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."
Once I had a friend that I could count on
So I thought
Well so it seemed
But times of need are not enough
To prove your friendship to me now
Once I saw a face that I believed in
But a mask was all there was
So who wears the masks and who wears the faces
Well I guess I'll never know
But as I stand here alone in a room full of people
With nothing to say
Beer on their minds, and smoke in the air
Call them feiends but they just don't care
Friend for life
Such shallow words for broken minds
Show me a friend for life
Cause I'll be waiting for that day to arrive
When I'll feel alive
I'll be waiting for that day
Once I found a love I had to know
Now we might know each other just too well
Cause when we're together we just can't get enough
Or is it we just can't get what we want
Once I saw a dream, I had to chase it
Dreams quickly turn to reality
Who's at fault in this game of yours and mine
Well I guess I'll never know
But as I sit here alone
Think of the girl who came softly inside me
The look in her eyes, the smell of her hair
Call her my own but is she really there?
Love for life
Such noble words for noble minds
Show me a love for life
Cause I'll be waiting for that day to arrive
When I'll feel alive
I'll be waiting for that day
Once I had a friend that I could count
Times of need are not enough
Once I found a love I had to know
Now we might know each other just too well
Once I saw a dream I had to chase
Dreams quickly turn to reality
Now let me close my eyes
Because I don't want to see anything anymore
So I thought
Well so it seemed
But times of need are not enough
To prove your friendship to me now
Once I saw a face that I believed in
But a mask was all there was
So who wears the masks and who wears the faces
Well I guess I'll never know
But as I stand here alone in a room full of people
With nothing to say
Beer on their minds, and smoke in the air
Call them feiends but they just don't care
Friend for life
Such shallow words for broken minds
Show me a friend for life
Cause I'll be waiting for that day to arrive
When I'll feel alive
I'll be waiting for that day
Once I found a love I had to know
Now we might know each other just too well
Cause when we're together we just can't get enough
Or is it we just can't get what we want
Once I saw a dream, I had to chase it
Dreams quickly turn to reality
Who's at fault in this game of yours and mine
Well I guess I'll never know
But as I sit here alone
Think of the girl who came softly inside me
The look in her eyes, the smell of her hair
Call her my own but is she really there?
Love for life
Such noble words for noble minds
Show me a love for life
Cause I'll be waiting for that day to arrive
When I'll feel alive
I'll be waiting for that day
Once I had a friend that I could count
Times of need are not enough
Once I found a love I had to know
Now we might know each other just too well
Once I saw a dream I had to chase
Dreams quickly turn to reality
Now let me close my eyes
Because I don't want to see anything anymore
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
I'll Be Waiting Lyrics as written by Bryan Holland
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
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:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
this was actually their first single