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."
Cornelius & Barnaby:
Yes, New York
It's really us
Barnaby and Cornelius
Mrs. Molloy & Minnie:
All the guests of Mr. Hackl are
Feelin' great and look spectacular
All:
What a knack
There is to that
Acting like a born aristocrat
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
Cornelius:
All who are
Well-bred agree
Minnie Fay
Has pedigree
Mrs. Molloy:
Exercise your wildest whims tonight
We are out with diamond Jims tonight
Minnie:
Could they be
Misleading us?
Cornelius & Barnaby:
Silver spoons were used for feeding us
All:
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
[dance interlude]
All:
Middle class
Don't speak of it
Savoir Faire
We reek of it
Some were born with rags and patches but
We use dollar bills for matches and
Minnie:
Vanderbilt
Kowtows to us
Cornelius:
J.P. Morgan scrapes and bows to us
All:
We've got elegance
We were born with elegance
Barnaby:
I beheave like Walter Wally
When the streets are full of mud
Mrs. Molloy:
And the bluest Huckelberry isn't bluer than my blood
Minnie:
Have you noticed when I hold my cup
The saucer never moves
Cornelius:
And the way I keep my pinky up
Indubitably proves that
All:
We got elegance
We got built in elegance
And with elegance...elegance...
Elegance...elegance...elegance
We'll carry it off!
All:
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
We got Elegance...
Yes, New York
It's really us
Barnaby and Cornelius
Mrs. Molloy & Minnie:
All the guests of Mr. Hackl are
Feelin' great and look spectacular
All:
What a knack
There is to that
Acting like a born aristocrat
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
Cornelius:
All who are
Well-bred agree
Minnie Fay
Has pedigree
Mrs. Molloy:
Exercise your wildest whims tonight
We are out with diamond Jims tonight
Minnie:
Could they be
Misleading us?
Cornelius & Barnaby:
Silver spoons were used for feeding us
All:
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
[dance interlude]
All:
Middle class
Don't speak of it
Savoir Faire
We reek of it
Some were born with rags and patches but
We use dollar bills for matches and
Minnie:
Vanderbilt
Kowtows to us
Cornelius:
J.P. Morgan scrapes and bows to us
All:
We've got elegance
We were born with elegance
Barnaby:
I beheave like Walter Wally
When the streets are full of mud
Mrs. Molloy:
And the bluest Huckelberry isn't bluer than my blood
Minnie:
Have you noticed when I hold my cup
The saucer never moves
Cornelius:
And the way I keep my pinky up
Indubitably proves that
All:
We got elegance
We got built in elegance
And with elegance...elegance...
Elegance...elegance...elegance
We'll carry it off!
All:
We got elegance
If you ain't got elegance
You can never ever carry it off
We got Elegance...
Lyrics submitted by Ice
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