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 her mind far away from mine
She's mostly sincere most of the time
Yeah
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
With her strong desire to please
Oppression to her, is like a disease
Yeah
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
Many times when she's alone
She dreams and dreams and dreams
Dreaming of a perfect love
That never was, and would never be
With her heart placed in her hand
She will go to the end and back if she can for me
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
She's mostly sincere most of the time
Yeah
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
With her strong desire to please
Oppression to her, is like a disease
Yeah
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
Many times when she's alone
She dreams and dreams and dreams
Dreaming of a perfect love
That never was, and would never be
With her heart placed in her hand
She will go to the end and back if she can for me
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
That's the way she loves, that's the way she loves, that's the way she loves
That's the way she loves [Repeats]
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Mountain Song
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"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
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"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.