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."
[Monoxide]
On my way and my face is painted annhilated
Off that ?? don't matter what anybody is
Saying Lately cuz that Twiztid shows tonight
And I made it trunk banging Juggalo's hanging
Some smokin' weed and everybody dranking I
Pull up to the clubs and spot about 200
People in The parking Lot I got A fat ass
Blunt that I spark to start and a fake I'd so
I can hit the bar and even tho its not me cuz
The contacts and paint got me Lookin' like
Something ya ate and I see all the homie's
Painted and I'm glad that they came we get the
Mosh pit started when they hit the stage like
Someone let a bunch of lions out of they cage
And when its all said and done I wont sleep for days
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
[Madrox]
Hopped in my ride and I head to my homie's
House got two tickets for the show and I'm
Destined to check it out I been listening for
A minute but never been to a show so when it
Come to my neck of the woods hell yeah I'm
Fittin' to go and I'm ready and as I pull up in
Front of my homie's house he come out with a
Fifth of patrone a blunt up in his mouth and
He tell me if I really wanna make it tonight
He know two juggalette's that's going but in
Need of a ride so I said hell yeah I'm freaky
And lookin' to cut I hope them bitches just as
Freaky lookin' rubbin' my butt and make my toes
Curl every time I'm bustin' a nut so when I see
A pretty bitch I'm like you sittin' up front
Next to me she like Twiztid and ICP,Boondox
And Blaze and she's down with the family she
Lookin' through my CD's and she stops at wicked
And said "baby I forgot my ticket" DUMB BITCH
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
[Madrox]
My boss said I gotta work but I don't care the
Shows coming to my hood and best believe that
I'mma be there in the front row with my hands
Held high hoping hot bitches with big titties
Will stage dive so I can cop a feel as they
Float right past even candy ain't as sweet as
Some Juggalette ass I'mma blast on the motha
Fuckas in the most pit keep shoving the the
Fuckas got blood in they spit
[Monoxide]
Now the shows all done and we come back
Together like weed in blunts and your teeth
From uppercuts remember party party up in 208
Two Lette's makin' out killa like sex tape get
A little more of the greygoose so I can mix
Up with my Gatorade and let loose probably
Wont remember a thang until a day or two but
I know this show is hotter than the flames on A BBQ
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
On my way and my face is painted annhilated
Off that ?? don't matter what anybody is
Saying Lately cuz that Twiztid shows tonight
And I made it trunk banging Juggalo's hanging
Some smokin' weed and everybody dranking I
Pull up to the clubs and spot about 200
People in The parking Lot I got A fat ass
Blunt that I spark to start and a fake I'd so
I can hit the bar and even tho its not me cuz
The contacts and paint got me Lookin' like
Something ya ate and I see all the homie's
Painted and I'm glad that they came we get the
Mosh pit started when they hit the stage like
Someone let a bunch of lions out of they cage
And when its all said and done I wont sleep for days
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
[Madrox]
Hopped in my ride and I head to my homie's
House got two tickets for the show and I'm
Destined to check it out I been listening for
A minute but never been to a show so when it
Come to my neck of the woods hell yeah I'm
Fittin' to go and I'm ready and as I pull up in
Front of my homie's house he come out with a
Fifth of patrone a blunt up in his mouth and
He tell me if I really wanna make it tonight
He know two juggalette's that's going but in
Need of a ride so I said hell yeah I'm freaky
And lookin' to cut I hope them bitches just as
Freaky lookin' rubbin' my butt and make my toes
Curl every time I'm bustin' a nut so when I see
A pretty bitch I'm like you sittin' up front
Next to me she like Twiztid and ICP,Boondox
And Blaze and she's down with the family she
Lookin' through my CD's and she stops at wicked
And said "baby I forgot my ticket" DUMB BITCH
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
[Madrox]
My boss said I gotta work but I don't care the
Shows coming to my hood and best believe that
I'mma be there in the front row with my hands
Held high hoping hot bitches with big titties
Will stage dive so I can cop a feel as they
Float right past even candy ain't as sweet as
Some Juggalette ass I'mma blast on the motha
Fuckas in the most pit keep shoving the the
Fuckas got blood in they spit
[Monoxide]
Now the shows all done and we come back
Together like weed in blunts and your teeth
From uppercuts remember party party up in 208
Two Lette's makin' out killa like sex tape get
A little more of the greygoose so I can mix
Up with my Gatorade and let loose probably
Wont remember a thang until a day or two but
I know this show is hotter than the flames on A BBQ
[Chorus]
I'm going to catch the show
Lets get tore down
Lets loose control
Tonight lets get fucked up at the show lets go.
I'm going to catch the show exhibits
from the carnival exquisit freaks and clowns Oh My
Lyrics submitted by th1rt3en
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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,
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.
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.
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.