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."
If you can play on the fiddle
How's about a British jig and reel?
Speaking King's English in quotation
As railhead towns feel the steel mills rust
Water froze
In the generation
Clear as winter ice
This is your paradise
There ain't no need for ya
There ain't no need for ya
Go straight to hell, boys, go straight to hell, boys
Wanna join in a chorus
Of the Amerasian blues?
When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City
Kiddie say papa papa papa papa pappa-san, take me home
See me got
Photo photo photograph of you and mamma mamma mamma-san
Of you and mamma mamma mamma-san
Let me tell you 'bout your blood, bamboo kid
It ain't Coca-Cola, it's rice
Straight to hell
Go straight to hell boys
Go straight to hell
Go straight to hell boys
Oh Papa-san
Please take me home
Oh Papa-san
Everybody, they wanna go home
So Mamma-san says
You want to play mind-crazed banjo
On the druggy-drag ragtime U.S.A.?
In Parkland International
Ha, junkie-dom U.S.A
Where pro-caine proves the purest rock man groove
And rat poison
The volatile Molotov says
Straight to hell
Can you really cough it up loud and strong?
The immigrants, they wanna sing all night long
It could be anywhere
Most likely could be any frontier any hemisphere
In no-man's-land
There ain't no asylum here
King Solomon he never lived 'round here
Straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Oh, papa-san, please take me home
How's about a British jig and reel?
Speaking King's English in quotation
As railhead towns feel the steel mills rust
Water froze
In the generation
Clear as winter ice
This is your paradise
There ain't no need for ya
There ain't no need for ya
Go straight to hell, boys, go straight to hell, boys
Wanna join in a chorus
Of the Amerasian blues?
When it's Christmas out in Ho Chi Minh City
Kiddie say papa papa papa papa pappa-san, take me home
See me got
Photo photo photograph of you and mamma mamma mamma-san
Of you and mamma mamma mamma-san
Let me tell you 'bout your blood, bamboo kid
It ain't Coca-Cola, it's rice
Straight to hell
Go straight to hell boys
Go straight to hell
Go straight to hell boys
Oh Papa-san
Please take me home
Oh Papa-san
Everybody, they wanna go home
So Mamma-san says
You want to play mind-crazed banjo
On the druggy-drag ragtime U.S.A.?
In Parkland International
Ha, junkie-dom U.S.A
Where pro-caine proves the purest rock man groove
And rat poison
The volatile Molotov says
Straight to hell
Can you really cough it up loud and strong?
The immigrants, they wanna sing all night long
It could be anywhere
Most likely could be any frontier any hemisphere
In no-man's-land
There ain't no asylum here
King Solomon he never lived 'round here
Straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Go straight to hell, boys
Oh, papa-san, please take me home
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My parents are saved in my phone as mama-san and papa-san cause of this song.
@pittsburghgirl92 tsk tsk (if you’re not Asian, that is. I kid...)