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."
I'll tell you now
And I won't tell you twice
Where, when, and how
I got some bad advice
I never thought I could handle
A girl with guns
And let me tell you
You can bet that I'm not the only one
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't get your back against the wall
Shoot straight, I can't wait
Aim for the heart and fire away
I've come around
I understand today
And she's the target now
I'm gonna have my way
Everybody said
Don't go messing with a girl with guns
They don't need you
They couldn't love you
They couldn't be any fun
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
An innocent bystander
Who forgets to look both ways
Who never tries to understand her
Won't feel the heat 'til it's too late
So I tell you
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, I can't wait
Aim for the heart and fire away
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
Yeah
Give it to me
Come on!
And I won't tell you twice
Where, when, and how
I got some bad advice
I never thought I could handle
A girl with guns
And let me tell you
You can bet that I'm not the only one
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't get your back against the wall
Shoot straight, I can't wait
Aim for the heart and fire away
I've come around
I understand today
And she's the target now
I'm gonna have my way
Everybody said
Don't go messing with a girl with guns
They don't need you
They couldn't love you
They couldn't be any fun
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
An innocent bystander
Who forgets to look both ways
Who never tries to understand her
Won't feel the heat 'til it's too late
So I tell you
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, I can't wait
Aim for the heart and fire away
Stand tall, don't think small
Don't put your back against the wall
Shoot straight, don't wait
To fire away
Yeah
Give it to me
Come on!
Lyrics submitted by Major Valor, edited by BeautyUntamed
Girls With Guns Lyrics as written by Tommy R. Shaw
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
Zombie
Cranberries, The
Cranberries, The
"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
What guy isn't into a girl who likes guns? It's every guy's dream to have a chick who loves guns, fast cars, and video games. The sad fact is, any girl who is into that stuff is probably not playing for the same team. It's the same for women. How many women have thought that they found Mr. Wonderful only to realize he was using her to get to her brother. YIKES!
My dad got my into this song. I think it's about this guy who was in love with a girl, but she ends up being stong-minded and independent. She probably verbally attacks the guy, it seems. Lie, he has to be careful of what he's saying, and he has to stand up for himself or whatever. I'm probably completely wrong.
Tommy Shaw wrote this as an homage to strong women, which is a trait he has said he definitely admires.
Seems like the idea is that "girl with gun" is a gal who's doesn't follow which way the wind blows, and doesn't play coy either, but instead is headstrong and decisive enough to set her sights on the fella she wants and is willing to follow through with pursuing him. To go on further, this can be intimidating for a fella - intimidating enough that he'd dodge her for someone less forward. But according to Tommy's account, it's her willingness to pursue him that's awakened his own forthrightness, and it has lead to great things for both of them down the line.
Frankly, I can’t believe how many think this song has anything to do with firearms. How could you possibly not understand what Shaw is talking about when he says aim for the heart and fire away. Here’s a not so subtle hint Guns = Breast. Shaw’s doing the shooting not the girl. I suppose you had to be alive in the decade in question to get that point.