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."
Ollie told me I'm a fool
So I walked on down the road a mile
Went to the house that brings a smile
Sat upon my grandpa's knee
And what do you think he said to me?
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Ollie showed me the fork in the road
You can take to the left or go straight to the right
Use your days and save your nights,
Be careful where you step, and watch wha-cha eat
Sleep with the light on and you got it beat
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Ollie warned me it's a mean old world
The street don't greet ya, yes, it's true
But what am I supposed to do
Read the writing on the wall
I heard it when I was very small
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Wash my hand in lye water
I got a date with the captain's daughter
You can go and tell your brother
We sure gonna love one another
Oh
You may be right and ya might be wrong
I ain't gonna worry all day long
Snow's gonna come and the frost gonna bite
My old car froze up last night
Ain't no reason to hang my head
I could wake up in the mornin' dead
Oh, oh, oh, oh
And if I thought it would do any good
I'd stand on the rock where Moses stood
So I walked on down the road a mile
Went to the house that brings a smile
Sat upon my grandpa's knee
And what do you think he said to me?
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Ollie showed me the fork in the road
You can take to the left or go straight to the right
Use your days and save your nights,
Be careful where you step, and watch wha-cha eat
Sleep with the light on and you got it beat
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Ollie warned me it's a mean old world
The street don't greet ya, yes, it's true
But what am I supposed to do
Read the writing on the wall
I heard it when I was very small
When you awake you will remember everything
You will be hangin' on a string from your
When you believe
You will relieve the only soul that you were born with
To grow old and never know
Wash my hand in lye water
I got a date with the captain's daughter
You can go and tell your brother
We sure gonna love one another
Oh
You may be right and ya might be wrong
I ain't gonna worry all day long
Snow's gonna come and the frost gonna bite
My old car froze up last night
Ain't no reason to hang my head
I could wake up in the mornin' dead
Oh, oh, oh, oh
And if I thought it would do any good
I'd stand on the rock where Moses stood
Lyrics submitted by hari66, edited by AudioMonkey
When You Awake Lyrics as written by Robbie Robertson Richard Manuel
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
how has nobody commented on this. fucking incredible lyrics/song
I love this song and so on and so on.
Seems like he's getting advice from his grandpa who is near death. I think "awaking" here is death. When you die you "relieve your soul" which you were born with, and unfortunately, you'll never really get to know yourself, spiritually or something.
The thing with the hanging by a string, I'm not sure I get that one, is he talking about literally being hanged?
But from the last verse, I think the message is pretty clearly to live every day like it could be your last, etc., and the last line about Moses, I thinking he's saying he doesn't really care about religion. I think that's kinda cool, since it's a pretty gospel chorus; the juxtaposition is interesting.
@DRO1539 I agree with all you've written [even the lack of understanding of "hanging on a string"], but want to offer this modified understanding: awakening regards letting go of one's attachment to the mortal world; and, thereby, freeing oneself from its grip--this requires belief in something more significant<br />
@DRO1539 I agree with this, except the line about Moses sounds to me like the author saying that one can't change God's will no matter what they do. The "hanging on a string" always makes me think of a person's soul leaving their body, like when a person dies on the operating table and they can see everything that's going on from above their own body.
amen to that, somethingphishy. no surprise though, people have no taste in music.
Wish i knew exactly what this songs all about.
@AlkalineTrioFan Interesting, "AlkalineTrioFan" thinks that people have no taste in music.