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."
With a little love and some tenderness
We'll walk upon the water
We'll rise above the mess
With a little peace and some harmony
We'll take the world together
We'll take them by the hand
'Cause I've got a hand for you, oh
'Cause I wanna run with you
Yesterday, I saw you standing there
Your head was down, your eyes were red
No comb had touched your hair
I said, get up, and let me see you smile
We'll take a walk together
Walk the road awhile, 'cause
'Cause I've got a hand for you
I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you
Won't you let me run with you, yeah
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to a place
Where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
See I was wasted, and I was wasting time
'Til I thought about your problems
I thought about your crimes
Then I stood up, and then I screamed aloud
I don't wanna be part of your problems
Don't wanna be part of your crowd, no
'Cause I've got a hand for you
I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you
Won't you let me run with you
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can't change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can, yeah
Let me walk, oh won't you let me, let me
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to a place where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I oh no, no, no, no, no
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can't change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
Oh, best that I can
We'll walk upon the water
We'll rise above the mess
With a little peace and some harmony
We'll take the world together
We'll take them by the hand
'Cause I've got a hand for you, oh
'Cause I wanna run with you
Yesterday, I saw you standing there
Your head was down, your eyes were red
No comb had touched your hair
I said, get up, and let me see you smile
We'll take a walk together
Walk the road awhile, 'cause
'Cause I've got a hand for you
I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you
Won't you let me run with you, yeah
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to a place
Where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
See I was wasted, and I was wasting time
'Til I thought about your problems
I thought about your crimes
Then I stood up, and then I screamed aloud
I don't wanna be part of your problems
Don't wanna be part of your crowd, no
'Cause I've got a hand for you
I've got a hand for you
'Cause I wanna run with you
Won't you let me run with you
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can't change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can, yeah
Let me walk, oh won't you let me, let me
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to a place where you can be
(Hold my hand)
Anything you wanna be because
I oh no, no, no, no, no
(Hold my hand)
Want you to hold my hand
(Hold my hand)
I'll take you to the promised land
(Hold my hand)
Maybe we can't change the world but
I wanna love you the best that
The best that I can
Oh, best that I can
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that dude has never heard of hootie? ok dude, if you were born before 95, you've heard of hootie. maybe you didn't know who they were, but yeah, you have. Cracked Rear View, their debut CD sold 16 Million copies in the FIRST year!