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."
Colors confuse you
Light in your eyes will abuse you
You are weak and hollow
Blinded by beliefs that I cannot swallow
The world will condemn you
Your beliefs will release but never defend you
You are cold but you boil
You are lower than dirt but not worth the soil
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
But I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
So tell me what were you thinking?
Can't blame it on drugs, can't blame it on drinking
Can't say we'll forgive it
Cross burning and blazes for the worst kind of bigot
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
And I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
Yeah I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
And the martyrs run like thieves
While hang men dangle from trees
But you won't feel a thing
I can't believe that your last name is King
But I heard God
I heard God's black
So what you gonna do when you're up against that?
Think He's got a noose ready for you?
Think He's got a chain and a truck and He's bullshit at you?
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
But I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
Yeah I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around
I'll be dancing around when you're gone
Light in your eyes will abuse you
You are weak and hollow
Blinded by beliefs that I cannot swallow
The world will condemn you
Your beliefs will release but never defend you
You are cold but you boil
You are lower than dirt but not worth the soil
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
But I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
So tell me what were you thinking?
Can't blame it on drugs, can't blame it on drinking
Can't say we'll forgive it
Cross burning and blazes for the worst kind of bigot
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
And I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
Yeah I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
And the martyrs run like thieves
While hang men dangle from trees
But you won't feel a thing
I can't believe that your last name is King
But I heard God
I heard God's black
So what you gonna do when you're up against that?
Think He's got a noose ready for you?
Think He's got a chain and a truck and He's bullshit at you?
So believe in yourself
Because far behind the bars you'll have nobody else
And the hall to a dead man's cell is long
But I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around when you're gone
Yeah I'll be the one in the pink sweater
Dancing around
I'll be dancing around when you're gone
Lyrics submitted by delial
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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