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."
Ladies
Mary, you make me wanna eat you
Every time I see you, it's like the first time I meet you
Fragrance like a flower, subtle and sweet too
Seductive and whatever, it might as well be see through
Like my genie in a bottle
Miss could get me rich like a magaziney model
Before you know it, he have her on a stroll
Fresh and ripe, perplexin' like Acapulco Gold
If I had to guess, just right, not a day old
Like a cradle robber, copped her off, shop a trailer load
Know the right number, you can get her
And hit while you would've sold to the highest bidder like
Fruits and berries, bring daddy loot in a hurry
Just be cute and don't worry
Type to make a nigga hallucinate and admit it
Then she started losing weight, lettin' everybody hit it
I like Ally, sometimes she gets bitter
Always kept me happy, never had a problem with her
She used to let me use her, back when I was looser
Respect her to this day, and never did abuse her
I told her I'll be faithful, but she don't believe me
I probably coulda been, if I never meet Eevee
She make me feel all fuzzy inside, it's loco
You won't get nowheres near her if you're broke though
Kept a shorty, can't find 'em much thinner
If caught I get mad time just for touchin' her
Knock wood, so much for hymens
So fly, she should be in the sky with diamonds
Little young thing, she likes to do the tongue thing
At times, she would play hard to get, grunting
Or something, she made me feel like the number one king
Run into her now, and we still catch a fun fling
Met her at Central Park this one time
Had the God mentally sparked, reflectin' sunshine
She said, you need to stop messin' wit that white girl
She fuckin' wit ya head and got ya heart in tight curl
We messed around once or twice, but she don't know me
She helped me get money at the Dutch price OT
Plus she from Columbia, so she really Spanish
Cookie known to make a cat bank account vanish
And Miss Hazy, all the women mature black
Every time she sees me, I end up gettin' pulled back
All she want me to do is blaze it crazy
The only one complaint is, she make me too lazy
Sugar mommy laced me with the butter Navy Avi
Just her way to makeup for the headaches that she gave me
It's all gravy, when I'm done getting my mack on
Ally is always there to help me get back on
Ladies
Mary, you make me wanna eat you
Every time I see you, it's like the first time I meet you
Fragrance like a flower, subtle and sweet too
Seductive and whatever, it might as well be see through
Like my genie in a bottle
Miss could get me rich like a magaziney model
Before you know it, he have her on a stroll
Fresh and ripe, perplexin' like Acapulco Gold
If I had to guess, just right, not a day old
Like a cradle robber, copped her off, shop a trailer load
Know the right number, you can get her
And hit while you would've sold to the highest bidder like
Fruits and berries, bring daddy loot in a hurry
Just be cute and don't worry
Type to make a nigga hallucinate and admit it
Then she started losing weight, lettin' everybody hit it
I like Ally, sometimes she gets bitter
Always kept me happy, never had a problem with her
She used to let me use her, back when I was looser
Respect her to this day, and never did abuse her
I told her I'll be faithful, but she don't believe me
I probably coulda been, if I never meet Eevee
She make me feel all fuzzy inside, it's loco
You won't get nowheres near her if you're broke though
Kept a shorty, can't find 'em much thinner
If caught I get mad time just for touchin' her
Knock wood, so much for hymens
So fly, she should be in the sky with diamonds
Little young thing, she likes to do the tongue thing
At times, she would play hard to get, grunting
Or something, she made me feel like the number one king
Run into her now, and we still catch a fun fling
Met her at Central Park this one time
Had the God mentally sparked, reflectin' sunshine
She said, you need to stop messin' wit that white girl
She fuckin' wit ya head and got ya heart in tight curl
We messed around once or twice, but she don't know me
She helped me get money at the Dutch price OT
Plus she from Columbia, so she really Spanish
Cookie known to make a cat bank account vanish
And Miss Hazy, all the women mature black
Every time she sees me, I end up gettin' pulled back
All she want me to do is blaze it crazy
The only one complaint is, she make me too lazy
Sugar mommy laced me with the butter Navy Avi
Just her way to makeup for the headaches that she gave me
It's all gravy, when I'm done getting my mack on
Ally is always there to help me get back on
Ladies
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
I think it is safe to say this song is about various drugs. Marijuana, coke, LSD, and more. Doom never really distinguishes where he stops talking about a specific "lady" latter in the song though.
ex.
Mary, you make me wanna eat you Everytime I see you, it's like the first time I meet you Frangrance like a flower, subtle and sweet too ... This is Mary Jane. Smelling sweet like a flower or BUD
Know the right number, you can get her And hit while you would've sold to the highest bidder like Fruits and berries, bring daddy loot in a hurry ... Talking about buying the substance, and using it, and selling it.
So fly, she should be in the sky with diamonds ... LSD with a reference to the Beatles' "Lucy in the sky with diamonds"
Or something, she made me feel like the number one king Run into her now, and we still catch a fun fling Met her out at Central Park this one time Had the God mentally sparked, reflectin sunshine ... Talking about how he feels while on acid, and that he still uses it every once in a while. He then explains where Where he met lucy. 'Reflecting sunshine' is a street name for LSD.
I probably coulda been, if I never meet Eevee She make me feel all fuzzy inside, it's loco You won't get nowheres near her if you're broke though Kept a shorty, can't find 'em much thinner If caught I get mad time just for touchin' her ... Eevee is Ecstasy She Makes me Feel all fuzzy inside describes 'her' effect on him He explains that She cost alot of money (20 a tab) He says 'if caught i get mad time just for touching her' this is regarding the drug law with Ecstasy (possession also gives you a charge of attempted manslaughter)
there is alot more
Mary - Weed<br /> Allie - Alcohol<br /> Evie - Exstacy<br /> Lucy - LSD<br /> Cookie - Cocaine<br /> Ms. Hazey - Hash
oh my god, this makes so much more sense now. always liked this song but got kind of a pedophile vibe, haha. interpretation fail.
Im pretty sure that its unlike ally, not i like ally. Just what i heard. I could be wrong, just a thought.
Ally is definitely alcohol. one of the few references i cannot decipher is "knock wood, so much for hymens" my only guess is it refers to penetration, possibly alluding to a needle administered drug??
I agree 100% with ryanpipes, and nice spotted. Others might be:
"She said, you need to stop messin wit that white girl She fuckin wit ya head and got ya heart in tight curl We messed around once or twice, but she don't know me She helped me get money at the dutch price OT Plus she from Columbia, so she really Spanish Cookie known to make a cat bank account vanish"
Coke?
"And Miss Hazy, all the women mature black Everytime she sees me, I end up gettin pulled back All she want me to do is blaze it crazy The only one complaint is, she make me too lazy Sugar-mommy laced me with the butter navy Avi Just her way to makeup for the headaches that she gave me"
Hash?
I like Ally, sometimes she gets bitter Always kept me happy, never had a problem with her She used to let me use her, back when I was looser Respect her to this day, and never did abuse her I told her I'll be faithful, but she don't believe me I probably coulda been, if I never meet Eevee
Not sure what Ally is, but could be just ale/beer? Anyone know?
yes exactly i think everyone knows the urban term for coke its "white girl" and "Hazy"-hash and "Ally" - ale,beer,alc.