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."
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Grindin' to see if they can see me lean
I'm tint, so it ain't easy to be seen
When you see me ride by, they can see the gleam
And my shine on the deck and the TV screen
And I'm ridin' with a new chick, she like, "Hold up"
Next to the PlayStation controller
Is a full clip and my pistola
Turn a jacker into a coma
Girl you ain't know, I'm crazy like Krayzie Bone
Just tryin' to bone, ain't tryin' to have no babies
Ride clean as hell so I pull in ladies
Law's on patrol, and you know they hate me
Music turned all the way up until the maximum
I can speak for some niggas tryin' to jack for some
But we packin' somethin' that we have for 'em
Will have a nigga locked up in the maximum
Security cell, I'm grippin' oak (oak)
Music loud and tippin' slow (slow)
Twin's steady twistin' like, "Hit this though"
Police pull up right behind and it's in his throat
The windows down, gotta stop pollution
CD change, niggas like, "Who is that producing?"
This the Play-N-Skillz when we out and cruisin'
Got warrants in every city except Houston, but I'm still ain't losin'
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
I been drinkin' and smokin'
Holy shit 'cause I really can't focus
I gotta get it home 'fore the po-po's scope this big ol' Excurs'
Just swerved, all up in the curve and
Nigga been sippin' on that Hennessey and the gin again
It's in again, we in the wind
Doin' a hundred while I puff on the blunt
And rollin' another one up, we livin' like we ain't givin' a fuck
I got a blunt up in my right hand
40-ounce on my lap freezin' my balls
Roll another tree, green leaves and all
Comin' pretty deep, me and my dogs
Yo, I gotta hit the back streets
Wonderin' 'bout the six pounds and I got heat
Glock, Glock shots to the block, we creep creep
Pop-pop, hope cops don't see me, on the low key
With no regard for the law, we dodge 'em like, "Fuck 'em all"
But I won't get caught up and brought up on charges for none of y'all
Keep a gun in car, and a blunt to spark
Roll it up if you want, and get it poppin', dawg
Ready or not, we bust shots off in the air, Krayzie Bone and Chamillionaire
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Now would you think it's so? I tried to let you go
Turn on my blinker light and then I swang it slow
And they upset for sho', 'cause they think they know
That they catchin' me with plenty of the drank and dro
So they get behind me tryin' to check my tags
Look at my rear-view and they smilin'
Thinkin' they'll catch me on the wrong well keep tryin' (keep tryin')
'Cause they denyin' that it's racial profilin'
Houston, Texas, you can check my tags (tags)
Pull me over try to check my slab (slab)
Glove compartment, gotta get my cash
'Cause the crooked cops try to come up fast
And bein' the baller that I am, I talk to them
Givin' a damn about 'em not feelin' my attitude
When they realize I ain't even ridin' dirty
Bet you'll be leavin' with an even madder mood
I'ma laugh at you and then I have to cruise
Jammin' number two on some old DJ Screw
You can't arrest me, plus you can't sue
This a message to the laws tell 'em, "We hate you"
I can't be touched or tell 'em that they shoulda known
Tippin' down, sittin' crooked on my chrome
Bookin' my phone, findin' a chick I wanna bone
Like they couldn't stop me, I'm 'bout to pull up at your home, and it's on
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
(Oh shit, damn man)
(Goddamn nigga)
(Damn, my arm, nigga, my arm stuck in the wheel)
(Damn, man, I done spilled my drink, man)
(My bad, I was tryna take a picture of that broad with my picture phone)
(And my hand slipped off the wheel)
(Dang, man)
(Are y'all alright?)
(I can't get the door open, man) (do y'all need a doctor?)
(Call the doctor, I need another prescription)
(Damn, I done spilled my drink)
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Grindin' to see if they can see me lean
I'm tint, so it ain't easy to be seen
When you see me ride by, they can see the gleam
And my shine on the deck and the TV screen
And I'm ridin' with a new chick, she like, "Hold up"
Next to the PlayStation controller
Is a full clip and my pistola
Turn a jacker into a coma
Girl you ain't know, I'm crazy like Krayzie Bone
Just tryin' to bone, ain't tryin' to have no babies
Ride clean as hell so I pull in ladies
Law's on patrol, and you know they hate me
Music turned all the way up until the maximum
I can speak for some niggas tryin' to jack for some
But we packin' somethin' that we have for 'em
Will have a nigga locked up in the maximum
Security cell, I'm grippin' oak (oak)
Music loud and tippin' slow (slow)
Twin's steady twistin' like, "Hit this though"
Police pull up right behind and it's in his throat
The windows down, gotta stop pollution
CD change, niggas like, "Who is that producing?"
