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."
This is my last song about myself, about my friends
Found something else to sing
Try and patch it up with tape and twine
Maybe I'll just break everything that's mine
They wheeled out my casket,
They said, "Boy, lay down your head"
I said, "Aw shit, man, I ain't even dead"
I won't be buried for I'm...
My friend, who's a real yo-yo
She's always crying, and no one knows why
She's gonna be alright
Lost her past in a fuzzy fire
Wasn't even drunk, just a little tired last night
And they took her to the doctor
To fix her heart, and heal her head
She said, "Goddamn, I'm tired of being polite
Go save somebody else"
Friend of mine drank something fine,
Choked to death before his time, last night
He said, "I found that thing you really need"
Come on, you can't breathe alright
Everyone'll be there at the burial in your head
And a tear or two, they shed
Then they're gonna go digging in your hole
And find someone else instead
Make someone else feel dead instead
Oh, he didn't like people much at all
Tasted better with alcohol
You know how that one goes
He realized he'd missed his whole life
Kissed his dog and shot his wife last night
And they pulled him to a preacher
He said, "Pray 'Our Father' prayers"
He said, "Aw shit, man, I don't even care
Oh, I ain't did nothing"
Reckless ruin is killing high
A great, fine victory we're still alive
My, my, what a surprise
I got home late, I don't care
Better late than never, dear
They took her to the prison
Sat across from him, and sighed
She said, "Fuck you, I wanted just to die
How come you, baby boy, you
You can't do a damn thing right
You can't do any damn thing right"
This is my last song I write inside
Going out, find somewhere else to hide
Late at night on an empty street
Ain't anyone I know walking beside me
I ain't done a damn thing right
But oh, I'll try, before I die
How 'bout tonight
They wheeled out my casket,
They said, "Boy, lay down your head"
I said, "Believe me, I wish that I was dead"
But as long as I've been running
While this world exploded in this big hole in my head
But as long as I've been running
Well, I might just keep it coming
To someone else instead
Oh, you, baby boy, you
You can't do a damn thing right
You can't do any damn thing right
Found something else to sing
Try and patch it up with tape and twine
Maybe I'll just break everything that's mine
They wheeled out my casket,
They said, "Boy, lay down your head"
I said, "Aw shit, man, I ain't even dead"
I won't be buried for I'm...
My friend, who's a real yo-yo
She's always crying, and no one knows why
She's gonna be alright
Lost her past in a fuzzy fire
Wasn't even drunk, just a little tired last night
And they took her to the doctor
To fix her heart, and heal her head
She said, "Goddamn, I'm tired of being polite
Go save somebody else"
Friend of mine drank something fine,
Choked to death before his time, last night
He said, "I found that thing you really need"
Come on, you can't breathe alright
Everyone'll be there at the burial in your head
And a tear or two, they shed
Then they're gonna go digging in your hole
And find someone else instead
Make someone else feel dead instead
Oh, he didn't like people much at all
Tasted better with alcohol
You know how that one goes
He realized he'd missed his whole life
Kissed his dog and shot his wife last night
And they pulled him to a preacher
He said, "Pray 'Our Father' prayers"
He said, "Aw shit, man, I don't even care
Oh, I ain't did nothing"
Reckless ruin is killing high
A great, fine victory we're still alive
My, my, what a surprise
I got home late, I don't care
Better late than never, dear
They took her to the prison
Sat across from him, and sighed
She said, "Fuck you, I wanted just to die
How come you, baby boy, you
You can't do a damn thing right
You can't do any damn thing right"
This is my last song I write inside
Going out, find somewhere else to hide
Late at night on an empty street
Ain't anyone I know walking beside me
I ain't done a damn thing right
But oh, I'll try, before I die
How 'bout tonight
They wheeled out my casket,
They said, "Boy, lay down your head"
I said, "Believe me, I wish that I was dead"
But as long as I've been running
While this world exploded in this big hole in my head
But as long as I've been running
Well, I might just keep it coming
To someone else instead
Oh, you, baby boy, you
You can't do a damn thing right
You can't do any damn thing right
Lyrics submitted by sarahplaysguitar
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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.
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.
This song... I can't even explain. I am stunned that so few people are aware of this guy, he is so talented. I've heard he's unreliable and well, drunk, live so maybe that has something to do with it. But, still.
I just saw him live last week in Toronto, and though he was a little drunk on stage it didn't hurt his playing. I also had the good fortune of talking with him after wards, and he is one of the most down to earth guys I have ever met, he was just surprised people came to his show.