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."
Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in
In my head, in my heart, in my soul
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again
Well, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, don't think so
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me, you get away from me
Collected my belongings and I left the jail
Well, thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell
I had to think awhile, I had to think awhile
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old
Well, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I hope so
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me (you get away from me)
You get away from me
Collected my belongings and I left the jail
Well, thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell
I had to think awhile (I had to think awhile)
I had to think awhile
Well, that is that and this is this
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed
When the ocean met the sky (you missed)
You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye (you missed)
When the earth folded in on itself (you missed)
And said "good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell
(You missed, you missed) are really there
But I wouldn't hold my breath" (you missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death? (You missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul
The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind
Well, I don't mind I don't mind
How the hell could I mind? Huh
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me (you get away from me), you get away from me
Well, that is that and this is this
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed
When the ocean met the sky (you missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?
In my head, in my heart, in my soul
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again
Well, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, don't think so
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me, you get away from me
Collected my belongings and I left the jail
Well, thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell
I had to think awhile, I had to think awhile
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old
Well, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I hope so
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me (you get away from me)
You get away from me
Collected my belongings and I left the jail
Well, thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell
I had to think awhile (I had to think awhile)
I had to think awhile
Well, that is that and this is this
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed
When the ocean met the sky (you missed)
You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye (you missed)
When the earth folded in on itself (you missed)
And said "good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell
(You missed, you missed) are really there
But I wouldn't hold my breath" (you missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death? (You missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?
The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul
The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind
Well, I don't mind I don't mind
How the hell could I mind? Huh
Well, that is that and this is this
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get
You get away from me (you get away from me), you get away from me
Well, that is that and this is this
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed
When the ocean met the sky (you missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?
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