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."
Death valley queen where have you been
Since they crowned you in glory
Filled your head with dreams
But it still goes to show in every desert
There's a rose that's bloomin' for all to be seen
I remember you well from that town
You did dwell with the face of an angel
In a dump hot as hell
When I asked for a kiss
You kindly dismissed
So I lead my poor heart to the slaughter
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain
Off I did set, on my trail of regret
Where I thought of you now in your castle and crown
So I found me a whore with a face just like yours
After several gallons of porter
When I awoke, she had scarpered I was broke
Laying cold in the bed with a whale for a head
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain
Then the ball dropped why everything fell by the way
As your teardrops were fallin' I forgot to say
That I have always loved you
Yeah, I have always loved you
Yeah, yeah I, I have always loved you
When I returned downtrodden and burned
There were billy goats grazing
Where once you'd be found
So I hung out to dry On this limb for a lie
Take me back for I'm cursed on the mainland
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
And a rovin I'll end up for certain
I said, death valley queen go marry your king
And a rovin I'll end up for certain
Since they crowned you in glory
Filled your head with dreams
But it still goes to show in every desert
There's a rose that's bloomin' for all to be seen
I remember you well from that town
You did dwell with the face of an angel
In a dump hot as hell
When I asked for a kiss
You kindly dismissed
So I lead my poor heart to the slaughter
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain
Off I did set, on my trail of regret
Where I thought of you now in your castle and crown
So I found me a whore with a face just like yours
After several gallons of porter
When I awoke, she had scarpered I was broke
Laying cold in the bed with a whale for a head
So death valley queen go marry your king
Or an old maid you'll end up for certain
Then the ball dropped why everything fell by the way
As your teardrops were fallin' I forgot to say
That I have always loved you
Yeah, I have always loved you
Yeah, yeah I, I have always loved you
When I returned downtrodden and burned
There were billy goats grazing
Where once you'd be found
So I hung out to dry On this limb for a lie
Take me back for I'm cursed on the mainland
Tell me dear what did you fear
I'd do you no wrong though no stranger to sin
So death valley queen go marry your king
And a rovin I'll end up for certain
I said, death valley queen go marry your king
And a rovin I'll end up for certain
Lyrics submitted by TheTruEmoKid, edited by LadyWhisky
Death Valley Queen Lyrics as written by David R King Bridget A Regan
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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.
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.
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.
I love this song so much. It's the best on Drunken Lullabies, just because Cruel Mistress leads into this so well. This has one of the best violin solos of their songs, I'm thinkin.