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."
Sail to the stars on your shining desires.
"Reasons? there are none" cried the whisky laden brain.
"When all is said and done it amounts to just the same".
There in your starry eyes lie hopes that have been betrayed.
The cause of your desire can also lead to your demise.
When all is said and done it will be you who pays the price
As countless fools are often loathe to testify
"It's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise".
Sail to the stars on your shining desires.
Lucretia waits in vain for the child of her dreams.
Within her aching womb there burns a funeral pyre.
There in your starry eyes lie hopes that have been betrayed.
The prize that you claim can never be yours to take
Like castles in Spain, hope is all that will remain.
Abstain from the fools paradise, it's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise.
Fools are often loathe to testify "it's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise".
Contemplate the world and it's traitors to the soul.
The forces of derision and their legions manifold.
Usurpers of the crown, all pretenders to the throne,
Your world is linked in chains "All in one, One in all".
"Reasons? there are none" cried the whisky laden brain.
"When all is said and done it amounts to just the same".
There in your starry eyes lie hopes that have been betrayed.
The cause of your desire can also lead to your demise.
When all is said and done it will be you who pays the price
As countless fools are often loathe to testify
"It's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise".
Sail to the stars on your shining desires.
Lucretia waits in vain for the child of her dreams.
Within her aching womb there burns a funeral pyre.
There in your starry eyes lie hopes that have been betrayed.
The prize that you claim can never be yours to take
Like castles in Spain, hope is all that will remain.
Abstain from the fools paradise, it's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise.
Fools are often loathe to testify "it's an illusion of life, the whole cause of our demise".
Contemplate the world and it's traitors to the soul.
The forces of derision and their legions manifold.
Usurpers of the crown, all pretenders to the throne,
Your world is linked in chains "All in one, One in all".
Lyrics submitted by jaaames, edited by IniquitatisRex
The Cardinal Sin Lyrics as written by Gus Ferguson Brendan Michael Perry
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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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.
Lucretia being mentioned in this song is key point here; about Lucretia, she was a semi legendary figure in Roman history
Oops my comment got cut off: more on Lucretia :her rape by the Etruscan king's son and consequent suicide were the immediate cause of the revolution that overthrew the monarchy and established the Roman Republic.
To me this song is in that respect one that speaks of lust crimes and crimes done mindlessly in the midst of alcohol & drug abuse "Reasons? There are none" cried the whisky laden brain . Lucretia an example of the height of corruption & crime that was inflicted, better judgement often clouded & usurped by alcohol & drugs as well as just greed and lust. Rape is a cardinal sin in my opinion especially against a woman but most certainly a man too. This song explores sin against the highest moral scale. How the guilty sinner would just go about there ways in disregard of who they may hurt (sail to the stars on your shining desires) speaks to allowing ones darkes lust & desires to lead the way as opposed to better judgement. In conclusion, the song is brilliant & a cautionary tale. Remarkably written lyrically and hauntingly beautiful musically.
@EternalTearsOfSorrow 6 years later but I appreciate your comment if you ever do see this. Dead Can Dance offers something that out right almost doesn't exist now. A mishmash of eclectic genres into something wholly unique and amazing with lryics that have incredibly deep meaning, Im rambling, anyways thank you for your comment.