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 the last time I will struggle
The eyes of a million follow each step I take walking further into hell
The weak and willing wither under the weight of their own restraint
We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be
Every motion creates a canyon left empty
Slowly the path begins to crumble and split
Destruction lurks waiting to fill the void
While the other motions grief and iridescent light
A sense of knowing and divide, this is a choice in which we all relate
A sense of knowing and divide, grief and iridescent light
This is a choice make up your mind
Following step by step in each of our lives
Eyes always following and watching speaking tongues unknown
Following step by step I go
Following step by step I go
It's torn away when I try to hold on
It's torn away when I try to hold on
It's torn away when I try to hold on
I grab the end of my senses, dragging them to reality
And as I see who I am now this is the path to being free
I grab the end of my senses, dragging them to reality
And as I see who I am now this is the path to being free
This is the last time I will struggle
The eyes of a million follow each step I take walking further into hell
The weak and willing wither under the weight
We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be
Seemingly perfect like a grid composed of dots
Following step by step in each of our lives
Eyes always following and watching speaking tongues unknown
Following step by step I go
The eyes of a million follow each step I take walking further into hell
The weak and willing wither under the weight of their own restraint
We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be
Every motion creates a canyon left empty
Slowly the path begins to crumble and split
Destruction lurks waiting to fill the void
While the other motions grief and iridescent light
A sense of knowing and divide, this is a choice in which we all relate
A sense of knowing and divide, grief and iridescent light
This is a choice make up your mind
Following step by step in each of our lives
Eyes always following and watching speaking tongues unknown
Following step by step I go
Following step by step I go
It's torn away when I try to hold on
It's torn away when I try to hold on
It's torn away when I try to hold on
I grab the end of my senses, dragging them to reality
And as I see who I am now this is the path to being free
I grab the end of my senses, dragging them to reality
And as I see who I am now this is the path to being free
This is the last time I will struggle
The eyes of a million follow each step I take walking further into hell
The weak and willing wither under the weight
We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be
Seemingly perfect like a grid composed of dots
Following step by step in each of our lives
Eyes always following and watching speaking tongues unknown
Following step by step I go
Lyrics submitted by BornOfMaya
It's Torn Away Lyrics as written by Mike Okubo Brandon Butler
Lyrics © KILLPHONIC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"This is the last time I will struggle The eyes of a million Follow each step I take Walking further into hell"
The time to let everything go, and realize the truth.
"The weak and willing wither under the weight of their own restraint We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be"
That you create what you want to see, maybe from what you heard from other people.
"Every motion creates a canyon left empty Slowly the path begins to crumble and split"
New paths are put out in front of you, and its your choice to decide what you want.
"Destruction lurks waiting to fill the void While the other motions grief and iridescent light"
That there is always a good and bad side to things in life, but all in all, you choose the outcome.
"A sense of knowing and divide This is a choice in which we all relate This is a choice make up your mind"
About deciding whats important and not, understanding your purpose.
"Following step by step in each of our lives Eyes always following and watching speaking tongues unknown Following step by step, I go"
The people around you.
"It's torn away when I try to hold on"
You will see that if you try hard enough, the truth comes out; masks are unveiled.
"I grab the end of my senses dragging them to reality And as I see who I am know this is the path to being free"
When you trust yourself, you will see that it is "the path to being free".
"The weak and willing wither under the weight of their own restraint We hold an ideal of the way it's supposed to be Seemingly perfect like a grid composed of dots"
Don't believe everything you hear, trust yourself.