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."
Whats the use in singing songs
We can all chime in off key
We can dance until we all fall down
Whats the use of a pretty face
One thats painted and ignores
Every earthling that violates her space (space)
Why not go out and wrestle the tide?
Why not question the very truth
by which we abide?
Seems it all comes to pass so quickly
Why take shit from those who dont care?
The only true reason their really there
and have a job
cause their label's the mob
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Sometimes it never as fun
as some may make it seem
I slip my fingers in between
the shoulders of all the people
sometimes its never as easy
as the child inside thought it would be
professional community
run by thieves
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Me I'm not one to dwell
on the good, the bad, or in my own hell
I just back and think
About how life can be swell
Life could be swell
I wanna sing R&B
Make a million dollar video for BET
Do a remix version for MTV
Get shot, come back to life in 5 movies
I wanna sing R&B
Make a million dollar video for BET
Do a remix version for MTV
Get shot, come back to life in 5 movies
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Me I'm not one to dwell
on the good, the bad, or in my own hell
I just back and think
About how life can be swell
Life could be swell
Life could be swell
-repeat-
We can all chime in off key
We can dance until we all fall down
Whats the use of a pretty face
One thats painted and ignores
Every earthling that violates her space (space)
Why not go out and wrestle the tide?
Why not question the very truth
by which we abide?
Seems it all comes to pass so quickly
Why take shit from those who dont care?
The only true reason their really there
and have a job
cause their label's the mob
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Sometimes it never as fun
as some may make it seem
I slip my fingers in between
the shoulders of all the people
sometimes its never as easy
as the child inside thought it would be
professional community
run by thieves
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Me I'm not one to dwell
on the good, the bad, or in my own hell
I just back and think
About how life can be swell
Life could be swell
I wanna sing R&B
Make a million dollar video for BET
Do a remix version for MTV
Get shot, come back to life in 5 movies
I wanna sing R&B
Make a million dollar video for BET
Do a remix version for MTV
Get shot, come back to life in 5 movies
Now me I'm not one to dwell
on the ups and downs or in my own hell
I just sit back and think
about how life can be swell
Me I'm not one to dwell
on the good, the bad, or in my own hell
I just back and think
About how life can be swell
Life could be swell
Life could be swell
-repeat-
Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget
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