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."
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
I hold you in my arms, yeah, that's when it starts
I seek faith in your kiss, and comfort in your heart
Taste the seed upon your lips, lay my tongue upon your scars
When I look into your eyes and we stand worlds apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
Where the distant oceans sing and rise to the plain
In this dry and troubled country, your beauty remains
Down from the mountain roads where the highway rolls to dark
'Neath Allah's blessed rain, we remain worlds apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
Sometimes the truth just ain't enough
Or it's too much in times like this
Let's throw the truth away, we'll find it in this kiss
In your skin upon my skin, in the beating of our hearts
May the living let us in, before the dead tear us apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
We'll let blood build a bridge over mountains draped in stars
I'll meet you on the ridge between these worlds apart
We've got this moment now to live then it's all just dust and dark
Let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
(Let love give what it gives)
Let love give what it gives
Let love give what it gives
Let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
I hold you in my arms, yeah, that's when it starts
I seek faith in your kiss, and comfort in your heart
Taste the seed upon your lips, lay my tongue upon your scars
When I look into your eyes and we stand worlds apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
Where the distant oceans sing and rise to the plain
In this dry and troubled country, your beauty remains
Down from the mountain roads where the highway rolls to dark
'Neath Allah's blessed rain, we remain worlds apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
Sometimes the truth just ain't enough
Or it's too much in times like this
Let's throw the truth away, we'll find it in this kiss
In your skin upon my skin, in the beating of our hearts
May the living let us in, before the dead tear us apart
(La la la la la, la la la la la)
(La la la la, la la la la la)
We'll let blood build a bridge over mountains draped in stars
I'll meet you on the ridge between these worlds apart
We've got this moment now to live then it's all just dust and dark
Let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
(Let love give what it gives)
Let love give what it gives
Let love give what it gives
Let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
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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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this song is amazing, i love the imagery and the music is incredible too. my favorite line is "may the living let us in before the dead tear us apart." i think bruce is saying that we need to accept people for who they are now, and not judge them based on what their ancestors did or stereotypes.