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."
There's a girl, thought she knew,
What her life was going to do,
Then she goes, and falls in love and throws it all away.
But her man, can't decide,
If he's made the right choice in life,
So she comes home on day to find he's gone away.
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Walks around an empty town,
Sees his face coming around,
Every corner takes on a similar stay.
Love is lost, life can burn,
But your luck will return,
But if you're dragging it down you won't know it's there
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Pick your love, love, love (pick up off the floor)
Oooh (pick up off the floor)
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping
But girl let me tell you more
If he's ninety five or twenty two
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do
He says he don't love you anymore
So pick up off the floor
What her life was going to do,
Then she goes, and falls in love and throws it all away.
But her man, can't decide,
If he's made the right choice in life,
So she comes home on day to find he's gone away.
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Walks around an empty town,
Sees his face coming around,
Every corner takes on a similar stay.
Love is lost, life can burn,
But your luck will return,
But if you're dragging it down you won't know it's there
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping,
But girl, let me tell you more:
If he's ninety five or twenty two,
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do,
He says he don't love you anymore,
So pick up off the floor.
Pick your love, love, love (pick up off the floor)
Oooh (pick up off the floor)
Put your heart back in your pocket,
Pick your love up off the floor
When your momma says you're stopping
But girl let me tell you more
If he's ninety five or twenty two
A boy's gonna do what he's gonna do
He says he don't love you anymore
So pick up off the floor
Lyrics submitted by nightsky13
Pick Up Off the Floor Lyrics as written by Michael Holbrook Penniman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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,
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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/
Blue
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“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.
This is my favorite on the album. She falls in love with a man, and throws away all her dreams for him. The man on the other hand doesn't know what he wants out of life and leaves her. She tries dealing with it. Mika is telling her boys will be boys but your luck will turn around but you have to get over it first.