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."
Someday I fear I will be rescued from the boredom line
With lack of memory, I fail to question why
With perfect sound, you bring me down, hey I'm not listening
You're through killing me with all your facts and late night therapy
Like "Paul's Boutique" on empty streets parked and
Waiting for lights to turn on for the good luck
And drunk on your parents' favorite wine
All the things I remember
Were they worth writing down
Bury me in memories of CK1 and tight white T's
Like air guitar, in muscle cars with perfect teeth
The way we are
Back in '95, more deaf than alive
I wrote the screenplay to lack of direction
Late night movie dates with girls who skate and I just can't relate
I'm through with school 'cause I broke the rules
Now I work for the man and I'm drunk once again
Watching reruns of Night Court on cable TV
All the things I remember
Were they worth writing down
Bury me in memories of CK1 and tight white T's
Like air guitar, in muscle cars with "perfect teeth"
The way we are
(Wake up) Thought that everybody loved me
(Wake up) Thought that everybody cared
(Wake up) Thought that I might have the strength to carry on
(Wake up) Turns out that I'm barely, barely holding on
Hey, hey, hey it's been quite a long time
I, I, I don't miss last November
Alright, yeah it's time for a high-five
Hey, hey, hey it's been quite a long time
Someday I fear I will be rescued from the boredom line
With lack of memory I fail to question why
Why?
With lack of memory, I fail to question why
With perfect sound, you bring me down, hey I'm not listening
You're through killing me with all your facts and late night therapy
Like "Paul's Boutique" on empty streets parked and
Waiting for lights to turn on for the good luck
And drunk on your parents' favorite wine
All the things I remember
Were they worth writing down
Bury me in memories of CK1 and tight white T's
Like air guitar, in muscle cars with perfect teeth
The way we are
Back in '95, more deaf than alive
I wrote the screenplay to lack of direction
Late night movie dates with girls who skate and I just can't relate
I'm through with school 'cause I broke the rules
Now I work for the man and I'm drunk once again
Watching reruns of Night Court on cable TV
All the things I remember
Were they worth writing down
Bury me in memories of CK1 and tight white T's
Like air guitar, in muscle cars with "perfect teeth"
The way we are
(Wake up) Thought that everybody loved me
(Wake up) Thought that everybody cared
(Wake up) Thought that I might have the strength to carry on
(Wake up) Turns out that I'm barely, barely holding on
Hey, hey, hey it's been quite a long time
I, I, I don't miss last November
Alright, yeah it's time for a high-five
Hey, hey, hey it's been quite a long time
Someday I fear I will be rescued from the boredom line
With lack of memory I fail to question why
Why?
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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No Surprises
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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
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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.
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.
"I'm through with school Cos I broke the rules Now I work for the man And I'm drunk once again."
wow.