In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by whoiscloud, Teampeeta254, Matilda Is Rad, SpongeBobForPresident2016, MegaManGaming, nullportal, brian
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Mountain Song
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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.
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"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."
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim I had to stop for the night
The dark highway is a journey, it starts with colitas (weed), but it leads to the shimmering light (a stronger drug), and he stops for the night (journey over).
There she stood in the doorway I heard the mission bell And I was thinking to myself 'This could be heaven or this could be Hell Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way There were voices down the corridor I thought I heard them say
=
Only one drug is referred to as "her".. And, you'd probably need a candle to use her too.. Heroin. You cook heroin in a spoon, using a candle.. hence showing him the way. Intravenous heroin is supposed to be the most intense (at the time) drug experience, showing him the way, on the highway he's started with colitas.. The voices down the corridor are previous addicts, warning him of what's to come..
Welcome to the Hotel California Such a lovely place (such a lovely place) Such a lovely face Plenty of room at the Hotel California Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
=
OK, weed back then would of been seasonal, whilst heroin is available all year round and there was plenty of it...
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
=
People are getting rich off heroin, People are enjoying heroin, People are using it to have fun, people are using it to forget pain..
So I called up the Captain 'Please bring me my wine He said, "we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine And still those voices are calling from far away Wake you up in the middle of the night Just to hear them say"
=
Basically, alcohol does nothing now, compared to heroin. And you wake up in the night wanting heroin...
Mirrors on the ceiling The pink champagne on ice And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our own device And in the master's chambers They gathered for the feast They stab it with their steely knives But they just can't kill the beast
=
Not sure about the first two lines, but "we are all just prisoners here, of our own device" definitely speaks of addiction, proper addicts, who don't care that they're addicted. The masters chambers is the place where the heroin runs free, a place a true rock band would have access too (if they choosed). The feast is all the heroin you can take, but, they're chasing the dragon.. They're stabbing it with their "steely knives" (needles) but they just can't kill the beast.. They're not getting that original high.
Last thing I remember, I was Running for the door I had to find the passage back to the place I was before 'Relax' said the night man 'We are programmed to receive You can check out any time you like But you can never leave
=
This verse is just about him trying to become sober (the place I was before), but realising he's addicted to heroin (you can never leave..)...
Yeah?
@D_Psi4or "Mirrors on the ceiling / The pink champagne on ice", with some earlier hints, may refer to the lifestyle the bosses of drug business live. Look: the woman buys a jevelery at Tiffanys, drives mercedes benz (those days AFAIK it meant even more than cadillac). She and her ilk drink champaigne (compare with the wine, which is unavailable for "ordinary" guests!), play sexual orgies (that is what mirrors on the ceiling are for), i.e. they do not do drugs themselves, just live off them.