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."
Cut myself open wide
Breach inside
Help yourself
To all I have to give
And then you help yourself again
And then complain
That you didn't like the way
I put the knife in wrong
You didn't like the way
My blood spilled on your brand new floor
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
Sacrifice my life
Neglect my kids and wife
All for you to be happy
All those sleepness nights
And countless fights to give you more
And then you say how dare that
I didn't write you back
I must be too good for you
I only care about myself
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
Breach inside
Help yourself
To all I have to give
And then you help yourself again
And then complain
That you didn't like the way
I put the knife in wrong
You didn't like the way
My blood spilled on your brand new floor
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
Sacrifice my life
Neglect my kids and wife
All for you to be happy
All those sleepness nights
And countless fights to give you more
And then you say how dare that
I didn't write you back
I must be too good for you
I only care about myself
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much
Of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
The meaning of the song is rather obvious. And from what I've read on forums, some of DT's fans are very polarized and borderline savage in their criticism. As jk_addict said way back at the top, a lot of DT's longtime fans are ticked that they go into heavier territory, while others aren't satisfied unless they have the heavier stuff, and ignore all of it.
It's the sort of thing that happens with groups that are as musically diverse as DT. They have a different sound with just about every album, so each one picks up a different set of fans. Some of them will go to DT's previous stuff and find new things they like, and others will say "Well, this isn't like [name of favorite DT album] so it's crap."
The thing is, just to take the music for what it is. While Images and Words and Awake are two favorite albums, I like the fact that their subsequent albumns are different. It's what makes them fresh and vital, and keeps them from just recycling the same sound over and over like the majority of mainstream groups do. Just my $0.02.