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."
Do you think, think
Everything, everyone is going mental?
It seems to me we're spiraling
Out of control and it's inevitable
Now don't you think
This time is yours, this time is mine?
It's temperamental
It seems to me, we're on all fours
Crawling on our knees, someone help us please
Oh, Jesus Christ, Almighty
Do I feel alright? No, not slightly
I wanna get a flat, I know I can't afford it
It's just the bureaucrats that won't give me a mortgage
It's very funny 'cause I got your fucking money
And I'm never gonna get it just 'cause of my bad credit
Oh well, I guess I mustn't grumble
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Don't you want something else
Something new, than what we got here?
And don't you feel it's all the same
Some sick game, and it's so insincere?
I wish I could change the ways of the world
Make it a nice place
Until that day, I guess we stay
Doing what we do, screwing who we screw
Why can't I sleep at night?
Don't say "it's gonna be alright"
I wanna be able to eat spaghetti Bolognese
And not feel bad about it for days and days and days
All the magazines, they talk about weight loss
If I buy those jeans, I can look like Kate Moss
I know it's not the life that I chose
But I guess it's just the way that things go
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Oh, Jesus Christ, Almighty
Do I feel alright? No, not slightly
I wanna get a flat, I know I can't afford it
It's just the bureaucrats that won't give me a mortgage
It's very funny 'cause I got your fucking money
And I'm never gonna get it just 'cause of my bad credit
Oh well, I guess I mustn't grumble
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
But I guess that's just the way that things go
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
But I guess that's just the way that things go
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
Everything, everyone is going mental?
It seems to me we're spiraling
Out of control and it's inevitable
Now don't you think
This time is yours, this time is mine?
It's temperamental
It seems to me, we're on all fours
Crawling on our knees, someone help us please
Oh, Jesus Christ, Almighty
Do I feel alright? No, not slightly
I wanna get a flat, I know I can't afford it
It's just the bureaucrats that won't give me a mortgage
It's very funny 'cause I got your fucking money
And I'm never gonna get it just 'cause of my bad credit
Oh well, I guess I mustn't grumble
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Don't you want something else
Something new, than what we got here?
And don't you feel it's all the same
Some sick game, and it's so insincere?
I wish I could change the ways of the world
Make it a nice place
Until that day, I guess we stay
Doing what we do, screwing who we screw
Why can't I sleep at night?
Don't say "it's gonna be alright"
I wanna be able to eat spaghetti Bolognese
And not feel bad about it for days and days and days
All the magazines, they talk about weight loss
If I buy those jeans, I can look like Kate Moss
I know it's not the life that I chose
But I guess it's just the way that things go
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Oh, yes, I'm fine
And everything's just wonderful
I'm having the time of my life
Oh, Jesus Christ, Almighty
Do I feel alright? No, not slightly
I wanna get a flat, I know I can't afford it
It's just the bureaucrats that won't give me a mortgage
It's very funny 'cause I got your fucking money
And I'm never gonna get it just 'cause of my bad credit
Oh well, I guess I mustn't grumble
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
But I guess that's just the way that things go
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
But I guess that's just the way that things go
I suppose it's just the way the cookie crumbles
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Two corrections:
It seems to me We're spiralling Outta control And it's inevitable
Now don't you think ....
("And it's inevitable" is not INSTEAD OF "don't you think" as two people have said - the line's simply been left out of the posted lyrics)
Oh yes, I'm fine
(booklet says "yeah" instead of "yes", but the next word is "I'm" not "so" in any case)