2:)
When I was younger I told myself I wouldn't smoke
That was the biggest joke
I'm addicted to these ports like they're pure coke
I'm selling this journey out with no real route
World thought I wanna go, all I really know is that I'm making moves
Whether it's robbing fools or making people groove my nigga
You know I'm choosing something
I remeber getting older and not caring 'bout nothing
All I knew was that I had a destiny; that was my sixth sense
I grind with six cents, and spent six years of rap
I'm hungry, Chris just made it happen
You know Mescudi, I was tired of being
Picture this; two bedrooms and four siblings
I slept on the couch for 14 years of my life
Finally copped him a bed in the living room it's alright
Let me shed a little light, I'mma crawl out the dark
And I'mma grind till the end till my life's cut off nigga
(Hook)
Wake up in the morning same shirt same jeans
Wishing of the rich life, I roll when I lean
Not knowing what that life or that day bring
Wonder what if the light shines bright what if i can't see
If I do what I do to get through, then that's what I'mma do
Pure focus when I spew, having been in a pew for some time now
But that don't necessarily mean I'm hell bound
Stuck in my ways, hoping better days come through the cracks
Every day same thing: eat, sleep, shit, rap
Then shake it, mice running round my damn sticky trap
Ants on the plates and food, rapping the only thing cool
My mood chilling in my staring up at the ceiling
Nigga my life day to day is lord willing
The dry wall pillars metaphors for my feelings
Yeah, starting a new life no more drug dealing nigga
(Hook x2)
Let me shed a little light for my niggas in the dark
Let me shed a little light for my niggas
All my niggas on that day to day grind tryna' to live they dreams
Just trying to get this cream
(Verse 2:)
When I was younger I told myself I wouldn't smoke
That was the biggest joke
I'm addicted to these ports like they're pure coke
I'm selling this journey out with no real route
World thought I wanna go, all I really know is that I'm making moves
Whether it's robbing fools or making people groove my nigga
You know I'm choosing something
I remeber getting older and not caring 'bout nothing
All I knew was that I had a destiny; that was my sixth sense
I grind with six cents, and spent six years of rap
I'm hungry, Chris just made it happen
You know Mescudi, I was tired of being
Picture this; two bedrooms and four siblings
I slept on the couch for 14 years of my life
Finally copped him a bed in the living room it's alright
Let me shed a little light, I'mma crawl out the dark
And I'mma grind till the end till my life's cut off nigga
(Hook)
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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,
When We Were Young
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Head > Heels
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