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."
We drive until the gas is gone
And then walk until our feet are torn
Crawl until we feed the soil
Film the whole thing
It's all business in the left-hand lane
Drive there and then drive back again
Escape can't be the only way to escape
So I've gotten used to coffee sweats
Still getting used to road regrets
And hell I took you up on all your threats to leave
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
That takes you back to from where it is you came
And Robbie likes his country tunes
It's never been the lens that I see through
But I guess driving for a week or two
Puts words in your mouth
So find dodge and then get out of it
It's about as country as I get
So you ain't living 'til you're living it
Not dead 'til you die
But watch out for the paraphrase
'Cause they will crown you and they will take your legs
See the cost is more than what you get paid
But do it anyway
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
It takes you back to from where it is you came
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
It takes you back to from where it is you came
And then walk until our feet are torn
Crawl until we feed the soil
Film the whole thing
It's all business in the left-hand lane
Drive there and then drive back again
Escape can't be the only way to escape
So I've gotten used to coffee sweats
Still getting used to road regrets
And hell I took you up on all your threats to leave
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
That takes you back to from where it is you came
And Robbie likes his country tunes
It's never been the lens that I see through
But I guess driving for a week or two
Puts words in your mouth
So find dodge and then get out of it
It's about as country as I get
So you ain't living 'til you're living it
Not dead 'til you die
But watch out for the paraphrase
'Cause they will crown you and they will take your legs
See the cost is more than what you get paid
But do it anyway
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
It takes you back to from where it is you came
It's a shame
It's a crying shame
Them's the breaks
And ain't it always the way
It takes you back to from where it is you came
Lyrics submitted by BackstageBlog, edited by Morii, c3m
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I heard this for the first time yesterday. The fact that I specifically sought it out today speaks volumes.