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."
Every thought that I repent,
There's another chip you haven't spent,
And you're cashing them all in,
Where do we begin. To get clean again,
Can we get clean again.
I walk home alone with you,
And the mood you're born into,
Sometimes you let me in,
And I take it on the chin.
I can't get clean again.
I want to know, Can we get clean again,
The God of Wine comes
crashing through the headlights of a car
that took you farther than
you thought you'd ever want to go,
We can't get back again,
We can't get back again,
She takes a drink and then she waits,
The alcohol it permeates,
And soon the cells give way,
And cancels out the day.
I can't keep it all together,
I know...I can't keep it all together.
And the siren's song that is your madness,
Holds a truth I can't erase,
All alone on your face.
Every glamorous sunrise,
Throws the planets out of line,
A star sign out of whack,
A fraudulent zodiac.
And the God of Wine
is crouched down in my room,
You let me down, I said it,
Now I'm going down,
And you're not even around.
And I said no...
I can't keep it all together,
I know...I can't keep it all together,
And there's a memory of a window,
Looking through I see you.
Searching for something,
I could never give you,
And there's someone who
understands you more than I do.
A sadness I can't erase.
All alone on your face.
There's another chip you haven't spent,
And you're cashing them all in,
Where do we begin. To get clean again,
Can we get clean again.
I walk home alone with you,
And the mood you're born into,
Sometimes you let me in,
And I take it on the chin.
I can't get clean again.
I want to know, Can we get clean again,
The God of Wine comes
crashing through the headlights of a car
that took you farther than
you thought you'd ever want to go,
We can't get back again,
We can't get back again,
She takes a drink and then she waits,
The alcohol it permeates,
And soon the cells give way,
And cancels out the day.
I can't keep it all together,
I know...I can't keep it all together.
And the siren's song that is your madness,
Holds a truth I can't erase,
All alone on your face.
Every glamorous sunrise,
Throws the planets out of line,
A star sign out of whack,
A fraudulent zodiac.
And the God of Wine
is crouched down in my room,
You let me down, I said it,
Now I'm going down,
And you're not even around.
And I said no...
I can't keep it all together,
I know...I can't keep it all together,
And there's a memory of a window,
Looking through I see you.
Searching for something,
I could never give you,
And there's someone who
understands you more than I do.
A sadness I can't erase.
All alone on your face.
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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
Keane
Keane
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."
The "memory of a window" part is my favorite lines from any song ever, I love this song. It is my all time favorite 3eb song. They are the greatest band of all time. This song is very sad, it makes me cry almost everytime I hear it. I understand how hard it can be to leave someone you love, even if you know staying could be the end for you too. This song is a real representation of how love can kick you in the ass, and even though you know its hurting you its too hard to let go. Stephan really says it all with the "a sadness I cant erase, all alone on your face" statement.This is such a wonderful song.
If you have ever loved an addict (specifically an alcoholic) then you know exactly what this song is about. It's amazing how well SJ captures emotion in his lyrics. Those last 4 lines are probably the most heartbreaking lyrics I've ever heard.
exactly this.<br /> i think it's easy to say it's about something else if you've never lived with and/or loved an alcoholic, because if you have it jumps out at you and grabs you by the soul and every memory jumps out at you, I don't know if there's any other way to look at this song if you have an alcoholic in your life. <br /> i just couldn't agree more.
@carpathia I agree with your take. And the last 4 lines are POWERFUL and TOUCHING. I love 3eb and don't care much for Pearl Jam, but I would throw out a challenge to you to consider Pearl Jam's "Black" for the most heartbreaking lyrics. Of course, every song touches different people in different ways, and on different topics. Considering "Black" in its entirety doesn't drop below a 10 in intensity, before jumping to a 15 culminating with the following at the end:<br /> <br /> Yeah<br /> I know someday you'll have a beautiful life <br /> I know you'll be a star<br /> In somebody else's sky <br /> But why <br /> Why <br /> Why can't it be <br /> Why can't it be mine<br /> <br /> Again, I love 3 eb much more, but "Black" just floors me every time.<br /> <br />
Halo, very good and brief...But I think you can apply it to and relationship where the other person is bent on destroying themself...The hopelessness and how eventually you have to give up so you don't get messed up yourself...
best part of the song:
Every glamorous sunrise Throws the planets out of line A star sign out of whack A fraudulent zodiac And the god of wine is crouched down in my room You let me down, I said it Now I'm going down You're not even around And i said no no no no no no nooo
@desiring94 Those lyrics are GENIUUS!
Third Eye Blind is one of the greatest bands ever and God of Wine is the greatest song ever. These lyrics are sooo deep and beautifully written. This song is about someone watching the one they love destroy themselves. They then realize they are being dragged down with them even though they cant do anything for the person. "And the god of wine is crouched down in my room You let me down, I said it Now I'm going down ,and you're not even around And I said no...
I can't keep it all together I know... I can't keep it all together
And there's a memory of a window Looking through, I see you Searching for something that I could never give you And there's someone who understands you, more than I do A sadness I can't erase All alone on your face." These are possibly the best lyrics I have ever heard.
stephan jenkins is a lyrical genius
I love the guitar parts in this song. They're so amazing; too bad Kevin Cadogan isn't in the band anymore. But who can't relate to the lines: "And there's a memory of a window Looking through, I see you Searching for something that I could never give you And there's someone who understands you, more than I do A sadness I can't erase All alone on your face." Those lines perfectly describe loving someone so much, yet they make you feel so totally inadequate. They've always got their attention turned to something else; it doesn't necessarily have to be alcohol, but something else is always more important to them than you. God, Stephan Jenkins is GOOD!
The line "Can we get clean again" is a metaphore. Its not about getting off drugs or juice. Its "Can we wipe the slate clean and start over, forgetting the past mistakes in a relationship"
@Custerflux Exactly man!<br /> <br /> as in “letting go of the old grudges and resentments” that little by little accumulate in every relationship and end up poisoning it from within
This song shows how as hard as you try, the hits keep coming (and not alcoholic hits), and you know you're done for, and you're down and out, but you can't give it up and it's so hard to let go.
And the siren's song that is your madness Holds a truth I can't erase All alone on your face...that is the best line. That line basically sums up my last relationship. He was so bent on destroying himself. Not through drugs, but he was destroying himself. He was a endless sea of doubt. It was horrible. Finally everything broke down, and he realized everything that was wrong. I tried so hard for so long to be there for him and to fix things, but it completely drained me. It was horrible. So I guess I can also relate to the line, "can we get clean again?" However our relationship ended with the line, "That took you farther than you thought You'd ever wanna go We can't get back again We can't get back again." Stephen writes beautiful lyrics...