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."
Yeah, well, I'll tell ya what I want, what I really really want
(So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want)
I'll tell ya what I want, what I really really want
(So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want)
I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha
I want to really, really, really, want to zigga zigga, ah!
If you want to be my lover, you gotta get with my friends
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
If you want to be my lover, you have got to give
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.
Hey!
I'm not sick, but I'm not well.
And I'm so hot, 'cause I'm in hell.
I'm not sick, but I'm not well.
And it's a sin to live so well.
Ghetto superstar, that is what you are,
Coming from afar, reaching for the stars.
Run away with me, to another place
We can rely on each other, uh huh
From one corner to another, uh huh
Everybody (yeah)
Rock your body (yeah)
Everybody
Rock your body right.
Backstreet's back, all right!
All right!
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
But now, if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer's shun, you might as well be walking on the sun
Might as well be walking on the sun!
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
I get knocked down, but I get up again,
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
Quicker than a ray of light
Quicker than a ray of light
Quicker than a ray of light
I want to push you around, well I will, well I will
I want to push you down, well I will, well I will
I want to take you for granted
I want to take you for granted
Yeah, yeah, well I will
I want something else
To get me through this semi-charmed kinda life, baby baby
I want something else
I'm not listening when you say good-bye.
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
Mmmbop, do floppa do wop
Do be dop ah
Do wap, do zap ah, do
Yeah-ee yeah
Mmmbop, do be 'zap ah, do wop
Do be dop ah
Do wop, doom zap ah, do
I smell sex and candy here
Who's that lounging in my chair?
Who's that casting devious stares in my direction?
Mama, this surely is a dream
Yeah, yeah mama, this surely is a dream
Dig it, yeah mama, this surely is
Closing time
One last call for alcohol
So finish your whiskey or beer
Closing time
You don't have to go home
But you can't stay here
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take us home.
'Cause it's closing time!
(Yeah it's closing time)
(We're talkin' 'bout closin' time)
(It's really closin' time)
(Hey!)
(So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want)
I'll tell ya what I want, what I really really want
(So tell us what ya want, what ya really really want)
I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha, I want to ha
I want to really, really, really, want to zigga zigga, ah!
If you want to be my lover, you gotta get with my friends
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
If you want to be my lover, you have got to give
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.
Hey!
I'm not sick, but I'm not well.
And I'm so hot, 'cause I'm in hell.
I'm not sick, but I'm not well.
And it's a sin to live so well.
Ghetto superstar, that is what you are,
Coming from afar, reaching for the stars.
Run away with me, to another place
We can rely on each other, uh huh
From one corner to another, uh huh
Everybody (yeah)
Rock your body (yeah)
Everybody
Rock your body right.
Backstreet's back, all right!
All right!
So don't delay, act now, supplies are running out
But now, if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer's shun, you might as well be walking on the sun
Might as well be walking on the sun!
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
Intergalactic planetary, planetary intergalactic
I get knocked down, but I get up again,
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
Quicker than a ray of light
Quicker than a ray of light
Quicker than a ray of light
I want to push you around, well I will, well I will
I want to push you down, well I will, well I will
I want to take you for granted
I want to take you for granted
Yeah, yeah, well I will
I want something else
To get me through this semi-charmed kinda life, baby baby
I want something else
I'm not listening when you say good-bye.
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
Mmmbop, do floppa do wop
Do be dop ah
Do wap, do zap ah, do
Yeah-ee yeah
Mmmbop, do be 'zap ah, do wop
Do be dop ah
Do wop, doom zap ah, do
I smell sex and candy here
Who's that lounging in my chair?
Who's that casting devious stares in my direction?
Mama, this surely is a dream
Yeah, yeah mama, this surely is a dream
Dig it, yeah mama, this surely is
Closing time
One last call for alcohol
So finish your whiskey or beer
Closing time
You don't have to go home
But you can't stay here
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
I know who I want to take me home
Take us home.
'Cause it's closing time!
(Yeah it's closing time)
(We're talkin' 'bout closin' time)
(It's really closin' time)
(Hey!)
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Polka Power! Lyrics as written by Lin Huffman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Starfish: Every album has one polka song (such as this, and he always has permission), about half parodies (which he also has permission for) and about half entirely original songs, which in no way is anyone but Al responsible for.