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."
Some were reborn
Some were simply shaken free
And some were the colors
That took to the streets
They found in those later years
They knew what we need
It's love for each other
And every living thing
And I hope my time (hope my time) is used
It's all my only and lonely time too
Some simply shaken free
Some were the colors
That took through the streets
They thought in those younger years
They knew what to do
They knew what to say
Had nothing to lose
Now pick up and pack up the place you were pink
And falling around
Dripping and crawling and clawing inside
You're missing some sounds
The ones that float, carry and dance about time
And space that it lends
Room to be free like the sun and the moon
Save for the sounds
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
We'll be reborn
Yeah, we'll simply be free
We'll be the colors
That pour through the streets
And find in there after years
We're all, we're all the same
We're all the colors
That pour through the streets
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Some were simply shaken free
And some were the colors
That took to the streets
They found in those later years
They knew what we need
It's love for each other
And every living thing
And I hope my time (hope my time) is used
It's all my only and lonely time too
Some simply shaken free
Some were the colors
That took through the streets
They thought in those younger years
They knew what to do
They knew what to say
Had nothing to lose
Now pick up and pack up the place you were pink
And falling around
Dripping and crawling and clawing inside
You're missing some sounds
The ones that float, carry and dance about time
And space that it lends
Room to be free like the sun and the moon
Save for the sounds
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
We'll be reborn
Yeah, we'll simply be free
We'll be the colors
That pour through the streets
And find in there after years
We're all, we're all the same
We're all the colors
That pour through the streets
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Take from the air, take to the streets, and I
Lyrics submitted by lendmeyourbrain
And I Lyrics as written by John Baldwin Gourley
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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,
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Take from the air, take to the streets and I?
It's as if he's letting you fill in the blank, "And I ____." I like to think I know what he fills that blank with.