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."
'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Tryin' to make ends meet
You're a slave to money then you die
I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
But I'm a million different people from
One day to the next i can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Have you ever been down?)
Well I've never prayed, but tonight
I'm on my knees, yeah
I need to hear some sounds that
Recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let
It cleanse my mind, i feel free now
But the airwaves are clean and there's
Nobody singing to me now
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from
One day to the next i can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no have you ever been down?
I can't change it you know, I can't change it
'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony
That's life trying to make ends meet
Trying to find some money, then you die
I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
You know I can change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from
One day to the next
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
You've gotta change my mould, no, no, no
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and silence)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence)
(It's just sex and silence
Melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence) been down
Ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence) ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
Ever been down ever been down
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Tryin' to make ends meet
You're a slave to money then you die
I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
But I'm a million different people from
One day to the next i can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Have you ever been down?)
Well I've never prayed, but tonight
I'm on my knees, yeah
I need to hear some sounds that
Recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let
It cleanse my mind, i feel free now
But the airwaves are clean and there's
Nobody singing to me now
No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from
One day to the next i can't change my mould
No, no, no, no, no have you ever been down?
I can't change it you know, I can't change it
'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony
That's life trying to make ends meet
Trying to find some money, then you die
I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet, yeah
You know I can change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mould
I am here in my mould
And I'm a million different people from
One day to the next
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no
You've gotta change my mould, no, no, no
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and silence)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence)
(It's just sex and silence
Melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only
Road I've ever been down)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence) been down
Ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
(It's just sex and violence
Melody and violence) ever been down
(I can't change my mould, no, no, no, no, no)
Ever been down ever been down
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Have you ever been down?
Lyrics submitted by ColdenScence, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Bitter Sweet Symphony Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.
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Bitter Sweet Symphony (feat. Richard Ashcroft) (Verve cover) song meanings
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Yeah its done @ Live8