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."
Love spreads her arms
Waits there for the nails
I forgive you boy
I will prevail
Too much to take
Some cross to bear
I'm hiding in the trees with a picnic
She's over there, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
She didn't scream
She didn't make a sound
I forgive you boy
But don't leave town
Cold black skin
Naked in the rain
Hammer flash in the lightning
They're hurting her again
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
I have a dream
I've seen the light
Don't put it out, and she's alright
Yeah, she's my sister
She didn't scream
She didn't make a sound
I forgive you boy
But don't leave town
Cold black skin
Naked in the rain
Hammer flash in the lightning
They're hurting her again
Oh, oh, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
I've had a dream
I've seen the light
Don't put it out, and she's alright
Yeah, she's my sister
Waits there for the nails
I forgive you boy
I will prevail
Too much to take
Some cross to bear
I'm hiding in the trees with a picnic
She's over there, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
She didn't scream
She didn't make a sound
I forgive you boy
But don't leave town
Cold black skin
Naked in the rain
Hammer flash in the lightning
They're hurting her again
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
I have a dream
I've seen the light
Don't put it out, and she's alright
Yeah, she's my sister
She didn't scream
She didn't make a sound
I forgive you boy
But don't leave town
Cold black skin
Naked in the rain
Hammer flash in the lightning
They're hurting her again
Oh, oh, oh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
I've had a dream
I've seen the light
Don't put it out, and she's alright
Yeah, she's my sister
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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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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/
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.
It's basically the Crucifixion, but with Jesus in the form of a black woman. I posted this already under the discussion of the Roses' religious topics in general under "Breaking into Heaven". It's an excerpt from an inerview in Melody Maker from May 13, 1995.
One thing I particularly liked about Love Spreads were the lyrics "The Messiah is my sister", which sound really innocuous when you hear them on the radio but in fact you're questioning thousands of years of Christianity by saying that. It's a casually controversial thing to have in a pop song.
IAN: "I don't see it as controversial."
Tell that to the Pope!
IAN: "Well, if you read the Dead Sea scrolls, they tell you that Mary Magdalene gave Him his power."
ROBBIE: "Do you know what The Bible calls the church? 'She'. It's like what The Bible calls the earth, 'Mother Earth'."
Maybe, but it's always been written that God/Jesus was a Him. You could be on the brink of a major religious and political storm here, with people - in Italy or Ireland say - burning records in the street like they did with The Beatles!
JOHN: "The idea of the song is, 'Why couldn't Jesus have been a black woman?' It's just an attack on the white guy with a beard sittin' on a cross, cos that reinforces the patriarchal society."
Sounds like the guy is in love with a woman in an abusive relationship. He draws a parallel to the crucifixion.
The messiah died for mankind because he loves us. So that we could be saved from our sins, because the sins separate us from God.
Consider that the woman in the song is the messiah.
So the love spreads her arms because she was sacrificed for love.
this song's music and intro are amazing!
yes i agree this is the best stone roses song definately. i think mattp is very right along with zidanetribal, but one thing i dont understand is why call it 'love spreads' if its about pondering the traditional idea of jesus being a man. 'love spreads her arms, waits there for the nails' ? why is love spreading the arms of the messiah? i thought it was one of the executioner men that put the nails in jesus, hardly someone who is likely to be spreading love. any ideas anyone?
I'm pretty sure he's using the idea that the Messiah (god) simply IS Love incarnate. He wasn't particularly trying to make a controversial point of Jesus being a black woman ("I don't see it as controversial"), that was simply how he saw it. He's saying that God was/is Love. <br /> So he's not saying she is having her arms spread by love- unless he's saying that her love for humanity was spreading her arms- he's saying she IS love.
I think this song may have been written with fact in mind that Jesus wasn't a white guy.
i think that they are saying that the messiah is love.
Hardly redundant! Very, very dark lyrics that don't need to be explained
Reminds me of being 18 and playing it as loud as I could from my bedroom for the whole street to hear.
Still one of the greatest songs Ive ever heard.
According to Brown, the song was inspired by the book The Women's History of the World. The religious symbolism may be nothing more than metaphors.
@RunnyBabbit that's how it "feels" to me. Like metaphors, vs. trying to persuade anyone about a biblical truth or not.