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."
Been scared and lonely
I've asked myself if something's wrong with you
My girlfriend told me
I need some time alone to deal with issues
But something makes me carry on
It's difficult to understand
Why I always wanna fly
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
You always call me
And ask me how I make it through the day
I'm always fallin'
I guess it's just god's way of making me pay
But something makes me carry on
It's difficult to understand, why I always wanna fly
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
When I, I wonder why I try
And I, I wonder why I bother
And I, I wonder why I cry
Why I, I go through all this trouble
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
I've asked myself if something's wrong with you
My girlfriend told me
I need some time alone to deal with issues
But something makes me carry on
It's difficult to understand
Why I always wanna fly
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
You always call me
And ask me how I make it through the day
I'm always fallin'
I guess it's just god's way of making me pay
But something makes me carry on
It's difficult to understand, why I always wanna fly
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
When I, I wonder why I try
And I, I wonder why I bother
And I, I wonder why I cry
Why I, I go through all this trouble
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
I do it for the drugs
I do it just to feel alive
I do it for the love
That I get from the bottom of a bottle
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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 read somewhere that in the song when he says i do it for the drugs its a metaphor or symbolic he means things that make people carry on drugs,alcohol,women,music anything and for him its music i guess what its symbolic of is things that numb you
I remember reading something where the lead singer guy said that he was sick of potheads coming up to him and saying "yea, i do it for the drugs too!" because the song was not about drugs... I'm pretty sute that wiredmonkiekiller is right about the song's meaning.
It took me forever who figured out who sang this song. I never could pick out the voice to figure out who the band was. But I think this song basically describes itself. No hidden meaning... not to me at least.
this song is fucking awesome; the lyrics r real; and it's deep enought to drown in;it's killer _jsyn
yea the part that goes: "You always call me And ask me how I make it throught the day I'm always fallin I guess it's just god's way of Making me big" is wrong....it's:
"You always call me And ask me how I make it throught the day I'm always fallin I guess it's just god's way of Making me BEG"
yea and this song kicks ass :-)
wow, this song is definitely bad ass. i never considered it a radio song but i heard it on my radio once at 4:30 a.m. the lyrics definitely coincide with the music itself. good good song.
okay this song is cool because the guy says he's doing it for the drugs. thats just funny somehow. let's be real, the guy is just telling us he likes to smoke it up. rock on fellow pot head. rock on.
I love this song. Its so awesome. I cant get enough of it. I hope hey dont over play it though..radio has a major problem with doin that.
does he say "i guess it just gods way of making me beg"? i always thought it said "big"...i always thought it didnt make much sence....but it sounds like he says big.......my hearing is bad though b/c i listen to it loud...i guess
big or beg, this song still fuckin rocks