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."
I see the spirit moving in the very fabric of the universe
I tell you so
You see the power in your hands
To ease the suffering of a dying child
You tell me so
I reach for stars
But you are keeping both feet firmly planted
On the ground
Or so I've found
I wrestle with eternal questions
You wrestle with the here and now
Cause you're here now
It breaks my heart that your alluring eyes
Are blind to what I see
It's tragic that the quests that move our lives
Are just so different
But I could draw you into my heart
If your eyes weren't closed to me
And I would draw you into the world
Behind the one you see
If I could speak my mind
Then I could take you to secret places only ours to find
Your spirit longs to breathe
If only you'd believe
(la la la nah nah nah la la)
I look for miracles
And search for the miraculous along my way
You seem to say
The opposite is true for you
You just seem satisfied with what you find each day
Your life's ok
Your spirit's lost and wandering in the sand
I swear I hear your voice
Crying save me from the desert
Take my hand
Lead me to water
But I could draw you into my heart
If your eyes weren't closed to me
And I could draw you into the world
Behind the one you see
If I could speak my mind
Then I would take you to secret places only ours to find
Your spirit longs to breathe
If only you'd believe
I tell you so
You see the power in your hands
To ease the suffering of a dying child
You tell me so
I reach for stars
But you are keeping both feet firmly planted
On the ground
Or so I've found
I wrestle with eternal questions
You wrestle with the here and now
Cause you're here now
It breaks my heart that your alluring eyes
Are blind to what I see
It's tragic that the quests that move our lives
Are just so different
But I could draw you into my heart
If your eyes weren't closed to me
And I would draw you into the world
Behind the one you see
If I could speak my mind
Then I could take you to secret places only ours to find
Your spirit longs to breathe
If only you'd believe
(la la la nah nah nah la la)
I look for miracles
And search for the miraculous along my way
You seem to say
The opposite is true for you
You just seem satisfied with what you find each day
Your life's ok
Your spirit's lost and wandering in the sand
I swear I hear your voice
Crying save me from the desert
Take my hand
Lead me to water
But I could draw you into my heart
If your eyes weren't closed to me
And I could draw you into the world
Behind the one you see
If I could speak my mind
Then I would take you to secret places only ours to find
Your spirit longs to breathe
If only you'd believe
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
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/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
For anyone that listens to this song, and is religious, and actually took the time to look up the lyrics and go through them...they will know this song is about God in every way.
"I see the spirit moving in the very fabric of the universe,I tell you so. You see the power in your hands to ease the suffering of a dying child,You tell me so."
Clearly that is a relationship between God and man. God see's the universe, or the spirit moving in the universe, and we see the power to ease the suffering of a dying child. It's the vision that God see's and the vision that humans see.
"You wrestle with a turn of questions, i wrestle with the hear and now,But you're here now."
That passage was written wrong. The lyrics are "I wrestle with ETERNAL questions. You wrestle with the here and now, cuz your here now."
By writing it the other way it makes the song sound like it's meaning is completely different, perhaps a song of love. And it is a song of love...but a song of love for God.
"But i could draw you into my heart if your eyes weren't closed to me."
That passage is so obvious that it's about God and how he wants us to love him but for some of us our eyes are closed to Him. He wants us to open our eyes to Him and he wants to draw us into his heart. And it's not literally draw...he wants to persuade us into his hearts, to guide us.
"Your spirit longs to breathe, if only you'll believe."
That is another obvious passage. Our spirits long for something more, for eternal happiness, and if we want that all we had to do is believe in Him.
"If i could speak my mind, then i would take you to secret places only ours to find."
The passage above is also wrong. Its suppose to be "If i could speak my mind, then i would take you to secret places only YOURS to find."
Again by mixing up the lyrics it is making it seem like it's a song of true love or lost love or whatever. That passage is meant to portray how God will show you things you've never seen before. God can give you a whole new sense of life and give you happiness like you've never known.