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."
Lord, I smoke, smoke, smoke
Smoke two packs a day
Only thing it's doin' to me
Is fadin' my life away
That's why, I'm gonna do what I gotta do, oh yeah
Well, I done made up my mind
I'm gonna cut this smokin' or lose, oh yeah
Lord, I go out and have a drink
Go to the cigarette machine
I don't seem to help it
'Cause I'm addicted to the nicotine
That's why I gotta do what I gotta do, oh yeah
Well I done made up my mind
I'm gonna cut this smokin' or lose
Now I don't care what ya smoke
Now it could be cigarettes or it could be killer dope
Whatever it is now you better quit
Because it would take your life, bit by bit
Now don't hang in the streets
And run with the wrong gang
If you do your life can't be the same
You might think that's a good thing to do
But it they offer you drugs just say, "No thank you"
You might try it once
And if that's the way you feel
When you get that habit
You gotta rob and steal
So never think that is
The way to go
If they offer you drugs
Just please say "No"
I wanna tell all you children
You better shake this curse
Never use cocaine
'Cause it's just as bad or worse
That's why, you better do what you gotta do, oh yeah
Well then make up your mind
If you can touch that stuff or lose, oh yeah
Lord, you better give it up
(Give it on up)
Don't waste no time
(Give it on up)
You better listen to me now baby
(Give it on up)
'Cause you might be dyin'
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just make up your mind now
(Give it on up)
Darlin' don't use the stuff
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
That's the way to go
(Give it on up)
If they offer you drugs, darlin'
(Give it on up)
Will you please say, "No"
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
Fading:
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up, darlin', darlin'
(Give it on up)
Don't use the stuff
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Smoke two packs a day
Only thing it's doin' to me
Is fadin' my life away
That's why, I'm gonna do what I gotta do, oh yeah
Well, I done made up my mind
I'm gonna cut this smokin' or lose, oh yeah
Lord, I go out and have a drink
Go to the cigarette machine
I don't seem to help it
'Cause I'm addicted to the nicotine
That's why I gotta do what I gotta do, oh yeah
Well I done made up my mind
I'm gonna cut this smokin' or lose
Now I don't care what ya smoke
Now it could be cigarettes or it could be killer dope
Whatever it is now you better quit
Because it would take your life, bit by bit
Now don't hang in the streets
And run with the wrong gang
If you do your life can't be the same
You might think that's a good thing to do
But it they offer you drugs just say, "No thank you"
You might try it once
And if that's the way you feel
When you get that habit
You gotta rob and steal
So never think that is
The way to go
If they offer you drugs
Just please say "No"
I wanna tell all you children
You better shake this curse
Never use cocaine
'Cause it's just as bad or worse
That's why, you better do what you gotta do, oh yeah
Well then make up your mind
If you can touch that stuff or lose, oh yeah
Lord, you better give it up
(Give it on up)
Don't waste no time
(Give it on up)
You better listen to me now baby
(Give it on up)
'Cause you might be dyin'
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just make up your mind now
(Give it on up)
Darlin' don't use the stuff
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
That's the way to go
(Give it on up)
If they offer you drugs, darlin'
(Give it on up)
Will you please say, "No"
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
Fading:
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up
(Give it on up)
Better give it on up, darlin', darlin'
(Give it on up)
Don't use the stuff
(Give it on up)
Just give it on up
(Give it on up)
Lyrics submitted by Ice
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Mountain Song
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"'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/
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“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.
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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.
Somewhere Only We Know
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Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:
"We've been asked whether "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..."
With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."