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."
One, two, three four
Yoo hoo hoo, ah
Another morning has come and the sun is high
But I know that today is the day that I might cry
Because I know you're going
And I know you're leaving
To somewhere you hope to find the peace of mind you're seeking
In the back of a greyhound bus, it'll take you far
In the back of a greyhound bus you can be who you are
So I say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la La
I got love for you
I got love for you
So I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
For you, you
I remember the time back when we was home
In and out up and down in this life what a crazy road
It's been a long time that I shoulda said what I tell you now
That I got faith in you
And I believe in you
So I say
In the dark of the night in the hotel when you're alone
In the middle of the city where nobody cares to know
On the top of the town in the glimmer of the shining lights
You just shine on now
You just shine on now
And we say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la la
I got love for you
I got love for you
And we say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la la
I got love for you
I got love for you
So come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home
So come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home, come on home
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
Waiting my dear
Waiting right here
In the back of a greyhound bus, it'll take you far
In the back of a greyhound bus you can be who you are
So I say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la La
I got love for you
Love for you
And I say
La-la-la la-la-la La-la-la La-la-la La La
I got love for you
Love for you
And I say come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home
Won't you come on home (waiting right here)
Won't you come on home (waiting right here)
won't you come on home (waiting right here)
Waiting right here
Yoo hoo hoo, ah
Another morning has come and the sun is high
But I know that today is the day that I might cry
Because I know you're going
And I know you're leaving
To somewhere you hope to find the peace of mind you're seeking
In the back of a greyhound bus, it'll take you far
In the back of a greyhound bus you can be who you are
So I say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la La
I got love for you
I got love for you
So I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
For you, you
I remember the time back when we was home
In and out up and down in this life what a crazy road
It's been a long time that I shoulda said what I tell you now
That I got faith in you
And I believe in you
So I say
In the dark of the night in the hotel when you're alone
In the middle of the city where nobody cares to know
On the top of the town in the glimmer of the shining lights
You just shine on now
You just shine on now
And we say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la la
I got love for you
I got love for you
And we say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la la
I got love for you
I got love for you
So come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home
So come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home, come on home
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
I'll be waiting my dear
Waiting right here
Waiting my dear
Waiting right here
In the back of a greyhound bus, it'll take you far
In the back of a greyhound bus you can be who you are
So I say
La-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la-la-la la La
I got love for you
Love for you
And I say
La-la-la la-la-la La-la-la La-la-la La La
I got love for you
Love for you
And I say come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on
Come on, come on, won't you come on home
Won't you come on home (waiting right here)
Won't you come on home (waiting right here)
won't you come on home (waiting right here)
Waiting right here
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Against homophobia and being cool with homosexuality! Pretty straightforward but lovely michael Franti jubbly.
The only line I don't understand is "but your friends tryin' to kill a man, and I don't understand"
"but your friends tryin' to kill a man and I don't understand"
I believe that whole verse is referring to the men and women killed in hate crimes.
This song is about a much broader collection of themes than just homophobia...In fact I would say the most direct thing hes hitting on is that there's no sense in loving and worshipping a God if you don't practice a loving life in the first place.
But it's even broader than that. This song falls into his overarching philosophy which trascends (american) nationalism in search of global love and peace.