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."
Come on in through my screen door
Tell me all your cares
I'm here to lend my ears
Where you been lately
Haven't seen much around here, Oh no
Been hiding out in the shade
Your skins all gone to gray
Did you eat today?
When you coming home to stay?
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
If you could see what I see
You'd see a boy who can't face things
Silent is all he is
You been looking around without your vision
Hearing things without listening
Suffering but feeling no real kind of pain
You know I'd like to help but
When I let you ride for free
You drag me into the cheap cheap scene
(Cheap cheap scene yeah)
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
You got this thing against
Living with the best
But you sure like to visit me don't you
When the streets get too cold
When you're feeling weary and old
When your chances for survival
Looking oh so slim
When all of a sudden you won't live to be eighty
Maybe ninety
Maybe a hundred and ten
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
Oh I know everything ain't
Always what it seems be to
Don't you know I love you baby
Any way I find you
Anyway you come
Any way I find you
Anyway you come
Come on
(Repeat until end)
Tell me all your cares
I'm here to lend my ears
Where you been lately
Haven't seen much around here, Oh no
Been hiding out in the shade
Your skins all gone to gray
Did you eat today?
When you coming home to stay?
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
If you could see what I see
You'd see a boy who can't face things
Silent is all he is
You been looking around without your vision
Hearing things without listening
Suffering but feeling no real kind of pain
You know I'd like to help but
When I let you ride for free
You drag me into the cheap cheap scene
(Cheap cheap scene yeah)
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
You got this thing against
Living with the best
But you sure like to visit me don't you
When the streets get too cold
When you're feeling weary and old
When your chances for survival
Looking oh so slim
When all of a sudden you won't live to be eighty
Maybe ninety
Maybe a hundred and ten
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know I love you
When you're down and dirty
Don't you know I love you
When you're clean
(Repeat)
Oh I know everything ain't
Always what it seems be to
Don't you know I love you baby
Any way I find you
Anyway you come
Any way I find you
Anyway you come
Come on
(Repeat until end)
Lyrics submitted by Simplistic
Down and Dirty Lyrics as written by Shannon Mcnally
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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,
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
My friend claims this song is about loving someone for being who they are. However, I interpret "Down and Dirty" as a song about sex.