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."
Lets begin with the past in front and all the things that you really don't care about now
You'd be exactly where I'm at
And to think you've got a grip well, look at yourself your lips are like two flaps of fat
They go front and back and flappidy flappidy flap
I'm on stage its all an act, I'm really scared that I may fall back on the abstract
It'd be exactly where I'm at
If you're to be
The roaming eye well pry it open and let me tell you why it sees
The harsh realities
Lets begin with the past in front and all the things that you really don't care about now
You'd be exactly where I'm at
You'd be exactly where I'm at
And to think you've got a grip well, look at yourself your lips are like two flaps of fat
They go front and back and flappidy flappidy flap
I'm on stage its all an act, I'm really scared that I may fall back on the abstract
It'd be exactly where I'm at
If you're to be
The roaming eye well pry it open and let me tell you why it sees
The harsh realities
Lets begin with the past in front and all the things that you really don't care about now
You'd be exactly where I'm at
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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,
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.
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.
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.
I'm not sure, but this sounds to me like some kind of psychodelic trip. When people go on trips on shrooms, mescaline, LSD, or whatever, they often stop caring about the things that they used to. The roaming eye sees the harsh realities while when he's in his trip and just looking at specific things not trying to find meaning or get a "grip" he realized what he really cares about and where he's at. The flappity flap is saying that the person not tripping (probably a symbol for most people) are talking about nonsense and the stuff that doesn't really matter at all. When people are on a trip they are known to say stuff like "this is where i'm at"