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."
He's gone two thousand miles
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you
The children were singing
He'll be back at Christmas time
In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream, you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow sparkle
Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime
Two thousand miles
Is very far through the snow
I'll think of you
Wherever you go
He's gone two thousand miles
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you
I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime
I hear people singing
It must be Christmastime
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you
The children were singing
He'll be back at Christmas time
In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream, you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow sparkle
Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime
Two thousand miles
Is very far through the snow
I'll think of you
Wherever you go
He's gone two thousand miles
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you
I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime
I hear people singing
It must be Christmastime
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
2000 Miles Lyrics as written by Chrissie Hynde
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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
Blink-182
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
From Wikipedia, "Hynde wrote the song for her former bandmate James Honeyman-Scott after he died prior to beginning work on the band's third album." 2000 miles is a gentle euphemism for the infinite distance of death.
@steve10157 This is an interpretation of the song I have just found out about, I can’t believe I never put it together in my head that 2000 Miles is about JH-S (and Pete Farndon)…the Learning To Crawl lp’s songs are, for the most part, about Chrissie’s life at the time, which of course included the double tragedies of the deaths of James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon (including Back On The Chain Gang), so I’d think it would’ve been more obvious to me that 2000 miles wasn’t only about missing someone who’s apart from you at Christmas, it’s also about remembering those who’ve touched your life but aren’t around anymore, anywhere but in your heart…\r\n\r\nThe title ‘Learning To Crawl’, to me, has a double meaning. It refers to the birth of Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies daughter, as she was literally learning to crawl as the lp was being made… it also speaks of the ability of life to just unexpectedly thrust us into tragedy (or triumph, it must be acknowledged), as Chrissie was floored by the deaths of those two Men who were half of the original membership of the Pretenders, she was, as time came to record again (this time without those two brilliant young men who filled out what was such a promising group), Chrissie was finally pulling herself together, vowing To go on, but just “learning to crawl”…She must have felt like she and her daughter were both just waking up to a new life…
I can't believe no one's commented on this song, it's beautiful!
So pretty and lovely to listen to, especially if you're missing someone (if it's near Christmas time, even better of course!)
Works great around X-Mas, and has a great chorus. Reminds me of the winter and the Philadelphia Flyers, of course, during the cold months of their season.
Dead on with that Flyersfan. Growing up in Philly...that's what I think of as well. It's snowing tonight and this song is perfect. Maybe the Flyers will pull out a win too...
Probably the best modern Christmas song imo.
@Rickvee great song. If I was picking THE best modern Xmas song, I'd have to go with Fairytale of New York, but 2,000 Miles is definitely in the discussion.
@Rickvee What’s “modern”, when there’s Christmas songs probably a millennium old or more? <br /> <br /> I absolutely LOVE 2000 Miles, but I’d maybe go with another song Chrissie covered, the Judy Garland-original Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, as the “best” “modern” (1944) Carol, but to each his own…
It is about James and doesn't it make you wonder just what they would have produced together if he had lived? A tragedy.
@delia17601 yes, The Pretenders’ original lineup was headed for greater things I believe, they’d made the first lp, one of the best debut lps since the dawn of rock n roll/advent of the long-player, and they’d experienced a bit of a “sophomore slump” insofar as the second album wasn’t as good as the first (though it must be said, some of the very best SONGS the Pretenders recorded were done around this time, Message Of Love and Talk Of The Town spring immediately to mind)…\r\n\r\nSo, the band was kinda poised to explode into superstardom when the tragedies struck, as evidenced by how LearningTo Crawl became their biggest lp, Chrissie really stepped up with insanely good songs.\r\n\r\nWould’ve been great if they’d all done the third lp together, I can only imagine how great the Pretenders’ third lp would’ve and could’ve and should’ve been… HOWEVER, as in life, we don’t get what we project will happen, or wish for, what happens is…what happens…and life is what it is, and Learning To Crawl is still a brilliant album, not far off the quality and attitude of the first album. Just very different… and Chrissie is a true artiste…
The lyrics and Chrissie Hynde's voice makes me feel so emotional. god, it's so touching when you're missing someone you love. I listen to this song during Christmas time as well.
its about santa right
It's funny how everybody thinks this is such a cute song, but it's actually about a promiscuous woman (not that ain't cute to me). What other explanation for the two ways of addressing - the second and third person alternately - one for the husband who is away, and one for the lover who is near.
@Aelumag It's about someone who died, actually. First part of the song is she hopes he'll come back at Christmas, last verse it's Christmas time and he still isn't there. Not sure what you mean about pronouns.
@Aelumag It is about James Honeyman Scott who died of a drug overdose during the early years of the band's success.