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."
From the first gray light of the morning I've been gone
On my journey towards the stars
Will I know when I reach the other side
The earth so blue it's like I'm dreaming
Now I'm on my way
Tainted shadows fall like rain
Through the dark vast weight only silence lingers on
The origin of existence lies somewhere far far beyond
I feel unattached tranquility
A hand from the heavens guiding me
And wondering where this path will lead
In a dream I'm lost and
Floating through the atmosphere
Searching for significance against
Infinity eternity
I've been taken by the vast and
Humbled by the weight of what I've seen
You know they called for heroes
'Cause heroes carry on
In know the world is fading
So from the first gray light of the morning I've been gone
Now I pray for a better life
For all the ones I love
We search beyond our reach
And turn our gaze above
I hope that it's the way
To fill our basic needs
And my sacrifice not vain
And I'll return again
The sands will filter through the timeless hourglass
As I pass beyond the god of war
Distant voices hear them crying out
I must seek out new worlds and explore
And I know that there just must be a place
We will carry on
Where our children can be free from the pain
The human race
It must be somewhere out in space
The sands will filter through the timeless hourglass
As I pass beyond the god of war
Distant voices hear them crying out
I must seek out new worlds and explore
And I know that there must be a place
It Must be somewhere out in space
Silver moonbeams reflect the sun
Martian Landscapes worlds beyond
I touch down with no trace
No sign of life on this place
Now I feel a surge of energy
The deepest passion burns in me
Somewhere there is a world not left
To die
The stars will shine their light down unto me
Illuminating
The stars will shine their light and I will see
Will I find my way?
So back to the darkness I fly
In search of a hope in the sky
I should have known right from the start
I'll not return home
It seems so surreal as I go
The knowledge of science alone
Can't save all the people I know
That I've left behind
The sun I know is growing smaller
I drift for days on endless hours
And what's there to fear now!
No messages are getting through
I fall into the black abyss of night
I'm gone
The pioneering spirit charges the unknown
Accept the consequence of risk
I'm all alone here
Don't know if I'll return and
The fate of life is on my heart
I left a dying world behind
On my way oh
Where s our oasis in the sky
The future of our race
I left a poisoned world behind
Now I see there's no
Heaven bound oasis in the sky
Only dreams
I've got no destination
Helpless I drift on
The weight of silence how it's eating at my soul
And yet I sense a stirring
Something so spiritual
I wonder if the fate of mankind
Is in the hands of a higher power calling to us all
I left a dying world behind
On my way only
God can stop the spiral down to hell
The future of our race
I left a poisoned world behind
Now I see only
Heaven's the oasis in the sky
It's my dream
On my journey towards the stars
Will I know when I reach the other side
The earth so blue it's like I'm dreaming
Now I'm on my way
Tainted shadows fall like rain
Through the dark vast weight only silence lingers on
The origin of existence lies somewhere far far beyond
I feel unattached tranquility
A hand from the heavens guiding me
And wondering where this path will lead
In a dream I'm lost and
Floating through the atmosphere
Searching for significance against
Infinity eternity
I've been taken by the vast and
Humbled by the weight of what I've seen
You know they called for heroes
'Cause heroes carry on
In know the world is fading
So from the first gray light of the morning I've been gone
Now I pray for a better life
For all the ones I love
We search beyond our reach
And turn our gaze above
I hope that it's the way
To fill our basic needs
And my sacrifice not vain
And I'll return again
The sands will filter through the timeless hourglass
As I pass beyond the god of war
Distant voices hear them crying out
I must seek out new worlds and explore
And I know that there just must be a place
We will carry on
Where our children can be free from the pain
The human race
It must be somewhere out in space
The sands will filter through the timeless hourglass
As I pass beyond the god of war
Distant voices hear them crying out
I must seek out new worlds and explore
And I know that there must be a place
It Must be somewhere out in space
Silver moonbeams reflect the sun
Martian Landscapes worlds beyond
I touch down with no trace
No sign of life on this place
Now I feel a surge of energy
The deepest passion burns in me
Somewhere there is a world not left
To die
The stars will shine their light down unto me
Illuminating
The stars will shine their light and I will see
Will I find my way?
So back to the darkness I fly
In search of a hope in the sky
I should have known right from the start
I'll not return home
It seems so surreal as I go
The knowledge of science alone
Can't save all the people I know
That I've left behind
The sun I know is growing smaller
I drift for days on endless hours
And what's there to fear now!
No messages are getting through
I fall into the black abyss of night
I'm gone
The pioneering spirit charges the unknown
Accept the consequence of risk
I'm all alone here
Don't know if I'll return and
The fate of life is on my heart
I left a dying world behind
On my way oh
Where s our oasis in the sky
The future of our race
I left a poisoned world behind
Now I see there's no
Heaven bound oasis in the sky
Only dreams
I've got no destination
Helpless I drift on
The weight of silence how it's eating at my soul
And yet I sense a stirring
Something so spiritual
I wonder if the fate of mankind
Is in the hands of a higher power calling to us all
I left a dying world behind
On my way only
God can stop the spiral down to hell
The future of our race
I left a poisoned world behind
Now I see only
Heaven's the oasis in the sky
It's my dream
Lyrics submitted by NickBush24
First Light Lyrics as written by Gary Wehrkamp Carl Cadden James
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song is about a man who goes out into space looking for another planet for mankind, as Earth is about to collapse, most likely from lack of resources or a nuclear holocaust or something.
(Continued)
He becomes lost and unsure of his mission as he discovers that there is indeed no life on Mars. Effectively, he gives up entirely, but finds himself continuing with the quest anyway. This makes him come to realize once and for all that there is indeed a God, and that he is guiding this man on his quest out into a new world. The repetition of the "oasis in the sky" lines, with altered wording, makes this obvious.
Renewed in faith, the character (wordlessly) continues his search, and then fades out of known space in the long silence. The fourth part reveals he has indeed found his destination, and the sweet yet sad closing movement takes humanity back to the beginning.
I divide this piece into four movements, as if this story was a Biblical rebirth, a return to Genesis as it were.
Movement I, 0:00 to 9:19: "Fallen" Movement II, 9:19 to 16:59: "Revelation" Movement III, 16:59 to 27:18: "Exodus" (Instrumental) Movement IV, 27:18 to 34:18: "Genesis" (Instrumental)
Conveniently, "Genesis" lasts seven minutes on the dot, which returns back to the religious theme.
"Genesis" is quite simply one of the most beautiful passages in all of music. It might seem familiar (some comment they've heard it in a movie), but when something is so incredibly amazing, who cares?
And finally: Nick Bush is an awfully familiar name. "Nick Bush" wrote Chip's Challenge levels. So did I. It appears that these two people are in fact the same, even...
Wonderful Song!
Shadow Gallery is a just amazing
We miss you Bakes