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."
Most nights it just takes like a smile and shake
And I believe in the bodies
And I've met with the blood
I went with Hallelujah and she didn't say a thing
She just wiped at her nose and then she winked
And I've been with the cops
And I've been with the squares
And I went with Saint Deborah of defeat and depression
She put her hand up on my shoulder and then she just kinda stood there
She said call me 212 Margarita
Because I'm salty and I'm sour and I've had too much tequila
And I've been with short tempers
And I get behind the sharp knives
I believed the shots in the distance to be cold hard facts
Ringing out against the radios and the speaker stacks
And I've been with the hoodrats
I've been with all the hangers-on
I stayed out 'till dawn with a raunchy magazine launch
I hit the open bar and I got myself all turned on
Calling 612 Bloody Mary
Because she's nice and she's spicy and she's my only sure shot at recovery
She said call me 612 Bl-argarita
Because I'm green and I'm misleading and I've had too much tequila
Leave a message at the Motel 6
And if you're feeling better
We could maybe get together
If you even want to see me anymore
We'll be in town on a three night stint
And if you're really sick
Maybe we can get some soup together
I know we've been sick before
And I believe in the bodies
And I believe in the blood
I believe on salt along the rims of the glasses
'Cause that makes us thirsty
And when we drink then we all fall in love
And I believe in the bodies
And I believe in the blood
I believe in the salt on the rims of the glasses
'Cause that makes us thirsty
And when we drink then we all fall in love
And I believe in the bodies
And I've met with the blood
I went with Hallelujah and she didn't say a thing
She just wiped at her nose and then she winked
And I've been with the cops
And I've been with the squares
And I went with Saint Deborah of defeat and depression
She put her hand up on my shoulder and then she just kinda stood there
She said call me 212 Margarita
Because I'm salty and I'm sour and I've had too much tequila
And I've been with short tempers
And I get behind the sharp knives
I believed the shots in the distance to be cold hard facts
Ringing out against the radios and the speaker stacks
And I've been with the hoodrats
I've been with all the hangers-on
I stayed out 'till dawn with a raunchy magazine launch
I hit the open bar and I got myself all turned on
Calling 612 Bloody Mary
Because she's nice and she's spicy and she's my only sure shot at recovery
She said call me 612 Bl-argarita
Because I'm green and I'm misleading and I've had too much tequila
Leave a message at the Motel 6
And if you're feeling better
We could maybe get together
If you even want to see me anymore
We'll be in town on a three night stint
And if you're really sick
Maybe we can get some soup together
I know we've been sick before
And I believe in the bodies
And I believe in the blood
I believe on salt along the rims of the glasses
'Cause that makes us thirsty
And when we drink then we all fall in love
And I believe in the bodies
And I believe in the blood
I believe in the salt on the rims of the glasses
'Cause that makes us thirsty
And when we drink then we all fall in love
Lyrics submitted by chairmanroflmao
212-Margarita Lyrics as written by Franz Alexander Nicolay Craig Finn
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
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,
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212 is Manhattan's area code 612 is Minneapolis'.