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."
Don't believe a word,
A word they say.
It's more than a T-shirt,
It's more than a tattoo,
It's more than a phase.
This is how I was raised.
You keep trying to market this feeling.
I heard what you said,
And no were not the same,
No were not the same.
You'll never be a part (of what we have),
You'll never sing a song (that we love),
You'll never get respect,
And you cant fool us
Cause we know what you are.
Dont believe a word,
A word they fucking say!
A word they say.
It's more than a T-shirt,
It's more than a tattoo,
It's more than a phase.
This is how I was raised.
You keep trying to market this feeling.
I heard what you said,
And no were not the same,
No were not the same.
You'll never be a part (of what we have),
You'll never sing a song (that we love),
You'll never get respect,
And you cant fool us
Cause we know what you are.
Dont believe a word,
A word they fucking say!
Lyrics submitted by nashional
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Havent Heard this yet... looked on Warez and Kazaa lite but no luck... lyrics are great NFG has really evolved but still are the same if that makes sense.
this song is fucking awesome. who would've ever thought NFG would make something like this. i wish the whole record sounded like this. oh well. the new album is still a great new kinda sound for NFG.
Amazing Intro... its crazy! doesnt sound like "Typicall NFG"
-StiX
I think this is like the intros that bands like AFI do. I think it's making fun of them. Yeah....
I love the speed this song goes at, and the shouting in the background! It sounds like they're criticising bands who got in on the pop-punk popularity explosion to make money.
everyone needs to recognize nfg was doing this before it was the "cool thing to do" and they will always be one of my favorites...fuck good charlotte, fuck simple plan, respect new found glory
thatWASthen...you had a great comment until the last statement; GC and Simple Plan are good bands that just made it big. I totally agree with NFG in this intro song but still dont hate on bands that have success, especially good charlotte, those kids busted their ass and went through some tough times and deserve all the success they've had
GC and Simple plan didn't make themselves, they were made by producers and promoters. You dont make yourself off of a couple of full lengths, have you ever heard of originality?
Okay, I was gonna keep my mouth shut but a can't.
First, about the song. Awesome, if they had left the f-word out. It's so tasteless. Frankly I'm surprised at them for putting it in there.
Second- about GC and Simple Plan. The hell they didn't make themselves. Those kids worked their asses off to get where they did. And just because they have five people in the band, and have similar musical taste, doesn't make them unoriginal. They each have amazing lyrics.
I have had the pleasure to meet both bands and I must say that I am very proud of what they have accomplished and they deserve it all. They are amazing people and they don't take ONE BIT of their success for granted.
So don't hate on them.
-XBeautifulLetdownX
Think the 'f' word is put in to show that the current market is all radio and mtv 'friendly'. And that people compare the softer, manufactured bands, they are singing about here to nfg cause they don't swear either. Just NFG wanna say that they aren't pop child friendly music, they just don't use swear words because they, like you said make it sound tasteless.... at least thats my opinion.