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."
I want the world to wake
I want to give you peace
I want to vindicate
You need to be released
Don't want to hurt you
I need to make you see
If I desert you
It's just to make you see
That I'm a man that's weak
And I'm a man that's lost
I gave it all away
To complicate the cost
Don't want to hurt you
I need to make you see
If I desert you
It's just to make you see
I'm not going to hurt you now
I need to make you see
If I desert you now
It's just to make you see
I want you to be free
I want you to be free from me
I want to give you peace
I want to vindicate
You need to be released
Don't want to hurt you
I need to make you see
If I desert you
It's just to make you see
That I'm a man that's weak
And I'm a man that's lost
I gave it all away
To complicate the cost
Don't want to hurt you
I need to make you see
If I desert you
It's just to make you see
I'm not going to hurt you now
I need to make you see
If I desert you now
It's just to make you see
I want you to be free
I want you to be free from me
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
BEST SONG EVER!!! Why has nobody posted on this??? (Basic Meaning: You're better off without me)
Its about the way women are treated (in some countries). Forced to wear tons of clothing and disguise their beauty. If you have Tangents, the background to this song is in there.
I saw Jeff talk about this in an interview, this was written to his ex girlfriend and how he ignored her and treated her lousy while he was mired in a sort of depressed place that music this great often comes from. This song was written partly as an apology/explanation to her. "I want you to be free from me"
you're better off without me = correct. congratulations, you win a stuffed pony! stuffed with agony and anguish... but at least it's nice and fluffy and pink.
enjoy~
This is the only page on the internet containing the words, "you win a stuffed pony". Doesn't anyone care?
This song is a classic for me. All Tea Party & Jeff Martin emotionals songs are excellent btw. I also think he means that they're both gonna have a better life without each other. That's exactly how I feel about my girlfriend and ex-girlfriend. I tried to say it several times to my actual girlfriend, be she doesn't want to hear it.
This song is hittin' like a ton of bricks. Exactly as I feel about my boyfriend right now. As much as it hurts me to bear the thought of losing him, I can't see any other way than to let him go. I don't think he's happy with me anymore, and would rather him be free.