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."
Don't
Be...
Silent
Fight
(Violence, mêlées, & disturbances of the peace)
Here's your introduction to destruction
& the hate sustaining me
Are we safer or in danger?
Drowning in atrocities?
Riot gear, the slaves are here
Piling corpses high
Its the rich man's war
But its the poor that fight
More capitalist crimes,
More enemies than allies
No WMD's, who gives a fuck
If they die
Just kill em all, watch em fall
Skin the world with their lies
Its a rich man's war
But its the poor that fight
[Chorus]
Stand up
Speak out
Strike back
Stand up
Speak out
Strike back
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Verse 2]
My religion of resistance
Challenging everything
Radicals & dissidents
Of creativity
We are the children
Of the siege you hide
In this rich man's war
Where the poor just die
More deception & greed
More wars & disease
More lies from the hive mind
That seek to deceive
A weak nation of need
Like silent thieves in the night
Its a rich man's war
But it's the poor that die
[Chorus]
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Bridge]
This is my
Battle cry!
Defy the lies
Of the tyrant race
With a fist in the air
& a finger in their face!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
[Chorus]
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Outro]
There's no
Way they
Can stop us
Now
So let them try
We fight or we die
Be...
Silent
Fight
(Violence, mêlées, & disturbances of the peace)
Here's your introduction to destruction
& the hate sustaining me
Are we safer or in danger?
Drowning in atrocities?
Riot gear, the slaves are here
Piling corpses high
Its the rich man's war
But its the poor that fight
More capitalist crimes,
More enemies than allies
No WMD's, who gives a fuck
If they die
Just kill em all, watch em fall
Skin the world with their lies
Its a rich man's war
But its the poor that fight
[Chorus]
Stand up
Speak out
Strike back
Stand up
Speak out
Strike back
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Verse 2]
My religion of resistance
Challenging everything
Radicals & dissidents
Of creativity
We are the children
Of the siege you hide
In this rich man's war
Where the poor just die
More deception & greed
More wars & disease
More lies from the hive mind
That seek to deceive
A weak nation of need
Like silent thieves in the night
Its a rich man's war
But it's the poor that die
[Chorus]
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Bridge]
This is my
Battle cry!
Defy the lies
Of the tyrant race
With a fist in the air
& a finger in their face!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
Defy the tyrants!
Don't be silent!
[Chorus]
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
Stand, fight
Speak, fight
Strike back!
They don't know
What they started
Confrontation
[Outro]
There's no
Way they
Can stop us
Now
So let them try
We fight or we die
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not bad instrumentally...lyrically this song sucks. yeah political songs can be very good...if written well. This song, however, is not. it's like otep just watched the news one evening and took notes about the war.
''its a rich man's war but it's the poor that die''
mentioned several times in the song...and in about how many others as well. as far as the ''political rock'' aspect goes...this song doesn't push the boundaries at all.
as far as this band goes warhead is their anthem and shits all over this song.