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."
From the night comes a roar of thunder
Beholding light on the spell you're under
And the signs of death descend your way
Fighting back from the devil's hunger
Freeing souls from their chosen number
And the sword of right will guide your way
And thus you'll find that only demons fill your mind until you wake
But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today
Burning dreams cause your mind to wonder
Iron crosses are the calling numbers
And the fight for the answer still remains old
But the night will reflect the hunger
And the blackness will pull you under
Still the sword of right will guide your way
And in the night you'll hear the voices calling down and they will stay
But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today.
Beholding light on the spell you're under
And the signs of death descend your way
Fighting back from the devil's hunger
Freeing souls from their chosen number
And the sword of right will guide your way
And thus you'll find that only demons fill your mind until you wake
But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today
Burning dreams cause your mind to wonder
Iron crosses are the calling numbers
And the fight for the answer still remains old
But the night will reflect the hunger
And the blackness will pull you under
Still the sword of right will guide your way
And in the night you'll hear the voices calling down and they will stay
But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today.
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Indigo
Of Mice & Men
Of Mice & Men
This track is about is about questioning why the sky would choose to be blue if it had the choice to be anything else, “blue also meaning sad,” states frontman Aaron Pauley. “It's about comforting a loved one in a time of loss by telling them you feel blue, too.”
If we go by the idea that the whole album is a concept album (which the video for Queen of the Reich hints to), then this song is about an average citizen in this new world. The beginning of the song describes their fear and uncertainty about tomorrow ("From the night comes a roar of thunder" -> a reference to the Nightrider?) "And the signs of death descend your way Fighting back from the devil's hunger Freeing souls from their chosen number" -> to me, this shows the powerlessness of the people, who have no choice but to be the subject of the Queen's wrath. Death, hunger and murder (probably by the Queen's forces) are all too common.
As the song goes on, this average citizen changes ("But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today"). He was a submissive subject of the Queen, but he cannot take this anymore and he decides to fight back ("Burning dreams cause your mind to wonder", "Still the sword of right will guide your way"). It won't be an easy task ("But the night will reflect the hunger And the blackness will pull you under") but it is a fight that must be fought.
I also find a link to the Lady Wore Black, which I think is about the Queen's demise and her cruel future that the rebels forced down on her. The last line, "But only time will tell the answer you've been blinded from today", which is in fact in the chorus, could be a reference to this: in their fight, the rebels forgot what it is they were trying to accomplish and instead devolved into a mindless mob - which is all too common when a resistance movement lasts too long - and became no better than the Queen. Thus, the chorus has a different meaning each time despite being the very same!