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."
Now I'm here can you see me
'cause I'm out on my own
When the room goes cold tell me
You can feel me
Cause I'm here
Here I am, can you see me
Passing through, on my way
To a place I'd been to only in my
Dreams before
In a world of delusion
Never turn your back on a friend
'cause you can count your
Real true friends on one hand
Through life
There are those that deceive you
There are those that'll let you down
Is there someone out there that would
Die for you
Thought not
Live your life with a passion
Everything you do, do well
You only get out of life what you put in
So they say
In a world of confusion
People never say what they mean
If you want a straight answer
Go look for one
Right now
In a room full of strangers
Do you stand with your back to the wall
Do you sometimes feel like you're
On the outside
Looking in?
You can make your own luck
You create your destiny
I believe you have the power
If you want to
It's true
You can do what you want to
If you try a little bit harder
A little bit of faith goes a long way
It does
Are we here for a reason?
I'd like to know just what you think
It would be nice to know what
Happens when we die
Wouldn't it?
There are some who are wise
There are some who are born naive
I believe that there are some that must
Have lived before
Don't you?
As for me, well I'm thinking
You gotta keep an open mind
But I hope that my life's not an
Open and shut case
Extrasensory Perception
Life after death, telepathy
Can the soul live on and travel through
Space and time?
You know I feel so elated
'cause I'm about to find it out
And when I know all the answers
Maybe then I'll come back
To fill you in
You don't be alarmed now
If I try to contact you
If things go missing or get moved around
It's me
And don't disbelieve it
No matter what your "friends"
Might say
We'll meet up again someplace
Some way
One day
'cause I'm out on my own
When the room goes cold tell me
You can feel me
Cause I'm here
Here I am, can you see me
Passing through, on my way
To a place I'd been to only in my
Dreams before
In a world of delusion
Never turn your back on a friend
'cause you can count your
Real true friends on one hand
Through life
There are those that deceive you
There are those that'll let you down
Is there someone out there that would
Die for you
Thought not
Live your life with a passion
Everything you do, do well
You only get out of life what you put in
So they say
In a world of confusion
People never say what they mean
If you want a straight answer
Go look for one
Right now
In a room full of strangers
Do you stand with your back to the wall
Do you sometimes feel like you're
On the outside
Looking in?
You can make your own luck
You create your destiny
I believe you have the power
If you want to
It's true
You can do what you want to
If you try a little bit harder
A little bit of faith goes a long way
It does
Are we here for a reason?
I'd like to know just what you think
It would be nice to know what
Happens when we die
Wouldn't it?
There are some who are wise
There are some who are born naive
I believe that there are some that must
Have lived before
Don't you?
As for me, well I'm thinking
You gotta keep an open mind
But I hope that my life's not an
Open and shut case
Extrasensory Perception
Life after death, telepathy
Can the soul live on and travel through
Space and time?
You know I feel so elated
'cause I'm about to find it out
And when I know all the answers
Maybe then I'll come back
To fill you in
You don't be alarmed now
If I try to contact you
If things go missing or get moved around
It's me
And don't disbelieve it
No matter what your "friends"
Might say
We'll meet up again someplace
Some way
One day
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