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."
Uh, uh, uh
Hi, I'm seventeen and my name is Bobby James
Everyday in school all my classmates call me names
And so this pusher introduced me to this thing
He said it makes you forget pain but makes you sing
I got pushed at home, at school I was a wuss
Now my life is a domino that pushers push
'Cause I tried it once but I tried it again
Ran away two weeks later I seen my friend
And I said
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Man, this would be cute if this were just a dream
A lesson for you to learn except you'd learn through me
You know like in the movies when it ends with a scream
Well fuck face I got news this is real and I did things
Traveling from Virginia to Cali broke
Hitchhike and rides me in my calico
Shoplift for food when it was desire
I miss my family, miss my friends
I'm so high and so tired
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash (hey there)
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast (could you help me please?)
I'm just one hit away from being passed out (could you spare some change for the world?)
Young and assed out (for the world to see)
Hey there mister, give me some cash (hey there)
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast (could you help me please?)
I'm just one hit away from being passed out (could you spare some change for the world?)
Young and assed out (for the world to see)
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
And assed out
Young and assed out
And assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
Another not, another not
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Hi, I'm seventeen and my name is Bobby James
Everyday in school all my classmates call me names
And so this pusher introduced me to this thing
He said it makes you forget pain but makes you sing
I got pushed at home, at school I was a wuss
Now my life is a domino that pushers push
'Cause I tried it once but I tried it again
Ran away two weeks later I seen my friend
And I said
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Man, this would be cute if this were just a dream
A lesson for you to learn except you'd learn through me
You know like in the movies when it ends with a scream
Well fuck face I got news this is real and I did things
Traveling from Virginia to Cali broke
Hitchhike and rides me in my calico
Shoplift for food when it was desire
I miss my family, miss my friends
I'm so high and so tired
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash (hey there)
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast (could you help me please?)
I'm just one hit away from being passed out (could you spare some change for the world?)
Young and assed out (for the world to see)
Hey there mister, give me some cash (hey there)
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast (could you help me please?)
I'm just one hit away from being passed out (could you spare some change for the world?)
Young and assed out (for the world to see)
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
And assed out
Young and assed out
And assed out
Hey there mister, give me some cash
I'm high as hell and I'm ready to blast
I'm just one hit away from being passed out
Young and assed out
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
(Hey there)
(Could you help me please?)
(Could you spare some change for the world?)
(For the world to see)
Another not, another not
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum
Ba, ba, bum, bum, bum, bum
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Bobby James Lyrics as written by Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
This song means exactly what it says, its sad that people really do end up like this.