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."
Eight o'clock, Monday night and I'm waitin'
To finally talk to a girl a little cooler than me
Her name is Nona, she's a rocker with a nose ring
She wears a two way, but I'm not quite sure what that means
And when she walks
All the wind blows and the angels sing
But she doesn't notice me
'Cause she is watchin' wrestling
Creamin' over tough guys
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in her eyes
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
She likes the Godsmack and I like Agent Orange
Her CD changer's full of singers that are mad at their dad
She said she'd like to score some reefer and a forty
She'll never know that I'm the best that she'll never have
And when she walks
All the wind blows and the angels sing
She'll never notice me
'Cause she is watchin' wrestling
Creamin' over tough guys
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in her eyes
She likes 'em with a mustache
Racetrack season pass
Drivin' in a Trans-Am
Does a mullet make a man?
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
There she goes again
With fishnets on and dreadlocks in her hair
She broke my heart, I want to be sedated
All I wanted was to see her naked
Now I am watchin' wrestling
Tryin' to be a tough guy
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in my eyes
I can't grow a mustache
And I ain't got no season pass
All I got's a moped, moped, moped
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
To finally talk to a girl a little cooler than me
Her name is Nona, she's a rocker with a nose ring
She wears a two way, but I'm not quite sure what that means
And when she walks
All the wind blows and the angels sing
But she doesn't notice me
'Cause she is watchin' wrestling
Creamin' over tough guys
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in her eyes
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
She likes the Godsmack and I like Agent Orange
Her CD changer's full of singers that are mad at their dad
She said she'd like to score some reefer and a forty
She'll never know that I'm the best that she'll never have
And when she walks
All the wind blows and the angels sing
She'll never notice me
'Cause she is watchin' wrestling
Creamin' over tough guys
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in her eyes
She likes 'em with a mustache
Racetrack season pass
Drivin' in a Trans-Am
Does a mullet make a man?
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
There she goes again
With fishnets on and dreadlocks in her hair
She broke my heart, I want to be sedated
All I wanted was to see her naked
Now I am watchin' wrestling
Tryin' to be a tough guy
Listenin' to rap metal
Turntables in my eyes
I can't grow a mustache
And I ain't got no season pass
All I got's a moped, moped, moped
It's like a bad movie
She is lookin' through me
If you were me, then you'd be
Screamin', "Someone shoot me"
As I fail miserably
Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
'Cause she's the girl all the bad guys want
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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,
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/
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This band is entirely pop, you can get rid of that punk part (if you actually like REAL punk music, listen to the Misfits, Joy Division, the Exploited or something). I laughed so hard when I I hear this "Girl all the bad guys want" listens to Godsmack. Those guys can't write for shit. (I'm sorry, but they can't) This song is all about lust, and material posession. Just think about it for a second. Does BFS have anything worthwhile to say, or is all their music just pointless pre-teen poppy rambling?
@bella___muerte This is way late so you'll probably never see this, but...you are a tool. Punk is about nonconformity. Punk started with the Ramones, Blondie, the Talking Heads, the Sex Pistols, the Clash. There was also Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. There was Bjork. Punk meant non-conformity. Punk meant that if you say you are punk, you are. If you think you have to fit into a mold, you are not punk. Blink 182, BFS, these are just as much punk as the Misfits and your other choices. They did something different. Did they have something worthwhile to say? Yes, absolutely. You've never listened to them, obviously. Because they didn't fit into your preconceived idea of what punk should be. I'm an old guy who's seen so many bands come and go, I can't even count them all. You need to open your mind and your ears and see what else there is out there.
@bella___muerte I'll admit, Bowling for Soup was like the first ever band I got into and liked them for years and years and I've always classed them as Pop/Punk along with Good Charlotte, SR-71, +44, Faber Drive, Lit, Simple Plan, MxPx, Green Day (slightly Punk in some songs) ect. Personally, I see all these bands here as Pop/Punk and I'm a huge Pop/Punk fan also. Just look at how many albums Bowling for Soup have out currently. There's a lot and probably still more to come!