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'm just trying to stay a human being
Sitting in the sun eating ice cream
Texting my friend about a bad, bad dream
Just had to tell someone who knows me
But I don't got time for this cuckoo clock
And I don't wanna go to your Mason lodge
There's nothing more sad than a lynching mob
Full of rational men who believe in God
But nothing makes sense when the wave rolls through
Nothing makes sense when the wave come through
So it could've been me or it could've been you
Whatever's in me is whatever's in you
My neighbor dreams big 'cause his house is small
Says all he needs now is some capital
It's a pirate world, it's a free-for-all
Just take your bright ideas and they make them dull
Now everyone I see I think I've known before
From the opera house to the grocery store
My love for them I cannot ignore
Like a human voice in a quiet morgue
But I don't wanna wear no dead man's suit
I don't wanna wear no dead man's suit
I don't wanna wait until the moon gets blue
I don't wanna wait until the moon turns blue
It's all just a fix, just one little hit
You'll hold it in
Sitting on a plane chewing Nicorette
Paradise lost, haven't found it yet
Will you talk me down if I get upset?
Be the cool washcloth to my fevered head
Because I don't wanna dream if it won't come true
I don't wanna dream if it don't come true
If there's something in me then I guess it's in you
If there's somewhere in me then I know it's in you
Little baby stone
Well, it's all just a fix, just one little hit
You're holding in, you'll hold it in
You're holding in, you'll hold it in
I don't wanna dream if it won't come true
I don't wanna dream if it don't come true
If there's something in me then I know it's in you
If there's somewhere in me then I know it's in you
Whatever happens to me it's going to happen to you
Whatever happens to me it's going to happen to you
Sitting in the sun eating ice cream
Texting my friend about a bad, bad dream
Just had to tell someone who knows me
But I don't got time for this cuckoo clock
And I don't wanna go to your Mason lodge
There's nothing more sad than a lynching mob
Full of rational men who believe in God
But nothing makes sense when the wave rolls through
Nothing makes sense when the wave come through
So it could've been me or it could've been you
Whatever's in me is whatever's in you
My neighbor dreams big 'cause his house is small
Says all he needs now is some capital
It's a pirate world, it's a free-for-all
Just take your bright ideas and they make them dull
Now everyone I see I think I've known before
From the opera house to the grocery store
My love for them I cannot ignore
Like a human voice in a quiet morgue
But I don't wanna wear no dead man's suit
I don't wanna wear no dead man's suit
I don't wanna wait until the moon gets blue
I don't wanna wait until the moon turns blue
It's all just a fix, just one little hit
You'll hold it in
Sitting on a plane chewing Nicorette
Paradise lost, haven't found it yet
Will you talk me down if I get upset?
Be the cool washcloth to my fevered head
Because I don't wanna dream if it won't come true
I don't wanna dream if it don't come true
If there's something in me then I guess it's in you
If there's somewhere in me then I know it's in you
Little baby stone
Well, it's all just a fix, just one little hit
You're holding in, you'll hold it in
You're holding in, you'll hold it in
I don't wanna dream if it won't come true
I don't wanna dream if it don't come true
If there's something in me then I know it's in you
If there's somewhere in me then I know it's in you
Whatever happens to me it's going to happen to you
Whatever happens to me it's going to happen to you
Lyrics submitted by jethrothekid
Nikorette Lyrics as written by Nikohlas Jacob Freitas Conor M Oberst
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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.
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.
It would appear that nobody else cringes upon hearing such drivel from the once great mouth of Mr Oberst. Though the lyrics don't quite match some of the horseshit on the new album in terms of crapness, the tune is inexcusably poor. "na na na na na na na na na na na" like a bastardised nursery rhyme...I had to turn it off after about a minute.
Just thought some perspective was needed here. A few years ago, this guys was writing some of the most poignant and beautiful songs I'd ever heard: wonderfully perceptive lyrics coupled with glorious melodies. Now he's churning out this shite - what a massive shame.
"It's better to burn out than to fade away" to paraphrase Neil Young (but not in the way Kurt Cobain took it to mean) and poor old Conor Oberst seems in serious danger of doing the latter at the moment.
Thankfully there are songs like Milk Thistle on there as well, these offer some hope.