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."
Yeah B
Talk yo' shit
(Partner let me upgrade you)
How you gon' upgrade me what's higher than number one?
You know I used to beat that block
Now I be's the block (partner let me upgrade you)
I hear you be the block, but I'm the lights that keep the streets on
Notice you the type, that like to keep them on a leash though
I'm known to walk alone, but I'm alone for a reason
Sending me a drink ain't appeasing, believe me
Come harder, this won't be easy
Don't doubt yourself trust me, you need me
This ain't no shoulder with a chip, or an ego
But what you think they all mad at me for?
You need a real woman in your life (that's a good look)
Taking care, home and still fly (that's a good look)
And I'ma help you build up your account (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
When you're in them big meetings, for the mills (that's a good look)
You take me just to complement the deals (that's a good look)
And anything you cop, I'll split the bill (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars-Piguet you
Switch your neck ties to purple labels
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up), lett me (up) grade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and upgrade you
I can (up), can I? (Up), let me, upgrade you?
Partner, let me upgrade you
I can do for you, what Martin did for the people
Ran by the men, but the women keep the tempo
It's very seldom, that you're blessed to find your equal
Still played my part and let you take the lead role, believe me
I'll follow, this could be easy
I'll be the help, whenever you need me (you need me)
I see your hustle with my hustle, I can keep you
Focused on your focus, I can feed you
You need a real woman in your life (that's a good look)
Taking care, home and still fly (that's a good look)
I can help you build up your account (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
When you're in the big meetings, for the mills (that's a good look)
You take me just to complement the deals (that's a good look)
Anything you cop, I'll split the bill (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me I can upgrade you (ladies that's a good look)
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars-Piguet you
Switch your neckties to purple labels (have you rocking purple labels)
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up), let me (up) grade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and (uh) Upgrade (HOV) You
I can (up), (uh), can I? (Up), let me, (HOV), upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Uh huh, I be's the d-boy, who infiltrated all the corporate dudes
They call shots, I call audibles
Jacob the Jeweler, baubles, Lauraine Schwartz, oughta do
It's big balling baby, when I'm courting you
I'm talking spy bags, and fly pads, and
Rooms at the Bloomberg, and rumors you on the verge
Of a new merge, 'cause that rock on ya finger'ss like a tumor
You can't fit ya hand in ya new purse
It's humorous, to me they watching and we just yachting
Island hopping off the Amalfi coast
Mafios, oh baby, you ever seen Saturn?
No, not the car, but everywhere we are
You're sure to see stars, this is high level not eye level
My bezel, courtesy of Audemars
I order yours tomorrow, now look at the time I saved you
Mama, let me upgrade you
Just when you think we had it all
Big ends, condos, collecting cars
Picture your life elevating with me
Make you my project celebrity I keep your name hot in them streets
And it's that little glimpse of light that makes that diamond really shine
And you already is a star, but
Unless you're flawless
Then ya dynasty ain't complete without a chief, like me
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you
Switch your neckties to purple labels
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up) let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and upgrade you
I can (up), can I? (Up), let me, upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you, upgrade you
Audemars Piguet watch, dimples in ya necktie
Hermès briefcase, Cartier tie clips
Silk-lined blazers, diamond creamed facials
Vvs cuff-links, six-star pent suites
Partner, let me, upgrade ya, 'grade ya
Partner, partner, let me, upgrade you, 'grade you
Let me, let me, let me, upgrade you, 'grade you
Partner, partner, partner, let me upgrade you
Talk yo' shit
(Partner let me upgrade you)
How you gon' upgrade me what's higher than number one?
You know I used to beat that block
Now I be's the block (partner let me upgrade you)
I hear you be the block, but I'm the lights that keep the streets on
Notice you the type, that like to keep them on a leash though
I'm known to walk alone, but I'm alone for a reason
Sending me a drink ain't appeasing, believe me
Come harder, this won't be easy
Don't doubt yourself trust me, you need me
This ain't no shoulder with a chip, or an ego
But what you think they all mad at me for?
You need a real woman in your life (that's a good look)
Taking care, home and still fly (that's a good look)
And I'ma help you build up your account (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
When you're in them big meetings, for the mills (that's a good look)
You take me just to complement the deals (that's a good look)
And anything you cop, I'll split the bill (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars-Piguet you
Switch your neck ties to purple labels
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up), lett me (up) grade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and upgrade you
I can (up), can I? (Up), let me, upgrade you?
Partner, let me upgrade you
I can do for you, what Martin did for the people
Ran by the men, but the women keep the tempo
It's very seldom, that you're blessed to find your equal
Still played my part and let you take the lead role, believe me
I'll follow, this could be easy
I'll be the help, whenever you need me (you need me)
I see your hustle with my hustle, I can keep you
Focused on your focus, I can feed you
You need a real woman in your life (that's a good look)
Taking care, home and still fly (that's a good look)
I can help you build up your account (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me (ladies that's a good look)
When you're in the big meetings, for the mills (that's a good look)
You take me just to complement the deals (that's a good look)
Anything you cop, I'll split the bill (that's a good look)
Better yet a hood look, believe me I can upgrade you (ladies that's a good look)
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars-Piguet you
Switch your neckties to purple labels (have you rocking purple labels)
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up), let me (up) grade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and (uh) Upgrade (HOV) You
I can (up), (uh), can I? (Up), let me, (HOV), upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Uh huh, I be's the d-boy, who infiltrated all the corporate dudes
They call shots, I call audibles
Jacob the Jeweler, baubles, Lauraine Schwartz, oughta do
It's big balling baby, when I'm courting you
I'm talking spy bags, and fly pads, and
Rooms at the Bloomberg, and rumors you on the verge
Of a new merge, 'cause that rock on ya finger'ss like a tumor
You can't fit ya hand in ya new purse
It's humorous, to me they watching and we just yachting
Island hopping off the Amalfi coast
Mafios, oh baby, you ever seen Saturn?
No, not the car, but everywhere we are
You're sure to see stars, this is high level not eye level
My bezel, courtesy of Audemars
I order yours tomorrow, now look at the time I saved you
Mama, let me upgrade you
Just when you think we had it all
Big ends, condos, collecting cars
Picture your life elevating with me
Make you my project celebrity I keep your name hot in them streets
And it's that little glimpse of light that makes that diamond really shine
And you already is a star, but
Unless you're flawless
Then ya dynasty ain't complete without a chief, like me
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you
Switch your neckties to purple labels
Upgrade you, I can (up), can I? (Up) let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you
Flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and upgrade you
I can (up), can I? (Up), let me, upgrade you
Partner, let me upgrade you, upgrade you
Audemars Piguet watch, dimples in ya necktie
Hermès briefcase, Cartier tie clips
Silk-lined blazers, diamond creamed facials
Vvs cuff-links, six-star pent suites
Partner, let me, upgrade ya, 'grade ya
Partner, partner, let me, upgrade you, 'grade you
Let me, let me, let me, upgrade you, 'grade you
Partner, partner, partner, let me upgrade you
Lyrics submitted by AxMelodicxClash
Upgrade U Lyrics as written by Willie James Clarke Solange Knowles
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
purple label is a clothing line by ralph lauren.