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."
She brings me nails and turpentine
All of this time the girl was mine
I am in love like a rusted dog
All of the time my head in the fog
Phone keeps ringing, she's asking for more
The spaces between places, I'm not worthy, leave me alone
You should have never left me alive
You should have sat and watched me die
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
He bring me life so full of smiles, all of this time been friends for miles
Logging hours, laughing for days, talking shit on other ways
Cats in the corners, dogs on the floor
Phone keeps ringing, she's asking for more
The spaces between places, I'm not worthy, leave me alone
You should have never left me alive
You should have sat and watched me die
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
You should have never left me alive!
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it?
All of this time the girl was mine
I am in love like a rusted dog
All of the time my head in the fog
Phone keeps ringing, she's asking for more
The spaces between places, I'm not worthy, leave me alone
You should have never left me alive
You should have sat and watched me die
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
He bring me life so full of smiles, all of this time been friends for miles
Logging hours, laughing for days, talking shit on other ways
Cats in the corners, dogs on the floor
Phone keeps ringing, she's asking for more
The spaces between places, I'm not worthy, leave me alone
You should have never left me alive
You should have sat and watched me die
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
Isn't it hard!
You should have never left me alive!
Isn't it hard, living on Resurrection Boulevard
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it hard?
Isn't it?
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
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental 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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
i think it's about a guy and a girl. she was in love with him and he realized it too late... and she moved...or something... now he regrets it
Interesting one, especially coming from Dez - Whatever event this song is about, it seems to have a lot in common with "Guilty As Sin". Sounds like a dark love story where one, maybe both people are helplessly attached to each other. It has the same foreboding and heartbreak as Guilty As Sin, when Dez says, "you should have sat and watched me die". I dunno, probably another one of the demons that haunts Dez, all I know is he sounds like he's happily married w/ kids. Just glad the new Devildriver album is as heavy as ever.
very deep song i think i agree with where you were going merllin,but i think its about someone with a girlfriend and knows she is the best thing to happen to them,the line in love like a rusted dog,to me says is there as a companion but doesn't show any affection/is cold,so she leaves. and the same in relation to their friend,He bring me life so full of smiles. he realizes that,all of the time my head in the fog, these people that hes lost he should have been with his whole life,hence,You should have never left me alive, You should have sat and watched me die.<br /> <br /> sorry that's rather long winded but i think i got my ruff point of view through,could go on for ages about it.
or mayb "you should have sat and watched me die" means you should have never left, been by your side untill you die??<br /> <br /> i dunno???<br /> jus fort i would put it out there
I think it's probably about the loss of friends all throughout someone's lifetime, being afraid of it happening again, not feeling worthy of friendship, or even betrayal of people you thought you knew.
In my opinion, at least. I could be wrong. I probably am.
its about being in love with a drug addict. trust me ive been there and this song makes me think about it every time