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."
Meet you downstairs in the bar and heard
Your rolled up sleeves and your skull t-shirt
You say, "why did you do it with him today?"
And sniff me out like I was Tanqueray (yeah, yo)
Why you actin' like you're more trouble than Toney Starks?
You need to just walk away like Kelly Clarkson
I know we were free to sleep around town
But I figured you said that 'cause how I get down
Now, of course, you were out there messin' around
I would've told you
Once you ghost, you never go back
Try geein' me like I don't know how to mack
I'm a don, and
Top of the line I stay fly, and
Stop tryin'
To keep coverin' the lies, and
Using my credit cards to buy diamonds
We need to straighten this out
Get to the bottom of it all
Let's go before we start the war
Begin with two reasons why we need to talk
And stop poppin' up in my cribs all over New York, and
Death stalkin'
You such trouble and no good
Them fightin' words in my block, and we in the hood
I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Play me, play me, play me (nasty girl, nasty girl, nasty girl)
Try to play me (yeah)
Yo
A-yo, I knew you was trouble when I first laid eyes on you
Temperature so hot, the heat just rise with you
Lemme ride with you, talk about your mistakes
You cheated yourself, but these are the breaks
And it'll never be the same again 'cause of old boy
But, oh boy
Together we make so much joy
In the sands, and, oh, what a web we weave
But you played me so I had to roll up my sleeves
And hunt you down, holding the next man's stacks
Now you sorry and trying to bring that old thing back
Act like we can rekindle that flame
It's a shame
How you can't get me off the brain
He that lame
You love how I bring the pain
Got them rug burns stinging, and you saying my name
Say my name, uh
That's right, I'm high post
Get the champagne love, word up, we gonna toast
I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
Yeah, yo you had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl, girl
You can't leave the kid
You can't leave the kid
Don't worry, I'm gonna be around forever
Nasty girl
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever
Sweet reunion, Jamaica and Spain
We're like how we were again
I'm in the tub, you're on the seat
Lick your lips as I soak my feet
Yo, get to bath and bodyworks pumpin' the spice cream
Together like Cheech and Chong we make nice dreams
These fight scenes
I take the good with the bad
'Cause you give the best brains that I've ever had
Anything worth having is hard to keep
I love you like my coffee, so hot and so sweet
So let's stick it out so we never regret it
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
Yeah, ya know that I'm no good
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
Nasty girl, nasty girl
Try to play me
Nasty girl
You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl
Try to play me, try to play me
Nasty girl
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
Your rolled up sleeves and your skull t-shirt
You say, "why did you do it with him today?"
And sniff me out like I was Tanqueray (yeah, yo)
Why you actin' like you're more trouble than Toney Starks?
You need to just walk away like Kelly Clarkson
I know we were free to sleep around town
But I figured you said that 'cause how I get down
Now, of course, you were out there messin' around
I would've told you
Once you ghost, you never go back
Try geein' me like I don't know how to mack
I'm a don, and
Top of the line I stay fly, and
Stop tryin'
To keep coverin' the lies, and
Using my credit cards to buy diamonds
We need to straighten this out
Get to the bottom of it all
Let's go before we start the war
Begin with two reasons why we need to talk
And stop poppin' up in my cribs all over New York, and
Death stalkin'
You such trouble and no good
Them fightin' words in my block, and we in the hood
I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Play me, play me, play me (nasty girl, nasty girl, nasty girl)
Try to play me (yeah)
Yo
A-yo, I knew you was trouble when I first laid eyes on you
Temperature so hot, the heat just rise with you
Lemme ride with you, talk about your mistakes
You cheated yourself, but these are the breaks
And it'll never be the same again 'cause of old boy
But, oh boy
Together we make so much joy
In the sands, and, oh, what a web we weave
But you played me so I had to roll up my sleeves
And hunt you down, holding the next man's stacks
Now you sorry and trying to bring that old thing back
Act like we can rekindle that flame
It's a shame
How you can't get me off the brain
He that lame
You love how I bring the pain
Got them rug burns stinging, and you saying my name
Say my name, uh
That's right, I'm high post
Get the champagne love, word up, we gonna toast
I cheated myself
Like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
Yeah, yo you had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl, girl
You can't leave the kid
You can't leave the kid
Don't worry, I'm gonna be around forever
Nasty girl
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever
Don't forget it I'm a be around forever
Sweet reunion, Jamaica and Spain
We're like how we were again
I'm in the tub, you're on the seat
Lick your lips as I soak my feet
Yo, get to bath and bodyworks pumpin' the spice cream
Together like Cheech and Chong we make nice dreams
These fight scenes
I take the good with the bad
'Cause you give the best brains that I've ever had
Anything worth having is hard to keep
I love you like my coffee, so hot and so sweet
So let's stick it out so we never regret it
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
You know that I'm no good
I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told ya I was troubled
Yeah, ya know that I'm no good
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
Nasty girl, nasty girl
Try to play me
Nasty girl
You had to be a nasty girl and try to play me
Nasty girl
Try to play me, try to play me
Nasty girl
I could forgive the past, but I never forget it
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
What's 'lickle'?
"ikle" is how some girls (and Chris Evans) say "little".
Meet you dowstairs in the bar and hurt,<br /> Your rolled up sleeves in your skull t-shirt,<br /> You say 'What did you do with him today?',<br /> And sniffed me out like I was Tanqueray,<br /> 'Cause you're my fella my guy,<br /> Hand me your Stella and fly,<br /> By the time I'm out the door,<br /> You tear men down like Roger Moore,<br /> <br /> I cheated myself,<br /> Like I knew I would,<br /> I told you I was trouble,<br /> You know that I'm no good,<br /> <br /> Upstairs in bed with my ex boy,<br /> He's in da place but I can't get joy,<br /> Thinking on you in the final throes,<br /> This is when my buzzer goes,<br /> Run out to meet you, chips and pitta,<br /> You say 'were we married',<br /> 'cause you're not bitter,<br /> 'There'll be none of him no more',<br /> I cried for you on the kitchen floor,<br /> <br /> I cheated myself,<br /> Like I knew I would,<br /> I told you I was trouble,<br /> You know that I'm no good,<br /> <br /> Sweet reunion Jamaica and Spain,<br /> We're like how we were again,<br /> I'm in the tub, you on the seat,<br /> Lick your lips as I soap my feet,<br /> Then you notice likkle(little) carpet burn,<br /> My stomach drop, yeah, and my guts churn,<br /> You shrug and it's the worst,<br /> To truly stuck the knife in farther (or first)<br /> <br /> I cheated myself,<br /> Like I knew I would,<br /> I told you I was trouble,<br /> You know that I'm no good,<br /> <br /> I cheated myself,<br /> Like I knew I would,<br /> I told you I was trouble,<br /> You know that I'm no good. <br /> <br /> This is how I understand the lyrics. Having read the comments and listening to the song many times..
it's jamaican creole for the word little