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."
Wake alone in the hills
With the wind in your face
It feels good to be proud
And be free and a race that is part of a clan
To live on highlands
With the air that you breathe
So pure and so clean
When alone on the hills
With the wind in your hair
With a longing to feel
Just to be free
Is it right to believe
In the need to be free
It's a time when you die
And without asking why
Can't you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
It's a time wrought with fear
It's a land wrought with change
Ancestors could hear what is happening now
They would turn in their graves
They would all be ashamed
That the land of the free has written in chains
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
And I swear to defend
I will fight to the end
And I swear that I'll never be taken alive
And I know that we'll stand
We'll fight for a land
And I swear that my bairns
Will be born free
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what I want
I am the clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Is it right to believe
In the need to be free
It's a time when you die
And without asking why
Can't you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
With the wind in your face
It feels good to be proud
And be free and a race that is part of a clan
To live on highlands
With the air that you breathe
So pure and so clean
When alone on the hills
With the wind in your hair
With a longing to feel
Just to be free
Is it right to believe
In the need to be free
It's a time when you die
And without asking why
Can't you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
It's a time wrought with fear
It's a land wrought with change
Ancestors could hear what is happening now
They would turn in their graves
They would all be ashamed
That the land of the free has written in chains
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
And I swear to defend
I will fight to the end
And I swear that I'll never be taken alive
And I know that we'll stand
We'll fight for a land
And I swear that my bairns
Will be born free
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what I want
I am the clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
No, no we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
No we can't let them take anymore
We're the land of the free
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Is it right to believe
In the need to be free
It's a time when you die
And without asking why
Can't you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I'll take what is mine
I am the clansman
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if you guys like this song you must listen to the clairvoyant such as good song. this song has some really got rifts makes you feel like standing up for who you are and what you beleive. second this cant be dickinson!! this is for sure diano you can tell by the voice