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."
Verse 1:
I saw him shaking his change in a coffee cup
Asked for a dollar but I told the man to give it up
Said he's hungry, I don't think that it's true
Bet my dollar he gon' spend it on booze
I turned my back on him and began to walk away
But then I heard the little voice inside me say
What if it's really true, what if he's hungry?
What if it's not for him, does he have a family?
Pre-chorus:
How'd you get here?
How'd you end up on the street?
Where did it go wrong?
Wonder what I'd do if it were me!
A new point of view
A walk in your shoes
I wish I could get inside your head
To see what you see
When you look at me
'Cause I could've lived your life instead
Verse 2:
It was 90 degrees in the summer heat
She was veiled in black all the way down to her feet
This is America, doesn't she know?
Somebody take her shopping, buy her some cloths
She came up to me, I didn't understand a word
I was about to leave then another thought occurred
She might be really lost, scared and frustrated
I should try again to see what she's sayin'
Pre-chorus 2:
How'd you get here?
How'd you get so far from home?
What was it that made you leave?
Wonder what I'd do if it were me!
A new point of view
A walk in your shoes
I wish I could get inside your head
To see what you see
When you look at me
'Cause I could've lived your life instead
I would see, oh oh
Oh, see what you see
And I would feel
Oh, feel just what you feel
Chorus (x2)
'Cause I could've lived your life instead (x2)
I saw him shaking his change in a coffee cup
Asked for a dollar but I told the man to give it up
Said he's hungry, I don't think that it's true
Bet my dollar he gon' spend it on booze
I turned my back on him and began to walk away
But then I heard the little voice inside me say
What if it's really true, what if he's hungry?
What if it's not for him, does he have a family?
Pre-chorus:
How'd you get here?
How'd you end up on the street?
Where did it go wrong?
Wonder what I'd do if it were me!
A new point of view
A walk in your shoes
I wish I could get inside your head
To see what you see
When you look at me
'Cause I could've lived your life instead
Verse 2:
It was 90 degrees in the summer heat
She was veiled in black all the way down to her feet
This is America, doesn't she know?
Somebody take her shopping, buy her some cloths
She came up to me, I didn't understand a word
I was about to leave then another thought occurred
She might be really lost, scared and frustrated
I should try again to see what she's sayin'
Pre-chorus 2:
How'd you get here?
How'd you get so far from home?
What was it that made you leave?
Wonder what I'd do if it were me!
A new point of view
A walk in your shoes
I wish I could get inside your head
To see what you see
When you look at me
'Cause I could've lived your life instead
I would see, oh oh
Oh, see what you see
And I would feel
Oh, feel just what you feel
Chorus (x2)
'Cause I could've lived your life instead (x2)
Lyrics submitted by dancesosexual
Instead Lyrics as written by Sean Syed Hosein Dane Anthony Deviller
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Dude this song is so how I think sometimes!
This is a rock - christain song. To me, it means that she needs to not judge people. It follows along with a verse in the bible about thinking about their point of view. Like the song says, "a new point of view"!