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."
How's your son? (All, all, all the thang, thang)
He made the team this year? (All, all, the thang, thang)
Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough (all, all that glitters is not gold)
Ma, we here, we gon' cook this Sunday, okay? (And all gold is not reality)
So come by (real is what you lays on me)
That's your new girlfriend?
This is family business
And this is for the family that can't be with us
And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet
Like a photo of your granny's picture
Now that you're gone, it hit us
Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
Yeah, you heard the track I did, man, "This Can't Be Life"
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face
I even made you a plate, soul food, know how granny do it
Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it
When I brought it, why the guard have to look all to it?
As kids, we used to laugh
Who knew that life would move this fast?
Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
And look, you tell me you ain't did it, then you ain't did it
And if you did, then that's family business
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)
Yeah, yeah, this is family business
And this is for everybody standin' with us
Come on, let's take a family GRAMMY picture
Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me?
Now she like, "See, that's my cousin on TV"
Now, we gettin' it and we gon' make it
And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider
But when we get together be Electric Slidin'
Grandma, get 'em shook up
Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name
But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude
But every holiday nobody eatin' her food
And you don't wanna stay there 'cause them your worst cousins
Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins
Fit three in the bed if it's six of y'all
I'm talkin' 'bout three by the head and three by the leg
But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed
Rain, rain, rain, go away (uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (uh)
Rain, rain, rain, go away (yeah, yeah, uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (yeah)
I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without usin' nines and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the risin' sun
All my niggas from the Chi, is my family, dawg
And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dawg
I feel like one day you'll understand me, dawg
You can still love your man and be manly, dawg
You ain't gotta get heated at every housewarmin'
Sittin' here, grillin' people like George Foreman
Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'?
Second she storm out then he storms in
Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion
And drink some wine like Communion
And act like everything fine and if it isn't
We ain't lettin' everybody in our family business, uh
(All, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
(All, all that glitters is not gold, all gold is not reality)
They don't mean a thing, a thing (real is what you lays on me)
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)
All these things (all these things)
CLK Mercedes Benz
These things (all these things)
All these things (all these things)
All these things (these things)
A whole lotta money
All these things (all these things)
Mommy and daddy, can you please stop fighting?
These things (and I don't care about)
All these things (these things)
All these things (all these things)
These things
Let's get Stevie out of jail
He made the team this year? (All, all, the thang, thang)
Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough (all, all that glitters is not gold)
Ma, we here, we gon' cook this Sunday, okay? (And all gold is not reality)
So come by (real is what you lays on me)
That's your new girlfriend?
This is family business
And this is for the family that can't be with us
And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet
Like a photo of your granny's picture
Now that you're gone, it hit us
Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
Yeah, you heard the track I did, man, "This Can't Be Life"
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face
I even made you a plate, soul food, know how granny do it
Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it
When I brought it, why the guard have to look all to it?
As kids, we used to laugh
Who knew that life would move this fast?
Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
And look, you tell me you ain't did it, then you ain't did it
And if you did, then that's family business
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)
Yeah, yeah, this is family business
And this is for everybody standin' with us
Come on, let's take a family GRAMMY picture
Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me?
Now she like, "See, that's my cousin on TV"
Now, we gettin' it and we gon' make it
And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider
But when we get together be Electric Slidin'
Grandma, get 'em shook up
Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name
But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude
But every holiday nobody eatin' her food
And you don't wanna stay there 'cause them your worst cousins
Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins
Fit three in the bed if it's six of y'all
I'm talkin' 'bout three by the head and three by the leg
But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed
Rain, rain, rain, go away (uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (uh)
Rain, rain, rain, go away (yeah, yeah, uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (yeah)
I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without usin' nines and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the risin' sun
All my niggas from the Chi, is my family, dawg
And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dawg
I feel like one day you'll understand me, dawg
You can still love your man and be manly, dawg
You ain't gotta get heated at every housewarmin'
Sittin' here, grillin' people like George Foreman
Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'?
Second she storm out then he storms in
Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion
And drink some wine like Communion
And act like everything fine and if it isn't
We ain't lettin' everybody in our family business, uh
(All, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
(All, all that glitters is not gold, all gold is not reality)
They don't mean a thing, a thing (real is what you lays on me)
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)
All these things (all these things)
CLK Mercedes Benz
These things (all these things)
All these things (all these things)
All these things (these things)
A whole lotta money
All these things (all these things)
Mommy and daddy, can you please stop fighting?
These things (and I don't care about)
All these things (these things)
All these things (all these things)
These things
Let's get Stevie out of jail
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
Family Business Lyrics as written by Kanye West
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
who is stevie?