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."
Say, say, my playmate
Won't you lay hands on me
Mirror my malady
Transfer my tragedy?
Got a curse I cannot lift
Shines when the sunset shifts
When the moon is round and full
Gotta bust that box, gotta gut that fish (my mind's aflame)
We could jet in a stolen car
But I bet we wouldn't get too far
Before the transformation takes
And blood lust tanks and
Crave gets slaked
My mind has changed
My body's frame, but, God, I like it
My heart's aflame
My body's strained, but, God, I like it
My mind has changed
My body's frame, but, God, I like it
My heart's aflame
My body's strained, but, God, I like it
Charge me your day rate
I'll turn you out in kind
When the moon is round and full
Gonna teach you tricks
That will blow your mongrel mind
Baby doll, I recognize
You're a hideous thing inside
If ever there were a lucky kind
It's you, you, you, you
I know it's strange, another way to get to know you
You'll never know unless we go, so let me show you
I know it's strange, another way to get to know you
We've got 'til noon, here comes the moon
So let it show you
Show you now
Dream me, oh, dreamer
Down to the floor
Open my hands and let them weave onto yours
Feel me, completer
Down to my core
Open my heart and let it bleed onto yours
Feeding on fever
Down on all-fours
Show you what all the howling is for
Hey, hey, my playmate
Let me lay waste to thee
Burned down their hanging trees
It's hot, hot, hot, hot here
Got a curse we cannot lift
Shines when the sunset shifts
There's a curse comes with a kiss
The bite that binds, the gift that gives
Now that we got gone for good
Writhing under your riding hood
Tell your grandma and your mama too
It's true, true, true, true
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
Won't you lay hands on me
Mirror my malady
Transfer my tragedy?
Got a curse I cannot lift
Shines when the sunset shifts
When the moon is round and full
Gotta bust that box, gotta gut that fish (my mind's aflame)
We could jet in a stolen car
But I bet we wouldn't get too far
Before the transformation takes
And blood lust tanks and
Crave gets slaked
My mind has changed
My body's frame, but, God, I like it
My heart's aflame
My body's strained, but, God, I like it
My mind has changed
My body's frame, but, God, I like it
My heart's aflame
My body's strained, but, God, I like it
Charge me your day rate
I'll turn you out in kind
When the moon is round and full
Gonna teach you tricks
That will blow your mongrel mind
Baby doll, I recognize
You're a hideous thing inside
If ever there were a lucky kind
It's you, you, you, you
I know it's strange, another way to get to know you
You'll never know unless we go, so let me show you
I know it's strange, another way to get to know you
We've got 'til noon, here comes the moon
So let it show you
Show you now
Dream me, oh, dreamer
Down to the floor
Open my hands and let them weave onto yours
Feel me, completer
Down to my core
Open my heart and let it bleed onto yours
Feeding on fever
Down on all-fours
Show you what all the howling is for
Hey, hey, my playmate
Let me lay waste to thee
Burned down their hanging trees
It's hot, hot, hot, hot here
Got a curse we cannot lift
Shines when the sunset shifts
There's a curse comes with a kiss
The bite that binds, the gift that gives
Now that we got gone for good
Writhing under your riding hood
Tell your grandma and your mama too
It's true, true, true, true
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
We're howling forever, oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by SphagnumEsplanade, edited by Uranium, Icarus42, shadowboxerxxx, rosieroys
Wolf Like Me Lyrics as written by Jaleel Bunton Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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'Baby doll I recognize, you're a hideous thing inside."
Love that line, and of course the entire song. I've listened to it about 50 times this week. (: