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."
[Intro]
Yeah, Perverted Monk representin
YouknowhatI'msayin?
[Afu-Ra]
No need for cappin this
Brave boys, I break your back with this
Practice, math this, lyrical theatrics
You'll never, ever, brave the weather, I'm too clever
Conjurin Sandstorms, I'll freeze ya, then I'll melt ya
You know I dealt the, on impact, shots hit the ceiling
These lyrics, I'm wieldin, straight echoes through the building
Enemies efforts are foreseen in the mental
I make steel wrinkle at the blink of an eye
Terminate unrighteous conscious states
Imitate the stars, while they constelate
The heart rate, of my social eloquence, makes sense
Intense, with the roughage, you couldn't budge this
mountainous, type of figure
So check it out, now you know,
when you lookin at a real nigga
[Chorus]
You know we rip it up, hit the mic like a virus
We never hide this, unique rhymes styles is righteous
Who wanna battle, which rapper thinkin they the nicest
Straight up and down, these rhyme styles is priceless
[GZA]
You eggshell niggas get cracked in half
My armed force throw a road block in your path
Beats smash, from True Mast, my shots blast
Shatter glass, crowd watch the sound sets clash
Quick fast, I let the darts off, with no doubt
Your bitch ass, you head north and break out
Snakes out, hissin, shots missin
Observe, and respect and listen
And if you get stung twice, that means he's rollin wit loaded dice
It's like gettin stabbed with ice, and watch the evidence melt
Immediately the blow is felt
Commissioner revoke the belt, the microphone
Microphone flow-er, fresh show-er
Of the rugged garments, break the bread like Noah
I'm holdin, ride the 808 rollin
Write til my hand's swollen, your no comp ya
Huh, I stomp ya, the monster
Worldwide record launcher, multiply and conquer
[Chorus 2X]
[Afu-Ra]
Nemesis, bringer of disaster
With more moves then the Tai Chi Master
Killa and I get illa, cerebral warlord
My name's Afu-Ra, step too quick, and your thought's floored
Fury portrayed, sharper than a fuckin cactus
Conquerin globes, and universes with Galactus
Tongue lashes, it rattles, never sliver
Optimus Prime, fatal bites as I deliver
Lyrically deadly, mic flow heavenly
In dwellin intelligence, choose my weaponry
Battle strategy, bishop cover angles
Knights move next, L shapes the vortex
Forces break down, now I got the nitty gritty
You think it's a stalemate, but now I'm yellin checkmate
Ultra rhymer, stop breaths like anacondas
[Chorus 2X]
Yeah, Perverted Monk representin
YouknowhatI'msayin?
[Afu-Ra]
No need for cappin this
Brave boys, I break your back with this
Practice, math this, lyrical theatrics
You'll never, ever, brave the weather, I'm too clever
Conjurin Sandstorms, I'll freeze ya, then I'll melt ya
You know I dealt the, on impact, shots hit the ceiling
These lyrics, I'm wieldin, straight echoes through the building
Enemies efforts are foreseen in the mental
I make steel wrinkle at the blink of an eye
Terminate unrighteous conscious states
Imitate the stars, while they constelate
The heart rate, of my social eloquence, makes sense
Intense, with the roughage, you couldn't budge this
mountainous, type of figure
So check it out, now you know,
when you lookin at a real nigga
[Chorus]
You know we rip it up, hit the mic like a virus
We never hide this, unique rhymes styles is righteous
Who wanna battle, which rapper thinkin they the nicest
Straight up and down, these rhyme styles is priceless
[GZA]
You eggshell niggas get cracked in half
My armed force throw a road block in your path
Beats smash, from True Mast, my shots blast
Shatter glass, crowd watch the sound sets clash
Quick fast, I let the darts off, with no doubt
Your bitch ass, you head north and break out
Snakes out, hissin, shots missin
Observe, and respect and listen
And if you get stung twice, that means he's rollin wit loaded dice
It's like gettin stabbed with ice, and watch the evidence melt
Immediately the blow is felt
Commissioner revoke the belt, the microphone
Microphone flow-er, fresh show-er
Of the rugged garments, break the bread like Noah
I'm holdin, ride the 808 rollin
Write til my hand's swollen, your no comp ya
Huh, I stomp ya, the monster
Worldwide record launcher, multiply and conquer
[Chorus 2X]
[Afu-Ra]
Nemesis, bringer of disaster
With more moves then the Tai Chi Master
Killa and I get illa, cerebral warlord
My name's Afu-Ra, step too quick, and your thought's floored
Fury portrayed, sharper than a fuckin cactus
Conquerin globes, and universes with Galactus
Tongue lashes, it rattles, never sliver
Optimus Prime, fatal bites as I deliver
Lyrically deadly, mic flow heavenly
In dwellin intelligence, choose my weaponry
Battle strategy, bishop cover angles
Knights move next, L shapes the vortex
Forces break down, now I got the nitty gritty
You think it's a stalemate, but now I'm yellin checkmate
Ultra rhymer, stop breaths like anacondas
[Chorus 2X]
Lyrics submitted by Ice
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