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."
some art’s just like a teacup,
when you’re looking for a beer
some art, some art, it scares you and some,
some art’s about the fear.
some art is a highbrow thing
some art’s about the eyebrow ring
some art’s about the tattoo
some art’s about the artist
and that art’s not meant for you:
but my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
no, my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art’s ecclesiastes,
some art’s about the sin
some art it seems just heavenly
and that’s great if it lets you in.
some art’s all multi-colored til it goes behind the scene
it comes out all multi-corporate
then it only comes in green:
but my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art’s a one-hit wonder why
they think we’re deaf and dumb
it’s like the disciples at the last supper
if God fed ‘em bubble gum.
some art’s a pedigree whitewash,
a cryptic clean cover-up
my art don’t need no ivory badge to back up
what’s in its gut:
my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
no, my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art don’t care about you,
what you say or what you do
my art’s the Mona Lisa
and she’s looking straight at you.
my art wears the same clothes seven days a week
cause my art don’t seem to care about
what other people think.
some art’s real nice to look at,
some art’s all neat and clean
my art forgot her tampon
and she’s bleeding through her jeans.
my art forgot her tampon
and she’s bleeding through her jeans
yeah, my art don’t need no tampon
she’ll just bleed through your dreams:
my art’s just made like that
my art’s just meant for that
my art’s just built like that
yeah, my art’s just dressed for that
my art’s just made like that
my art’s just meant for that
my art’s just built like that
my heart’s just
built like that.
when you’re looking for a beer
some art, some art, it scares you and some,
some art’s about the fear.
some art is a highbrow thing
some art’s about the eyebrow ring
some art’s about the tattoo
some art’s about the artist
and that art’s not meant for you:
but my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
no, my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art’s ecclesiastes,
some art’s about the sin
some art it seems just heavenly
and that’s great if it lets you in.
some art’s all multi-colored til it goes behind the scene
it comes out all multi-corporate
then it only comes in green:
but my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art’s a one-hit wonder why
they think we’re deaf and dumb
it’s like the disciples at the last supper
if God fed ‘em bubble gum.
some art’s a pedigree whitewash,
a cryptic clean cover-up
my art don’t need no ivory badge to back up
what’s in its gut:
my art’s not made like that
my art’s not meant for that
no, my art’s not built like that
my art’s not dressed for that.
some art don’t care about you,
what you say or what you do
my art’s the Mona Lisa
and she’s looking straight at you.
my art wears the same clothes seven days a week
cause my art don’t seem to care about
what other people think.
some art’s real nice to look at,
some art’s all neat and clean
my art forgot her tampon
and she’s bleeding through her jeans.
my art forgot her tampon
and she’s bleeding through her jeans
yeah, my art don’t need no tampon
she’ll just bleed through your dreams:
my art’s just made like that
my art’s just meant for that
my art’s just built like that
yeah, my art’s just dressed for that
my art’s just made like that
my art’s just meant for that
my art’s just built like that
my heart’s just
built like that.
Lyrics submitted by Menstruation
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