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."
Jackpot, uh split shot
I'm in line doing fine
This snapper I've got the bounty
Blessed with the amount, we
Never guess, the best is yet to come
Came to rock the fucking block
If you don't come new
Then you might get dropped
I think it's strange
The thing's the same, carry on
Season's deranged
Like the one we call will be gone
With the touch of my wand
You are my God, you're my guardian
I hit the jackpot, I'm the lucky one
My fortune endless, never coming undone, uh
Moving, I'm a nomad
Another girl's voice is the noises rad
My treasure is soul, aren't you glad
I get psychedelic with a pen and a pad
Rooming up in no it's about that critical
Find it difficult to be so analytical
I'm filled with hope
The rope it won't hang you
Sit your ass down and come in rangoon
Right about now it's about that time
You know I crack the coconut and I twist up the lime
I've been on the road like a Seminole warrior
Passing up the tales like the one they wrote the story for
Woo
Everybody jump
[Chorus:]
What are the chances
The odds must be enhanced
It's a wild card that you threw
Of all the places to end up
It amazes me
After all we've been through
[Bridge]
Jackpot
All the people say whoa
Jackpot
Let me hear you say whoa
Jackpot
Uh, what, whoa
Give 'em what you got 'til you hit that spot
Whoa
We hit the jackpot
The lotto, lucky dot
So the path that we tread
We pave the bars of gold
Now we got it
How we bought it
Sweating from stage to stage
A lot of it
And if we won the chance to dance
And do it all again
We wouldn't change a thing
There is no other end
The pinnacle we reached
We knew it was possible
How we got here
Overcoming obstacles
Right about now it's about that time
You know I crack the coconut and I twist up the lime
I've been on the road like a Seminole warrior
Passing up the tales like the one they wrote the story for
Reside West Coast from the Mid West
Take what you like and fuck all the rest, man
We only enter in one contest
That we made up ourselves
That's to be the 311'est
Woo
Everybody jump
[Chorus x2]
What are the chances
The odds must be enhanced
It's a wild card that you threw
Of all the places to end up
It amazes me
After all we've been through
[Bridge]
Jackpot
All the people say whoa
Jackpot
Let me hear you say whoa
Jackpot
Uh, what, whoa
Give 'em what you got 'til you hit that spot
Whoa
Woo
To the death of dismay
Uh
Disc jock to the truth
I'm in line doing fine
This snapper I've got the bounty
Blessed with the amount, we
Never guess, the best is yet to come
Came to rock the fucking block
If you don't come new
Then you might get dropped
I think it's strange
The thing's the same, carry on
Season's deranged
Like the one we call will be gone
With the touch of my wand
You are my God, you're my guardian
I hit the jackpot, I'm the lucky one
My fortune endless, never coming undone, uh
Moving, I'm a nomad
Another girl's voice is the noises rad
My treasure is soul, aren't you glad
I get psychedelic with a pen and a pad
Rooming up in no it's about that critical
Find it difficult to be so analytical
I'm filled with hope
The rope it won't hang you
Sit your ass down and come in rangoon
Right about now it's about that time
You know I crack the coconut and I twist up the lime
I've been on the road like a Seminole warrior
Passing up the tales like the one they wrote the story for
Woo
Everybody jump
[Chorus:]
What are the chances
The odds must be enhanced
It's a wild card that you threw
Of all the places to end up
It amazes me
After all we've been through
[Bridge]
Jackpot
All the people say whoa
Jackpot
Let me hear you say whoa
Jackpot
Uh, what, whoa
Give 'em what you got 'til you hit that spot
Whoa
We hit the jackpot
The lotto, lucky dot
So the path that we tread
We pave the bars of gold
Now we got it
How we bought it
Sweating from stage to stage
A lot of it
And if we won the chance to dance
And do it all again
We wouldn't change a thing
There is no other end
The pinnacle we reached
We knew it was possible
How we got here
Overcoming obstacles
Right about now it's about that time
You know I crack the coconut and I twist up the lime
I've been on the road like a Seminole warrior
Passing up the tales like the one they wrote the story for
Reside West Coast from the Mid West
Take what you like and fuck all the rest, man
We only enter in one contest
That we made up ourselves
That's to be the 311'est
Woo
Everybody jump
[Chorus x2]
What are the chances
The odds must be enhanced
It's a wild card that you threw
Of all the places to end up
It amazes me
After all we've been through
[Bridge]
Jackpot
All the people say whoa
Jackpot
Let me hear you say whoa
Jackpot
Uh, what, whoa
Give 'em what you got 'til you hit that spot
Whoa
Woo
To the death of dismay
Uh
Disc jock to the truth
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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/
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.
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.
This is definitely the most old school 311 type song on this album. But it definitely does kick ass.