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."
Deep under the surface I keep the love.
Older and aware of a hidden universe.
I pray to be young and pray to be inspired.
Words of your tongue blister like fire.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
There is a glimpse of death in your eye's.
I'm not prepared to let out those cries.
I plead to stay young soon will be expired.
So lost in denial.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
Reach in her womb shelter from strived.
Baring the gifts, burdens of life.
I pray to stay young but soon will be expired.
The age of innocence long sense gone.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
Fools who for looking back word.
Chose to live as statues frozen fracture.
Youthful laughter.
Older and aware of a hidden universe.
I pray to be young and pray to be inspired.
Words of your tongue blister like fire.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
There is a glimpse of death in your eye's.
I'm not prepared to let out those cries.
I plead to stay young soon will be expired.
So lost in denial.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
Reach in her womb shelter from strived.
Baring the gifts, burdens of life.
I pray to stay young but soon will be expired.
The age of innocence long sense gone.
I can't let you go.
Slow down don't leave.
Dying days of my youth.
Over take me.
Fools who for looking back word.
Chose to live as statues frozen fracture.
Youthful laughter.
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Mountain Song
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How does anyone get this to be about a couple or a relationship? You clearly haven't followed these guys from their very early days. Jesse's lyrics are much enigmatic than that—but out of all of their songs, Dying Youth is perhaps the most self-explanatory.
Like the title suggests, the song is about getting older and realising that you're slowly losing hold of something precious, something you'll never get back: your youth. It's about self-reflection, reflecting over life and acknowledging that you, too, will cease to exist some day ('older and aware of a hidden universe').
"I can't let you go, slow down, don't leave." The chorus is directed at youth. Here, youth is subjectified. He's not ready to let go of those joyful days, yet he's come to the realisation that ultimately everyone's powerless against time;
"Those who are looking backwards chose to live as statues". So the only thing we can do is to not wail over our lost days and not get stuck in past mistakes (hence the 'live as statues') but to forgive ourselves, move forward and acknowledge that life will end for everyone, we'll just have to pray "to be inspired" and at the least pray to stay young at mind.