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."
She's always funny in the morning
She isn't always funny in the night
Once she gets a couple of drinks in
She's probably gonna tell you
You ain't doing anything right
And then you'll roll your eyes
And then you'll probably fight
She made the drinks in adoration
She gets pretty wasted at the celebrations
Benefits and the building dedications
It's always sunny in the morning
Sucks around the ending of the night
When she storms out of the restaurant
I think you're supposed to chase her to the lights
One boy hits her like a tambourine
Another dissing me on her message machine
Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
One boy calls while the other texts
She's got boys on board and boys on deck
Second dates and lipstick tissues
New York is pretty heavy
Girl, I hope it doesn't crush you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
Second dates and lipstick tissues
New York is pretty heavy
Girl, I hope it doesn't crush you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
She isn't always funny in the night
Once she gets a couple of drinks in
She's probably gonna tell you
You ain't doing anything right
And then you'll roll your eyes
And then you'll probably fight
She made the drinks in adoration
She gets pretty wasted at the celebrations
Benefits and the building dedications
It's always sunny in the morning
Sucks around the ending of the night
When she storms out of the restaurant
I think you're supposed to chase her to the lights
One boy hits her like a tambourine
Another dissing me on her message machine
Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
I hope you'll still let me kiss you
One boy calls while the other texts
She's got boys on board and boys on deck
Second dates and lipstick tissues
New York is pretty heavy
Girl, I hope it doesn't crush you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
Second dates and lipstick tissues
New York is pretty heavy
Girl, I hope it doesn't crush you
(Magazines and daddy issues
I know you're pretty pissed
I hope you'll still let me kiss you)
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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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
OMG, I think this song is about my ex-wife.
Girls got problems. I love this song though. Who hasn't fallen for a girl like this?
I think the point of the song is that the girl DOESN'T have problems; she thinks she does. There's a heavy dose of sarcasm from the narrator here.
My interpretation is that it's about a girl who's hanging out with a bunch of different guys, and he's cool with it as long as he gets to be one and gets to spend time with her because he's into her.
Chorus is fantastic. Love the pairing of magazines and daddy issues - seemingly unrelated but just seem flow together perfectly during this song.
The missing line is "She mainly trades in adoration."
Also, I love the line "New York is pretty heavy/Girl, I hope it doesn't crush you" and, along with the Lifter Puller song "NYC Kool" ("I guess your tonsils must've tasted like the Pine-Sol/In the back macking pack after pack of twenty menthols/coughing up that New York City cool"), it pretty much sums up my thoughts on the city.
The girl clearly drinks too much, but no one cares. At "the building dedications", everyone loves her, despite the fact that she's drunk.
I love that chick. Her name is "Kathryn", in my life at least.