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."
[Verse 1]
I drove up to the city at night and found the place
Where you grew up and then where you stayed
And then we walked around and stayed up late
Under city lights; and I spent the night
Next to you in the house where you grew up
Next to you, I miraculously woke up
In your parents' house I lied in bed with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back to wipe it clean
I took the lights and radio towers out of my dreams
[Verse 2]
And we went all the way up to the small town where I'm from
With foggy air and the wind and the mountaintops
And we clung to rocks and we looked off
You held my hand, you almost got to start feeling me
I finally felt like I was breathing free
And under swaying trees, we fell asleep and had the same dream
The stars were bright, we dream the same every night
On my island home I spent some time with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back there by myself
And gave up on everything that we'd felt
[Verse 3]
We found a precious place in the sand right out in the wind
And we lied under a blanket and heard the furious sound
The roar of waves, the pounding surf, two bodies on the earth
It was intense just getting to be there next to you
And you were trying to get me then
And I was happy to let you in
[Chorus]
I went back and wished I hadn't
I went back and felt regret
I went to the beach and I stared west
[Verse 4]
And every night when the sun went down in the town where we live
The empty streets were lit up by reflective light
From a distant sun bouncing off a glowing ball of rock
We just lied on the roof and watched
The moon, the blue light of the moon
The moon, the moon, the blue light of the moon
We didn't talk and silently we both felt powerful
Like the moon, my chest was full
Because we both knew we're just floating in space over molten rock
And we felt safe and we discovered that our skin is soft
There's nothing left except certain death
And that was comforting at night out under the moon
[Chorus]
I went out last night to forget that
I went out and stared it down
But the moon just stared back at me
And in its light I saw my two feet on the ground
I drove up to the city at night and found the place
Where you grew up and then where you stayed
And then we walked around and stayed up late
Under city lights; and I spent the night
Next to you in the house where you grew up
Next to you, I miraculously woke up
In your parents' house I lied in bed with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back to wipe it clean
I took the lights and radio towers out of my dreams
[Verse 2]
And we went all the way up to the small town where I'm from
With foggy air and the wind and the mountaintops
And we clung to rocks and we looked off
You held my hand, you almost got to start feeling me
I finally felt like I was breathing free
And under swaying trees, we fell asleep and had the same dream
The stars were bright, we dream the same every night
On my island home I spent some time with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back there by myself
And gave up on everything that we'd felt
[Verse 3]
We found a precious place in the sand right out in the wind
And we lied under a blanket and heard the furious sound
The roar of waves, the pounding surf, two bodies on the earth
It was intense just getting to be there next to you
And you were trying to get me then
And I was happy to let you in
[Chorus]
I went back and wished I hadn't
I went back and felt regret
I went to the beach and I stared west
[Verse 4]
And every night when the sun went down in the town where we live
The empty streets were lit up by reflective light
From a distant sun bouncing off a glowing ball of rock
We just lied on the roof and watched
The moon, the blue light of the moon
The moon, the moon, the blue light of the moon
We didn't talk and silently we both felt powerful
Like the moon, my chest was full
Because we both knew we're just floating in space over molten rock
And we felt safe and we discovered that our skin is soft
There's nothing left except certain death
And that was comforting at night out under the moon
[Chorus]
I went out last night to forget that
I went out and stared it down
But the moon just stared back at me
And in its light I saw my two feet on the ground
Lyrics submitted by orbitings, edited by nick108030, itsmecaitlind, Mellow_Harsher
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Mountain Song
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Pure beauty.