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."
Everywhere I go, I see our shame
Everywhere I go, all I can see is pain
I see it on the pavements, it's lying in the streets
I see it on the faces of the people, I don't meet
And everywhere I go, I hear the sound
Crying in my head, it just goes round and round
I hear it on the airwaves, it's coming down the wire
It's starting to consume us like a fire
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
It's such a shame
Everywhere I go, I feel the love
Washing over me, I just can't get enough
I hear it in the music, that's coming down through me
I know there's love between us, if we only set it free
And everywhere I go, I feel the joy
Hold it in your heart, don't let it be destroyed
'cause all we need is freedom, and all we ask is peace
All we ask is no one on their knees
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
'cause all we need is freedom, all we ask is peace
All we ask is no one on their knees
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
It's such a shame
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
Hey, it's such a shame
I'm only dreaming
I'm only dreaming
Hey, it's such a shame
Everywhere I go, all I can see is pain
I see it on the pavements, it's lying in the streets
I see it on the faces of the people, I don't meet
And everywhere I go, I hear the sound
Crying in my head, it just goes round and round
I hear it on the airwaves, it's coming down the wire
It's starting to consume us like a fire
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
It's such a shame
Everywhere I go, I feel the love
Washing over me, I just can't get enough
I hear it in the music, that's coming down through me
I know there's love between us, if we only set it free
And everywhere I go, I feel the joy
Hold it in your heart, don't let it be destroyed
'cause all we need is freedom, and all we ask is peace
All we ask is no one on their knees
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
'cause all we need is freedom, all we ask is peace
All we ask is no one on their knees
But I'm only dreaming, as you can see
I don't expect, that you should follow me
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
It's such a shame
The road is lonely, I don't complain
But it's such a shame
Hey, it's such a shame
I'm only dreaming
I'm only dreaming
Hey, it's such a shame
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