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."
Lie. no more than shadow's. to be forgotten. fade away in time. no more than shadow's. they're dreams will never come to pass. trapped by your web of ignorance. trapped by you web. your web of lies. too much pain. too much anguish already endured. more fear than a person should feel in a single lifetime. and they've come so far. given it all for this second chance. on second chance at life. hollow man. you've gone to far. secure in your safe little world. you have no idea the amount of pain you cause. since when is a child a risk to your security. your razor wire and red tape killed they're dreams.
Lyrics submitted by Gutter
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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,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
why no-one post on this song its awesome? go aussie hardcore ima aussie we rule muhauha
99% sure that this is about a man who murdered a child. Most likely a specific case that Winston wrote about, but I don't really know.
I believe "Hollow Man" would be referring to his lack of emotion. Someone who cannot feel sorrow, regret, remorse.
I really don't know for sure, so if I sound like an idiot right now, I apologize.
I polished these a bit to make it easier for people to read.
Lies. No more than shadows to be forgotten. Fade away in time. No more than shadows. Their dreams will never come to pass. Trapped by your web of ignorance. Trapped by your web. Your web of lies. Too much pain. Too much anguish already endured. More fear than a person should feel in a single lifetime. And they've come so far. Given it all for this second chance. One second chance at life. Hollow man. You've gone too far. Secure in your safe little world. You have no idea the amount of pain you cause. Since when is a child a risk to your security? Your razor wire and red tape killed their dreams.
I think it has to do with immigration of some sort. The last line really outlines the whole song. "Red tape" is a term for excessive work that basically stalls anything from being done in a federal bureaucracy. Razor wire can be interpreted as the fences of a prison. The song speaks of people seeking of a second chance at life from a life once filled with anguish. However, they get imprisoned because immigration, and there is basically no way out because red tape will not help. Look up the McCarran act during the 50's and it might make a little more sense. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, idk.