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."
Passin' the kind bud. Kickin' back in the sand in the sun.
To be alive is lovin, where the shore meets the sea man
I'm hummin! I'm hummin!
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
The beauty of green is where light is now broken by what it touches
Remembering what you once have told me hit home and hasn't it always been so?
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
[Chorus:]
Like I said it before, I'll say it once more,
Knew you would make me feel so good, want to do you right. Can't get enough,
This is the stuff life's about and it trips me out, want to do you right.
I want to do you right.
Bright mornings, days when I want so much, I want nothing.
Just this life and no more.
All come within this world there's only one for me.
She's waiting. I'll soon come
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
[Chorus]
Free from the burn, the burnin' of spite and free from the burn,
The burnin' of surprise, no buzz hack, no buzz hack, no buzz hack, no buzz hack.
Swing the thing you bring and check it out.
How could you be so good to me? How could you be so good to me?
I want to free, want to be free. Buzz, hack, hack, hack, buzz,
Yes swing to the thing you bring and check it out.
[Chorus]
To be alive is lovin, where the shore meets the sea man
I'm hummin! I'm hummin!
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
The beauty of green is where light is now broken by what it touches
Remembering what you once have told me hit home and hasn't it always been so?
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
[Chorus:]
Like I said it before, I'll say it once more,
Knew you would make me feel so good, want to do you right. Can't get enough,
This is the stuff life's about and it trips me out, want to do you right.
I want to do you right.
Bright mornings, days when I want so much, I want nothing.
Just this life and no more.
All come within this world there's only one for me.
She's waiting. I'll soon come
I'm free as I stare at the sea and I'm not coming down.
The world is yours once you have found the good is to share which is elsewhere.
[Chorus]
Free from the burn, the burnin' of spite and free from the burn,
The burnin' of surprise, no buzz hack, no buzz hack, no buzz hack, no buzz hack.
Swing the thing you bring and check it out.
How could you be so good to me? How could you be so good to me?
I want to free, want to be free. Buzz, hack, hack, hack, buzz,
Yes swing to the thing you bring and check it out.
[Chorus]
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