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."
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil”
"In the face of this great tragedy, I ask you to join me"
“War is not my first choice - War’s my first choice”
“And I know he is with me in spirit. This is my solemn pledge.”
Through all these years the truth has been a stranger to me
We met many times but never got to know each other
I was used and fed with lies by who I thought were you
I left my way of life to be all you said were true
Now all this sadness washes over me and I feel like I'm drowning
I tried to call for help, but the only thing I could feel was misery...
I did now want to walk alone through this barren wasteland
You turned your back on me when I reached out
It's all clear to me, it's you who choose to leave us here
There's no use in looking back since I know you won't appear
“May God grant us wisdom”
“of good versus evil, but good will prevail.”
“God is near”
“We hope everybody follows”
The Lord’s Prayer”
“...and this is good for America”
"I am the lord thy god..."
Blindly I would follow you as you preached to me your truth
I climbed your mountain a million times
I was told I needed you to behold your enlightened view
I know now there is nothing there to see
I renounce your divinity
Slowly I woke up, slowly I saw
The lies you told faded away
A water was rising, the water was truth
It washed away the dirt of you as it washed away all that was true
Now all this sadness washes over me and I feel like I'm drowning
I've tried to call for help but the only thing I can feel is misery...
I hope that sadness washes over you and you find yourself drowning
And when you call for help from the ones you hurt, the answer will be one of silence...
“Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.”
"In the face of this great tragedy, I ask you to join me"
“War is not my first choice - War’s my first choice”
“And I know he is with me in spirit. This is my solemn pledge.”
Through all these years the truth has been a stranger to me
We met many times but never got to know each other
I was used and fed with lies by who I thought were you
I left my way of life to be all you said were true
Now all this sadness washes over me and I feel like I'm drowning
I tried to call for help, but the only thing I could feel was misery...
I did now want to walk alone through this barren wasteland
You turned your back on me when I reached out
It's all clear to me, it's you who choose to leave us here
There's no use in looking back since I know you won't appear
“May God grant us wisdom”
“of good versus evil, but good will prevail.”
“God is near”
“We hope everybody follows”
The Lord’s Prayer”
“...and this is good for America”
"I am the lord thy god..."
Blindly I would follow you as you preached to me your truth
I climbed your mountain a million times
I was told I needed you to behold your enlightened view
I know now there is nothing there to see
I renounce your divinity
Slowly I woke up, slowly I saw
The lies you told faded away
A water was rising, the water was truth
It washed away the dirt of you as it washed away all that was true
Now all this sadness washes over me and I feel like I'm drowning
I've tried to call for help but the only thing I can feel is misery...
I hope that sadness washes over you and you find yourself drowning
And when you call for help from the ones you hurt, the answer will be one of silence...
“Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.”
Lyrics submitted by Idan, edited by Octavarium64
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