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."
(Hello you've reached the afterlife message center.
The god you are trying to reach is not available to take your call)
Mama's gone and got herself a new man
It's a shame,
He's the same
Mama please please, stop pretending
This time, you won't end in tears
I find myself, with a new daddy
My mama needs love you see
Guess she don't wanna be lonely
And nobody's keeping score
I don't say hi to those guys no more
Said mama can't you feel me
Holding my breath as they knock, knock, knock on our door
You're just taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels,
The same, the same
Johnny's gone and got himself a new man
He gets laid, every day
Johnny please please, stop pretending
This time, may just end in tears
Take care of yourself
Because you won't find 'daddy'
When you're popping those pills
Oh Johnny, is the danger just part of the thrill?
And nobody's keeping score
Johnny those guys that you shake it for
I said "Johnny can't you hear them
Saying mama knows best as they knock, knock,
Knock on your door"
You're just taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, the same, the same
Taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, wheels, wheels
Taking your ass to the top of that building
Under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
The same, the same, the same
Pretty girl, little girl, what were you thinking
Just 18 at the time
You were a mother and child, at the same time
You were a mother and child
So young and fucked up baby
Always higher than a child should see
Forgive me
To the top of that building
Under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, wheels, wheels
Mama don't you let him stay
From bastard to loser, hurt you, used you in every way,
Mama, don't let him stay, please
Don't let him stay
I said Jesus, Mary, and the Saints above,
Won't you show him love?
I said Jesus, Mary, and the Saints above,
Won't you show him love?
The god you are trying to reach is not available to take your call)
Mama's gone and got herself a new man
It's a shame,
He's the same
Mama please please, stop pretending
This time, you won't end in tears
I find myself, with a new daddy
My mama needs love you see
Guess she don't wanna be lonely
And nobody's keeping score
I don't say hi to those guys no more
Said mama can't you feel me
Holding my breath as they knock, knock, knock on our door
You're just taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels,
The same, the same
Johnny's gone and got himself a new man
He gets laid, every day
Johnny please please, stop pretending
This time, may just end in tears
Take care of yourself
Because you won't find 'daddy'
When you're popping those pills
Oh Johnny, is the danger just part of the thrill?
And nobody's keeping score
Johnny those guys that you shake it for
I said "Johnny can't you hear them
Saying mama knows best as they knock, knock,
Knock on your door"
You're just taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, the same, the same
Taking your ass to the top of that building
Throwing yourself under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, wheels, wheels
Taking your ass to the top of that building
Under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
The same, the same, the same
Pretty girl, little girl, what were you thinking
Just 18 at the time
You were a mother and child, at the same time
You were a mother and child
So young and fucked up baby
Always higher than a child should see
Forgive me
To the top of that building
Under cars and trains
Taking the pill that you know will kill you
Under the wheels, wheels, wheels
Mama don't you let him stay
From bastard to loser, hurt you, used you in every way,
Mama, don't let him stay, please
Don't let him stay
I said Jesus, Mary, and the Saints above,
Won't you show him love?
I said Jesus, Mary, and the Saints above,
Won't you show him love?
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Suicide, I heard that this was based on george's and producer's personal experiences when making the album, great production, with a great bridge, haunting. good stuff.
Hmm, I could see that. Though I get a much deeper impression from this song. At the surface it is easy to symbolically relate "Taking the pill that you know will kill you" to suicide, but I believe this song to be more of a WARNING about taking unnecessary risks. Namely excess drugs and excessive promiscuity. I get the impression that he is saying that at some point in life regardless if you're gay or straight, it PAYS to settle down a little. It's like he's saying 'Hey look... it's OK to have your fun in life, we all need it, but at some point you really gotta grow up before you really screw yourself over.' Ex: "Taking the pill that you know will kill you" excessive drug use to the point of getting addicted and eventually overdosing to a lethal level. Ex 2: is stanza 4 about Johnny which I really like cuz it's a direct contrast to the first example in the sense that now he's talking about now needing medication for AIDS/ any other major STD and warning about being promiscuous. "Daddy" dually being the lover who gave Johnny AIDS/STD's and also not getting any new lovers because of their prudence for fear of infection. "Oh Johnny, is the danger just part of the thrill?" In other words, is screwing around with everyone you date worth the risk of ruining your life with a life threatening life altering disease. I like to think of this song as a more upbeat bubblier reiteration of his song "Older" which is fitting considering that I like to think that George likes symbolism in the least expected of places. Take the two album colors for instance, black for Older, white for Patience, direct contrast both poetically deep albums with dark and light tones but Older with a much darker overtone but life changing album acknowledging present more then anything else, and Patience with a generally lighter more optimistic overtone that is more of a reflection of life past rather then life change/present but that also looks towards the future. Basically the album "Older" being the black tunnel or life's journey, and the album "Patience" being the white light at the end of the tunnel or life's new destination. But then again that's just my interpretation.