This the Play-N-Skillz when we out and cruisin'
Got warrants in every city except Houston, but I'm still ain't losin'
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
I been drinkin' and smokin'
Holy shit 'cause I really can't focus
I gotta get it home 'fore the po-po's scope this big ol' Excurs'
Just swerved, all up in the curve and
Nigga been sippin' on that Hennessey and the gin again
It's in again, we in the wind
Doin' a hundred while I puff on the blunt
And rollin' another one up, we livin' like we ain't givin' a fuck
I got a blunt up in my right hand
40-ounce on my lap freezin' my balls
Roll another tree, green leaves and all
Comin' pretty deep, me and my dogs
Yo, I gotta hit the back streets
Wonderin' 'bout the six pounds and I got heat
Glock, Glock shots to the block, we creep creep
Pop-pop, hope cops don't see me, on the low key
With no regard for the law, we dodge 'em like, "Fuck 'em all"
But I won't get caught up and brought up on charges for none of y'all
Keep a gun in car, and a blunt to spark
Roll it up if you want, and get it poppin', dawg
Ready or not, we bust shots off in the air, Krayzie Bone and Chamillionaire
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Now would you think it's so? I tried to let you go
Turn on my blinker light and then I swang it slow
And they upset for sho', 'cause they think they know
That they catchin' me with plenty of the drank and dro
So they get behind me tryin' to check my tags
Look at my rear-view and they smilin'
Thinkin' they'll catch me on the wrong well keep tryin' (keep tryin')
'Cause they denyin' that it's racial profilin'
Houston, Texas, you can check my tags (tags)
Pull me over try to check my slab (slab)
Glove compartment, gotta get my cash
'Cause the crooked cops try to come up fast
And bein' the baller that I am, I talk to them
Givin' a damn about 'em not feelin' my attitude
When they realize I ain't even ridin' dirty
Bet you'll be leavin' with an even madder mood
I'ma laugh at you and then I have to cruise
Jammin' number two on some old DJ Screw
You can't arrest me, plus you can't sue
This a message to the laws tell 'em, "We hate you"
I can't be touched or tell 'em that they shoulda known
Tippin' down, sittin' crooked on my chrome
Bookin' my phone, findin' a chick I wanna bone
Like they couldn't stop me, I'm 'bout to pull up at your home, and it's on
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
(Oh shit, damn man)
(Goddamn nigga)
(Damn, my arm, nigga, my arm stuck in the wheel)
(Damn, man, I done spilled my drink, man)
(My bad, I was tryna take a picture of that broad with my picture phone)
(And my hand slipped off the wheel)
(Dang, man)
(Are y'all alright?)
(I can't get the door open, man) (do y'all need a doctor?)
(Call the doctor, I need another prescription)
(Damn, I done spilled my drink)
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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,
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.
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.
chamillionaire is demonstrably riding clean while krayzie bone is not.
i agree that the message would have been more powerful had the song not included bone's verse, which i think detracts from what cha is trying to say about hpd's corruption. it sends a mixed message in that while cha is unfairly treated by law enforcement, bone doesn't really have an excuse in the context of lawful behavior vs. corrupt police racially profiling. in fact, the entire chorus seems to counter what bone is saying; the police are profiling in the attempt to pin drug charges on a young black male (trying to catch him "riding dirty") without success, while if krayzie were pulled over he would surely be justifiably (by american law standards) arrested.
to those who assert that chamillionaire was, in fact, ridin' dirty: "Ride clean as hell, so I pull in ladies/Laws on patrol and you know they hate me" "Cause they think they know/that they catchin me with plenty of the drank and dro' (No)" "When they realize I ain't even ridin dirty/Bet you'll be leavin with an even madder mood" "You can't arrest me"
in conclusion, cha was not ridin' dirty. krayzie bone was.