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."
My name it means nothing
My fortune is less
My future is shrouded in dark wilderness
Sunshine is far away, clouds linger on,
Everything I possess, now they are gone,
they are gone, they are gone
Oh where can I go to and what can I do?
Nothing can please me only thoughts are of you
You just laughed when I begged you to stay
I've not stopped crying since you went away,
you went away, you went away
The world is a lonely place you're on your own
Guess I will go home sit down and moan
Crying and thinking is all that I do,
Memories I have remind me of you,
of you, of you
My fortune is less
My future is shrouded in dark wilderness
Sunshine is far away, clouds linger on,
Everything I possess, now they are gone,
they are gone, they are gone
Oh where can I go to and what can I do?
Nothing can please me only thoughts are of you
You just laughed when I begged you to stay
I've not stopped crying since you went away,
you went away, you went away
The world is a lonely place you're on your own
Guess I will go home sit down and moan
Crying and thinking is all that I do,
Memories I have remind me of you,
of you, of you
Lyrics submitted by carlos_avdas
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
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I cant decide which is better, this or Planet Caravan. Meh there both as good as each other :) BS were definatly the pioneers of stoner and doom metal :)
This song reminds me so much of my ex. Its clearly about breaking up and feeling sad and lonely and all the things you go through with a relationship ending, i can relate!
to everyone who is saying bill ward sung this he DIDNT. bill ward only sung "its alright" from the technical ecstasy album this is DEFINATLY OZZY SINGING
great song too
Planet Caravan and Solitude are both great mellow songs. I do't which one I like better, but Solitude has great lyrics and bass to it.
I always listen to this song when I'm dealing with a lot of stress. It's such a sad but beautiful song. I get so angry I want to cry and this song soothes me. I think the song is about loss in general and not understanding the world and being in a state of sorrow. Wanting to figure this life out and wanting to find a place in it . but never really reaching that goal
This is brilliant. Every word works perfectly to describe the feeling of being alone, in solitude, and the misery and despair that it brings. Ozzy sings it beautifully. I love the bass Too. Does anyone know what kind of music the bass is influenced by? I've definitely heard it somewhere before, but can't put my finger on it. But I love it.
Uh, didn't Bill Ward sing this song?
Great song, Sabbaths best slow song, better than Planet Caravan, great to listen to when ur stoned off ur face
No, it's definitely Ozzy.
No thats Ozzy on vocals, oddly.