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."
Pulling down the blinds, blocks what's left of the
Stars
So I'm tripping over bottles, tracing footsteps in the
Dark
Tomorrow would be a great day for broken glass
There are men in this room, who would pay for this
Missed calls to say I missed the morning's most.
You can't talk about it, you can't talk about it
Keeping (we) secrets (we) playing (can't talk about it)
Witches
Our bodies stretched out, our bodies stretched out
Casting sudden spells is not the answer
We'll build ourselves on hope and progress
Wake in water says your eyes wide terrified
We'll build ourselves on hope and fortune
I wouldn't say
Wouldn't say it, to your face, I'm sure
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one (SURE!)
It talks about confidence, I'll give it a month if I'm
Lucky
I'm not that lucky, and these t-shirts don't fold
Themselves
But he falls asleep on her shoulder
Every shift they spend together, which is most nights
You can't talk about it, you can't talk about it
Keeping (we) secrets (we) playing (can't talk about it)
Witches
Your bodies stretched out, our bodies stretched out
Casting sudden spells is not the answer
We'll build ourselves on hope and progress
Wake in water says your eyes wide terrified
We'll build ourselves on hope and something
I wouldn't say
Wouldn't say it, to your face, I'm sure
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one (SURE!)
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
It talks about confidence, I'll give it a month if I'm
Lucky
You're jealous friends have gotta get laid
The only thing that's stopping you is more of the same
Yeah you get it, you feel it, emotions, attention
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Stars
So I'm tripping over bottles, tracing footsteps in the
Dark
Tomorrow would be a great day for broken glass
There are men in this room, who would pay for this
Missed calls to say I missed the morning's most.
You can't talk about it, you can't talk about it
Keeping (we) secrets (we) playing (can't talk about it)
Witches
Our bodies stretched out, our bodies stretched out
Casting sudden spells is not the answer
We'll build ourselves on hope and progress
Wake in water says your eyes wide terrified
We'll build ourselves on hope and fortune
I wouldn't say
Wouldn't say it, to your face, I'm sure
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one (SURE!)
It talks about confidence, I'll give it a month if I'm
Lucky
I'm not that lucky, and these t-shirts don't fold
Themselves
But he falls asleep on her shoulder
Every shift they spend together, which is most nights
You can't talk about it, you can't talk about it
Keeping (we) secrets (we) playing (can't talk about it)
Witches
Your bodies stretched out, our bodies stretched out
Casting sudden spells is not the answer
We'll build ourselves on hope and progress
Wake in water says your eyes wide terrified
We'll build ourselves on hope and something
I wouldn't say
Wouldn't say it, to your face, I'm sure
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one (SURE!)
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
It talks about confidence, I'll give it a month if I'm
Lucky
You're jealous friends have gotta get laid
The only thing that's stopping you is more of the same
Yeah you get it, you feel it, emotions, attention
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Your life is a song, your life is a song
Your life is a song, but not this one
Lyrics submitted by simon_quine
Eyes Wide Terrified Lyrics as written by Junior Elvis Washingto Laidley Alexander Richard Berrow
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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,
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I'm gonna look MAJOR geek now but...
I read in an article that Alexei was briefly 'obsessed' about putting "or something" into the lyrics of this song.... So I reckon that it's not 'hope and something', it's 'hope OR something' very small pedantic not BUT Alexei clearly wanted it that way for a reason :-)