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."
And you told me that it wont make sense, you said that I was out of my mind
But you know a fog like that, and love will make you change your mind
A card-carrying lip gloss tease, a cell phone and some magazines
But that'll never make it right, 'cause I think for myself tonight.
Well do you really want to know? No, I really didn't think so. No, no, no.
If you tell the truth it's ok, and he said "This is all I want, but I refuse to take my best shot"
(This isn't what I want, so I'll take my best shot). It's such a shame that he'd say.
It's such a shame, but that's ok.
And friendship is built on something more (Let me know what that is) then a hundred shows across this prairie state. Oh, I'll fall in love a hundred times every single Friday night to the sound and the lights
Well count me in to games un-played.
Eastern dreams, stay serene
Loving all that I had, I will sink into the humid air, I will stop the waves and meet you there
Crash the van (let me know the damage) and flee the scene
Looking back onto our younger years, she cut the vanity, she broke her mirrors
And Fort Wayne doesn't stop time, just take me back to her and I'll be fine.. Until then I'm all done
I wanted to be left alone to cut and paste upon my window little bits of paper-made scenes to take away the rips in my jeans, and she said "I am just a mess, and I am quickly losing my breath", no you're not a mess, no one is a mess, you can borrow my breath, so can we help you, oh please? we'll bring you back to your knees. And I don't see the logic in your schemes, you know I never did. Your plans are made deeds to be dealt. I said "I feel I'm thinking like a kid again and you know, the way you're looking is a little sign down from hope, I came undone but all the pieces fit on the glass, another little kiss?" "no, I think I'll pass". The sun is shining but it's raining still on my side, there was a cloud but now it's breaking will you stay all night? And we can talk about the summer days that we love.
That sweet England breeze, and I can truly say that nothing compares to you, but everything has to end and so do we. Eastern dreams, stay serene
Loving all my whole life
I will go again to pull my hair, I pray to God that I will meet you there
Come and see my lifelong need
I'd give anything for that day. I will soar upon the highest cloud and never fall onto the cold dark ground
And my love always stops time.
But you know a fog like that, and love will make you change your mind
A card-carrying lip gloss tease, a cell phone and some magazines
But that'll never make it right, 'cause I think for myself tonight.
Well do you really want to know? No, I really didn't think so. No, no, no.
If you tell the truth it's ok, and he said "This is all I want, but I refuse to take my best shot"
(This isn't what I want, so I'll take my best shot). It's such a shame that he'd say.
It's such a shame, but that's ok.
And friendship is built on something more (Let me know what that is) then a hundred shows across this prairie state. Oh, I'll fall in love a hundred times every single Friday night to the sound and the lights
Well count me in to games un-played.
Eastern dreams, stay serene
Loving all that I had, I will sink into the humid air, I will stop the waves and meet you there
Crash the van (let me know the damage) and flee the scene
Looking back onto our younger years, she cut the vanity, she broke her mirrors
And Fort Wayne doesn't stop time, just take me back to her and I'll be fine.. Until then I'm all done
I wanted to be left alone to cut and paste upon my window little bits of paper-made scenes to take away the rips in my jeans, and she said "I am just a mess, and I am quickly losing my breath", no you're not a mess, no one is a mess, you can borrow my breath, so can we help you, oh please? we'll bring you back to your knees. And I don't see the logic in your schemes, you know I never did. Your plans are made deeds to be dealt. I said "I feel I'm thinking like a kid again and you know, the way you're looking is a little sign down from hope, I came undone but all the pieces fit on the glass, another little kiss?" "no, I think I'll pass". The sun is shining but it's raining still on my side, there was a cloud but now it's breaking will you stay all night? And we can talk about the summer days that we love.
That sweet England breeze, and I can truly say that nothing compares to you, but everything has to end and so do we. Eastern dreams, stay serene
Loving all my whole life
I will go again to pull my hair, I pray to God that I will meet you there
Come and see my lifelong need
I'd give anything for that day. I will soar upon the highest cloud and never fall onto the cold dark ground
And my love always stops time.
Lyrics submitted by ambivalent
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.