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."
[SHEILA]
Daddy always thought that he married beneath him.
That's what he said, that's what he said.
When he proposed he informed my mother
He was probably her very last chance.
And though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
She married him.
Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic
More like a "Come as you are."
When I was five I remember my mother
Dug earrings out of the car
I knew they weren't hers, But it wasn't
Something you'd want to discuss.
He wasn't warm.
Well, not to her.
Well, not to us
But
Everything was beautiful at the ballet.
Graceful men lift lovely girls in white.
Yes,
Everything was beautiful at ballet.
Hey!
I was happy... at the ballet.
That's why I started class...
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
[SHEILA]
It wasn't paradise...
[BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA]
But it was home.
[BEBE]
Mother always said I'd be very attractive
When I grew up, when I grew up.
"Diff'rent," she said, "With a special something
And a very, very personal flair."
And though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
I hated her.
Now,
"Diff'rent" is nice, but it sure isn't pretty.
"Pretty" is what it's about.
I never met anyone who was "diff'rent"
Who couldn't figure that out.
So beautiful I'd never lived to see.
But it was clear,
If not to her,
Well, then... to me...
That ...
[MAGGIE AND BEBE]
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
Every prince has got to have his swan.
Yes,
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
[MAGGIE]
Hey!...
[BEBE]
I was pretty...
[SHEILA]
At the ballet
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
[MAGGIE]
It wasn't paradise...
[BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA]
It wasn't paradise...
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
But it was home.
[MAGGIE (Spoken)]
I don't know what they were for or against, really,
except each other.
I mean I was born to save their marriage
but when my father came to pick my mother up
at the hospital
he said, "Well, I thought this was going to help.
but I guess it's not..."
Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life.
I used to dance around the living room
with my arms up like this
My fantasy was that I was an Indian Chief...
And he'd say to me,
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"
And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to dance!"
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
But it was clear...
[BEBE AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
When he proposed...
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
Doo-doo-doo
[MAGGIE]
That I was born to help their marriage and when
[MAGGIE AND BEBE]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
That's what he said...
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
That's what she said...
[BEBE AND SHEILA]
Doo-doo-doo
[MAGGIE]
I used to dance around the living room...
[BEBE AND SHEILA]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
He wasn't warm...
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
Not to her...
[MAGGIE]
It was an Indian chief and he'd say:
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"
And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to..."
Everything was beautiful at the ballet,
Raise your arms and someone's always there.
Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet,
At the ballet,
At the ballet!!!
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
Yes everything was beautiful at the ballet.
[MAGGIE]
HEY!...
[BEBE]
I was pretty...
[SHEILA]
I was happy...
[MAGGIE]
"I would love to..."
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
At...the...ballet.
Daddy always thought that he married beneath him.
That's what he said, that's what he said.
When he proposed he informed my mother
He was probably her very last chance.
And though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
Though she was twenty-two,
She married him.
Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic
More like a "Come as you are."
When I was five I remember my mother
Dug earrings out of the car
I knew they weren't hers, But it wasn't
Something you'd want to discuss.
He wasn't warm.
Well, not to her.
Well, not to us
But
Everything was beautiful at the ballet.
Graceful men lift lovely girls in white.
Yes,
Everything was beautiful at ballet.
Hey!
I was happy... at the ballet.
That's why I started class...
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway.
[SHEILA]
It wasn't paradise...
[BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA]
But it was home.
[BEBE]
Mother always said I'd be very attractive
When I grew up, when I grew up.
"Diff'rent," she said, "With a special something
And a very, very personal flair."
And though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
Though I was eight or nine,
I hated her.
Now,
"Diff'rent" is nice, but it sure isn't pretty.
"Pretty" is what it's about.
I never met anyone who was "diff'rent"
Who couldn't figure that out.
So beautiful I'd never lived to see.
But it was clear,
If not to her,
Well, then... to me...
That ...
[MAGGIE AND BEBE]
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
Every prince has got to have his swan.
Yes,
Everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
[MAGGIE]
Hey!...
[BEBE]
I was pretty...
[SHEILA]
At the ballet
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
To the voice like a metronome.
Up a steep and very narrow stairway
[MAGGIE]
It wasn't paradise...
[BEBE]
It wasn't paradise...
[SHEILA]
It wasn't paradise...
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
But it was home.
[MAGGIE (Spoken)]
I don't know what they were for or against, really,
except each other.
I mean I was born to save their marriage
but when my father came to pick my mother up
at the hospital
he said, "Well, I thought this was going to help.
but I guess it's not..."
Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life.
I used to dance around the living room
with my arms up like this
My fantasy was that I was an Indian Chief...
And he'd say to me,
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"
And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to dance!"
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
But it was clear...
[BEBE AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
When he proposed...
[SHEILA AND BEBE]
Doo-doo-doo
[MAGGIE]
That I was born to help their marriage and when
[MAGGIE AND BEBE]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
That's what he said...
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
That's what she said...
[BEBE AND SHEILA]
Doo-doo-doo
[MAGGIE]
I used to dance around the living room...
[BEBE AND SHEILA]
Doo-doo-doo-doo
[SHEILA]
He wasn't warm...
[SHEILA AND MAGGIE]
Doo-doo-doo
[BEBE]
Not to her...
[MAGGIE]
It was an Indian chief and he'd say:
"Maggie, do you wanna dance?"
And I'd say, "Daddy, I would love to..."
Everything was beautiful at the ballet,
Raise your arms and someone's always there.
Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet,
At the ballet,
At the ballet!!!
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
Yes everything was beautiful at the ballet.
[MAGGIE]
HEY!...
[BEBE]
I was pretty...
[SHEILA]
I was happy...
[MAGGIE]
"I would love to..."
[MAGGIE, SHEILA AND BEBE]
At...the...ballet.
Lyrics submitted by SnuffieSniffer
At The Ballet Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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the part where maggie is doing her little monologue is so wierd. when i saw the movie i laughed my ass off at that part