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."
Remember a day before today
A day when you were young.
Free to play alone with time
Evening never comes.
Sing a song that can't be sung
Without the morning's kiss
Queen, you shall be it if you wish
Look for your king
Why can't we play today
Why can't we stay that way
Climb your favorite apple tree
Try to catch the sun
Hide from your little brother's gun
Dream yourself away
Why can't we reach the sun
Why can't we blow the years away
Blow away
Blow away
Remember
Remember
A day when you were young.
Free to play alone with time
Evening never comes.
Sing a song that can't be sung
Without the morning's kiss
Queen, you shall be it if you wish
Look for your king
Why can't we play today
Why can't we stay that way
Climb your favorite apple tree
Try to catch the sun
Hide from your little brother's gun
Dream yourself away
Why can't we reach the sun
Why can't we blow the years away
Blow away
Blow away
Remember
Remember
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Mellow_Harsher, hbdelux
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Mountain Song
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Notice the similarity to "Time" from Dark Side of the Moon.
'Why can't we reach the sun why can't we flow the years away flow away remember a day... '
'So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking Racing around to come up behind you again. The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older, Shorter of breath and one day closer to death. Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time. Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines'
I found this interesting
@Gasketfuse I have to comment on this I think this particular song more than any other by Floyd sounds like a Syd Barrett composition. Reminds me of early early Floyd like see Emily play or Arnold layne, just has that feel. I love Floyd but with the departure of Syd one has to admit that Floyd became more serious and somewhat more depressed really lyrically, Syd was playful and used imagery and nursery rhymes for the love of god! this song captures that playfulness that seemed to depart from the Floyd with Syd's departure. Just my opinion
@Gasketfuse Nope - wrong word. Blow the years away.
@lawrenceok once again, this doesn't mean he is wrong. He merely misheard a lyric.