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."
TRAPPED INSIDE
CAN'T SEE NO LIGHT
GAVE INTO YOU
WITHOUT A FIGHT
PATIENCE HAS RUN THIN
FEELINGS HAVE RUN COLD
SOMETHING INSIDE
JUST WONT LET GO
FUCK THIS TWISTED GAME
WHERE INNOCENCE IS TURNED TO SHAME
THE VINES OF MY LUST GROW
INTO THIS VILE WORLD I MUST GO
SICKNESS HAS TORN INTO ME
BUT STILL I STAY
LOOK AT THE WASTE-FILLED THOUGHTS OF US
LOOK AS MY WOUNDS LEAK WITH PUS
I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING
BUT YOU STILL TURNED AWAY
WHY DID YOU GO ASTRAY
KNOWING I WOULD STAY
FUCK THIS WICKED GAME
WHERE MY PRIDE WAS TURNED TO SHAME
THE VINES OF YOUR LUST SHOWN
RAPPED THE ONLY THE ONLY LOVE I?VE KNOWN
BETRAYAL IS THE LIFE I SEE
BUT STILL I STAY
SHATTERED AND SCORNED
MY HEART LIES BLEEDING
WITH ONLY VISIONS OF LOVE . . .YOU WERE FEEDING
WHERE AM I TO GO
THESE SCARS WILL ALWAYS SHOW
DEATH WILL WEAVE ITS WAY TO YOU
UNTIL THEN I MUST GO
FUCK THIS MORTAL GAME
I WILL FEEL NO MORE PAIN
THE VINES OF YOU I SHED
SPIT OUT THE DUNNEST LIES YOU FED
INTO A NEW WORLD I GROW
SO I MUST GO
SEE THIS AGONY
SEE YOUR TRAGEDY
WATCHED MY HEART BREECHED WITH GORE
COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE
SO TAKE MY BADGED EMOTIONS
SHRED THEM UP IN EXPEDITION
FOR I AM ALREADY GONE
YOU CANT FUCK WITH ME
A NEW LIFE I WILL BREED
I'VE FORGOTTEN ALL I'VE KNOWN
THIS WIDE WORLD I WILL ROAM
MEMORIES OF YOU ARE GONE
CAN'T SEE NO LIGHT
GAVE INTO YOU
WITHOUT A FIGHT
PATIENCE HAS RUN THIN
FEELINGS HAVE RUN COLD
SOMETHING INSIDE
JUST WONT LET GO
FUCK THIS TWISTED GAME
WHERE INNOCENCE IS TURNED TO SHAME
THE VINES OF MY LUST GROW
INTO THIS VILE WORLD I MUST GO
SICKNESS HAS TORN INTO ME
BUT STILL I STAY
LOOK AT THE WASTE-FILLED THOUGHTS OF US
LOOK AS MY WOUNDS LEAK WITH PUS
I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING
BUT YOU STILL TURNED AWAY
WHY DID YOU GO ASTRAY
KNOWING I WOULD STAY
FUCK THIS WICKED GAME
WHERE MY PRIDE WAS TURNED TO SHAME
THE VINES OF YOUR LUST SHOWN
RAPPED THE ONLY THE ONLY LOVE I?VE KNOWN
BETRAYAL IS THE LIFE I SEE
BUT STILL I STAY
SHATTERED AND SCORNED
MY HEART LIES BLEEDING
WITH ONLY VISIONS OF LOVE . . .YOU WERE FEEDING
WHERE AM I TO GO
THESE SCARS WILL ALWAYS SHOW
DEATH WILL WEAVE ITS WAY TO YOU
UNTIL THEN I MUST GO
FUCK THIS MORTAL GAME
I WILL FEEL NO MORE PAIN
THE VINES OF YOU I SHED
SPIT OUT THE DUNNEST LIES YOU FED
INTO A NEW WORLD I GROW
SO I MUST GO
SEE THIS AGONY
SEE YOUR TRAGEDY
WATCHED MY HEART BREECHED WITH GORE
COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE
SO TAKE MY BADGED EMOTIONS
SHRED THEM UP IN EXPEDITION
FOR I AM ALREADY GONE
YOU CANT FUCK WITH ME
A NEW LIFE I WILL BREED
I'VE FORGOTTEN ALL I'VE KNOWN
THIS WIDE WORLD I WILL ROAM
MEMORIES OF YOU ARE GONE
Lyrics submitted by little_red_blur
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Gentle Hour
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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.
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.

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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.

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I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.