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."
Here's something beautiful
Now smash it to bits
Save your little wheelchair empowerment films
Save your swoons, I'm spoken for
It isn't pretty to think so
But I can't feign interest now
Dreaming of the fistfight I never got into
Thinking of the mean shit I wish I'd said to you
Such a fancy lady, call her Secretina
She didn't get all the good stuff
But she looked like you
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
Everything you say to me is dumb
(At least it's stupid)
Twenty heavy hammers smashing down
Here's a doorstep you can never darken
You complain about an overflowing cup
Don't forget that I'm the one who filled that fucker up
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I remain as ever intrigued but no more astounded
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I think that I like you better when you just ignore me
So I sit and notice shadows growing
I think of how the clocks are slowing
Hoping hope's eternal flowing springs will do their thing and save me from myself
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I remain as ever intrigued but no more astounded
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
You want ego I will show you ego
I'm jealous now
Now smash it to bits
Save your little wheelchair empowerment films
Save your swoons, I'm spoken for
It isn't pretty to think so
But I can't feign interest now
Dreaming of the fistfight I never got into
Thinking of the mean shit I wish I'd said to you
Such a fancy lady, call her Secretina
She didn't get all the good stuff
But she looked like you
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
Everything you say to me is dumb
(At least it's stupid)
Twenty heavy hammers smashing down
Here's a doorstep you can never darken
You complain about an overflowing cup
Don't forget that I'm the one who filled that fucker up
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I remain as ever intrigued but no more astounded
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I think that I like you better when you just ignore me
So I sit and notice shadows growing
I think of how the clocks are slowing
Hoping hope's eternal flowing springs will do their thing and save me from myself
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
I remain as ever intrigued but no more astounded
Like a zero drowning in a sea of higher numbers
You want ego I will show you ego
I'm jealous now
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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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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 think it's about that sinking worthless feeling you get when you hear from an ex or something somewhere down the line. no matter how much you know they were/are an asshole, the fact that they're successful(or say they are) and are acting like they're so much better than you really starts to weigh down on you after a while, and soon enough you're the one who feels like the zero.
"you complain about an overflowing cup don't forget that i'm the one who filled that fucker up,"
this bit to me implies that he helped the person reach where they are today, and of course, that person won't ever admit that, which makes him feel even worse.
also, the whole "wheelchair empowerment film" part is basically like saying: "quit telling me how, in spite of me being in a really crappy situation, i'm great and special. admit it, i'm fucked right now."
this is one of my favorite hd songs.