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."
Long before morning without a warning
Annie came calling to little Louisa
Wearing the moonlight but wanting the sunlight
She stood at her bedside and poured out her heart
"Get up and tell mama all that I said
Because I can't move ahead unless I can get a white dress"
Charlotte O'Grady, a dear hearted lady
She seemed nearly eighty years coming and going
One night while she's dreaming
Her mother comes pleading
"Charlotte, I'm needing your help to move on
Now, don't wait for nothing, the moment is today
Take up my name and see that I get a white dress"
Mothers and daughters are shedding a tear
Heaven's rejoicing as Jesus draws near
And it's like this
They're getting their white dress
In Wichita, Kansas, Neddie and Frances
Bow over breakfast to start out the day
When the voice of the spirit pays them a visit
Says, "it's time to get with it, there's family to save
Your fathers and mothers are biding their time
They're waiting for you to help them get dressed up in white"
Neddie and Frances are filled with desire
They're searching through records and feeling the fire
And after each day's acquired
It's up to god's mountain where white is applied
And he in his robe and she in her gown
They're doing their best to turn it around
And they won't rest until all are in white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Before the lord's coming, Elijah's been stirring
And fathers are turning to you and to me
Annie came calling to little Louisa
Wearing the moonlight but wanting the sunlight
She stood at her bedside and poured out her heart
"Get up and tell mama all that I said
Because I can't move ahead unless I can get a white dress"
Charlotte O'Grady, a dear hearted lady
She seemed nearly eighty years coming and going
One night while she's dreaming
Her mother comes pleading
"Charlotte, I'm needing your help to move on
Now, don't wait for nothing, the moment is today
Take up my name and see that I get a white dress"
Mothers and daughters are shedding a tear
Heaven's rejoicing as Jesus draws near
And it's like this
They're getting their white dress
In Wichita, Kansas, Neddie and Frances
Bow over breakfast to start out the day
When the voice of the spirit pays them a visit
Says, "it's time to get with it, there's family to save
Your fathers and mothers are biding their time
They're waiting for you to help them get dressed up in white"
Neddie and Frances are filled with desire
They're searching through records and feeling the fire
And after each day's acquired
It's up to god's mountain where white is applied
And he in his robe and she in her gown
They're doing their best to turn it around
And they won't rest until all are in white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Walking with Jesus in white, wearing their white dress
Before the lord's coming, Elijah's been stirring
And fathers are turning to you and to me
Lyrics submitted by BtownMeggy
White Dress Lyrics as written by David Eric Swarbrick
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I love this song and I am really glad to see both the lyrics and your explanation of the song. I am a Family History Director and I have the song on my ipad. I was hoping that I would be able to find the lyrics. I hope to use the lyrics in a Sacrament meeting talk with your permission. I would like to inspire the members to come to the Family History Library and work on their Family History. The song relays the Spirit so strongly and the urgency for us to take our ancestors to receive their White Dress.