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."
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
I think the time has come
For me to have some fun
I'm 'bout to peel back the top and go on and let in the sun
What the fuck I done done? My mama's only son
I went from slangin' and bangin' to yellin' number one
I love my fans to death
Until my last breath
That's why when I perform I give until there's nothing left
No competition, my opposition gon' feel the pain
More complications, relationships ain't gonna be the same
Do they want the fame?
And all that it can bring? (Huh?)
If they attracted to Nelly then who like Cornell Haynes
I'm poppin' collars from California to D.C
I'm in the VIP, Louis bottles and Hennessey
I'm putting mileage on 20-inches and 23's
I'm flippin' out my keys, I'm flippin' down the screens
I'm 'bout to spread my wings
Tryna fulfill my dreams
With anything that I want, if I don't I got the means
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You think you know me but you really don't know
Me, if I could
Walk through the club like everything be fo' sho'
And I'll get
One little girl, two little girls tryna get me to dance
I'll get, three little girls, four little girls
Pullin' on my pants, damn
It feels good when err'thing is okay
And it's a beautiful site when err'thing goes your way
And I could park in the mountains and I'll still get valet
Hop out in a Vokal valour and my suede Bally's (woo)
I'm feeling good, it's only right, I deserve
To spread the love through all my peeps, it's only right that I splurge
And any nigga trippin' now, I leave him right by the curb
And I don't go to sleep mama so good night ain't the word
I'm on a mission and it's sorta like a mystery
And I ain't stopping 'til I go down in history, now
Whoever sent you knows, you dealing with a pimp, fo' sho'
The N-E double L-Y follow now, now here we go
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You read the magazines, and heard I made a scene
Believe it or not, I swear I'm just a human being
I'm doing human things, 'cause only humans change
They label me a role model 'cause I appeal to teens
It really ain't this strange, now that I think about it
I came up in the game, changed everything about it
I'm feelin' better than ever without that lotto shit
I wake up early hit Cuda, like lets go buy some shit
You dress the hottest fits, drivin' the hottest whips
We've got the baddest chicks (you know)
We with the whitest kicks
Donating money to family's caught in Bin Laden's shit
They screaming war, I'm like fuck it, go buy a battleship and
Bring it up that Mississippi
If you really wanna come and get me
Tell them niggas that a-, don't tempt me
'Cause I'll squeeze them shits til' empty
Throw shots at niggas like Frisbee
Who the juice? How the hell you gon' pimp me?
You niggas must be kidding me
Make an innocent nigga plead guilty
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
I think the time has come
For me to have some fun
I'm 'bout to peel back the top and go on and let in the sun
What the fuck I done done? My mama's only son
I went from slangin' and bangin' to yellin' number one
I love my fans to death
Until my last breath
That's why when I perform I give until there's nothing left
No competition, my opposition gon' feel the pain
More complications, relationships ain't gonna be the same
Do they want the fame?
And all that it can bring? (Huh?)
If they attracted to Nelly then who like Cornell Haynes
I'm poppin' collars from California to D.C
I'm in the VIP, Louis bottles and Hennessey
I'm putting mileage on 20-inches and 23's
I'm flippin' out my keys, I'm flippin' down the screens
I'm 'bout to spread my wings
Tryna fulfill my dreams
With anything that I want, if I don't I got the means
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You think you know me but you really don't know
Me, if I could
Walk through the club like everything be fo' sho'
And I'll get
One little girl, two little girls tryna get me to dance
I'll get, three little girls, four little girls
Pullin' on my pants, damn
It feels good when err'thing is okay
And it's a beautiful site when err'thing goes your way
And I could park in the mountains and I'll still get valet
Hop out in a Vokal valour and my suede Bally's (woo)
I'm feeling good, it's only right, I deserve
To spread the love through all my peeps, it's only right that I splurge
And any nigga trippin' now, I leave him right by the curb
And I don't go to sleep mama so good night ain't the word
I'm on a mission and it's sorta like a mystery
And I ain't stopping 'til I go down in history, now
Whoever sent you knows, you dealing with a pimp, fo' sho'
The N-E double L-Y follow now, now here we go
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You read the magazines, and heard I made a scene
Believe it or not, I swear I'm just a human being
I'm doing human things, 'cause only humans change
They label me a role model 'cause I appeal to teens
It really ain't this strange, now that I think about it
I came up in the game, changed everything about it
I'm feelin' better than ever without that lotto shit
I wake up early hit Cuda, like lets go buy some shit
You dress the hottest fits, drivin' the hottest whips
We've got the baddest chicks (you know)
We with the whitest kicks
Donating money to family's caught in Bin Laden's shit
They screaming war, I'm like fuck it, go buy a battleship and
Bring it up that Mississippi
If you really wanna come and get me
Tell them niggas that a-, don't tempt me
'Cause I'll squeeze them shits til' empty
Throw shots at niggas like Frisbee
Who the juice? How the hell you gon' pimp me?
You niggas must be kidding me
Make an innocent nigga plead guilty
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the magazines and
Me on your TV screens and
You think you know me but you really don't (you don't even know)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
You see the money and the
The cars and diamonds and you
You think it make me but it really don't (it really, really don't)
But I, I'm feelin' good about myself
So I, I splurge a lil' hell
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I LOVE THIS SONG!- nelly is the greatest rapper!!
this is one of my faves from nellyville....nellyville is an awesome cd by the way