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."
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
System
Mel And Kim
Mel And Kim
Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.
proof that the pumpkins rock lyrically and instrumentally.
Only this song doesn't have lyrics...
I think that's what starlightfading is saying.. that they can "rock" instrumentally as well, not simply lyrically, an area in which they apparently also rock. Because this has no words, it's not riding on lyrics, just the music.<br /> <br /> Or whatever, you know.
Trivia, this song is played on guitar at the end of "Thru The Eyes of Ruby"
The instrumental intro with the same name as its album is just simply great. First time I heard it I almost came to tears. It's beautiful...it's perfect...it's a great foreword to one of the best albums ever.
This song is so beautiful. Too bad it's so short, I could listen to it for hours.
One of the most touching instrumentals I've ever heard. It's so short... and doesn't drag on, which makes it perfect.
Sigur Ros has been compared to The Smashing Pumpkins? WTF I like Sigur Ros but they are hardly similar at all.
okay, so i know that this is pathetic, but i actually wrote lyrics to this song...let me know what you think!
melancholy and the infinite sadness oh melancholy and the infinite sadness infinite sadness now
the night has come to take me now your tears are the stars from heaven above your words are the rain to carry me on your love is so true yet i must say i cannot stay it's my time to go it's my time to g(oh)
melancholy and the infinite sadness oh melancholy and the infinite sadness infinite sadness now
the sapphires sparkle in your eyes i swear i'll never forget that night the impossible became what's right so indescribable are the moments of our lives you've saved me from all i believed but i must leave but you must believe you must recieve the light within me the love within me the night sets you free
melancholy and the infinite sadness oh melancoly and the infinite sadness infinite sadness
and now it's time to sa goodbye i love you please don't forget those nights my... my love i can't... i can't go on
(remember you're the one i miss) - spoken @ the very end
Definitely better than the crap that mainstream music calls "lyrics", that's for sure.
Amazing instrumental, but Infinite Sadness is even better. It was the closing track on the vinyl version of Mellon Collie (there are two extra tracks on the 3 LP vinyl album, the other one is Tonite Reprise). It's amazing and should never have been left off the cd. I love this one too, though.
If you love this song, you should really try listening to some Sigur Ros some time. Try Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun to get you started. They've been compared to Smashing Pumpkins, and they create the most beautiful music I've ever heard =)
I don't see the comparison either, lol.