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."
I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock
Feels like the build up takes forever but you never get me off
You pull your dress over your face
And I stare down towards my chest
Chastise both our greasy hair
Wonder whose gut is the softest
Stand with my ear to the door
Listening to the landing floorboards
Working out when we'll be safe
To dash the mattress to yr bathroom
Where I ball my fingers into fists
Until my knuckles glow bright white
Press the heels into eye-sockets
'Til I see the flashing lights
Stop me when my stories change
When they have started to repeat
'Cause last time I was a mess of sleep, of icy feet
So baby
All apologies
It was going to happen inevitably, oh
I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock
Feels like the build up takes forever but you never touch my cock
And what exactly do you mean now
By "what can you even eat?"
And how does that affect how I'll get off this evening?
I flew down south to Mexico
Had a minor realization
I understood why kids draw the sun with its rays emanating
And the beams broke the clouds,
The sky were like a concertina
I'd sat on in my pocket for weeks
Folded up from a picture
I've been playing straight chicken with gay girls
(It's never enough)
She keeps on pulling the peace sign
(And it seems like a taunt)
She licked a glaze on her lips
They shone like Battleship Grey
She never liked the wisdom I gave:
Some people give themselves to religion
Some people give themselves to a cause
Some people give themselves to a lover
I have to give myself to goals
So baby
All apologies
It was going to happen, inevitably
And if it helps
I mean, even slightly at all
It's best you dust yourself down
And get straight back on the horse
I condescend a smile
And wink directly at the camera
And leave you led in both our scents
As I tiptoe out the back door
I skid down icy streets
And view my face in the reflection
Of a High Street lingerie store
Though it wasn't my intention
I phoned my friends and family
To gather round the television
The talking heads count down the most heart-wrenching break-ups of all time
Imagine the great sense of waste
The indignity, the embarrassment
When not a single one of that whole century
Was mine
Feels like the build up takes forever but you never get me off
You pull your dress over your face
And I stare down towards my chest
Chastise both our greasy hair
Wonder whose gut is the softest
Stand with my ear to the door
Listening to the landing floorboards
Working out when we'll be safe
To dash the mattress to yr bathroom
Where I ball my fingers into fists
Until my knuckles glow bright white
Press the heels into eye-sockets
'Til I see the flashing lights
Stop me when my stories change
When they have started to repeat
'Cause last time I was a mess of sleep, of icy feet
So baby
All apologies
It was going to happen inevitably, oh
I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock
Feels like the build up takes forever but you never touch my cock
And what exactly do you mean now
By "what can you even eat?"
And how does that affect how I'll get off this evening?
I flew down south to Mexico
Had a minor realization
I understood why kids draw the sun with its rays emanating
And the beams broke the clouds,
The sky were like a concertina
I'd sat on in my pocket for weeks
Folded up from a picture
I've been playing straight chicken with gay girls
(It's never enough)
She keeps on pulling the peace sign
(And it seems like a taunt)
She licked a glaze on her lips
They shone like Battleship Grey
She never liked the wisdom I gave:
Some people give themselves to religion
Some people give themselves to a cause
Some people give themselves to a lover
I have to give myself to goals
So baby
All apologies
It was going to happen, inevitably
And if it helps
I mean, even slightly at all
It's best you dust yourself down
And get straight back on the horse
I condescend a smile
And wink directly at the camera
And leave you led in both our scents
As I tiptoe out the back door
I skid down icy streets
And view my face in the reflection
Of a High Street lingerie store
Though it wasn't my intention
I phoned my friends and family
To gather round the television
The talking heads count down the most heart-wrenching break-ups of all time
Imagine the great sense of waste
The indignity, the embarrassment
When not a single one of that whole century
Was mine
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
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
I love this song. I'm a big fan of post-rock, so that line gets me (post-rock tends to have huge, long buildup sections, for those who aren't familiar with the genre). I also love the bit about playing straight chicken with gay girls, since I've had that happen to me as well. Straight chicken is when one person moves in for a kiss and the other moves away. It's a fantastic play on words, and fits so well within the context of the song.
Anyway, I'd interpret it as being about the frustration and difficulty of breaking off a relationship that wasn't working, and making a big deal out of it, only to find out that it wasn't so big of a deal after all. I think the last bit is Gareth making fun of himself for being so dramatic about the whole ordeal.
favourite one off of the new album!
I just don't understand how LC!'s lyrics are all so terribly, heartbreakingly (yet hilariously) relatable. I love them too much.
OH NO! I always thought said,
"I think we need more post-cuddle and less post-love."
Oh well, now I can write a song with those lyrics.
I think he probably says "I have to give myself to girls" rather than "goals." But I cannot be sure.
The booklet says goals.
Corrections:
I flew down south to Mexico Had a minor realisation I understood why kids draw the sun with its rays emanating And the beams broke the clouds, The sky looked like a concertina I'd sat on in my pocket for weeks Folded up from a picture
I've been playing straight chicken with gay girls (It's never enough) She keeps on pulling the peace sign (And it seems like a taunt) She licked a glaze on her lips They shone like Battleship Grey She never liked the wisdom I gave:
--
I condescend a smile And wink directly at the camera And leave you led in both our scents As I tiptoe out the back door I skid down icy streets And view my face in the reflection Of a High Street lingerie store Though it wasn't my intention
I have to give myself to GIRLS.
goals.
lol kerpwned!
I know that talking head reference is probably a reference to the TV series, but I prefer the idea that one of my favourite bands is singing about another of my favourite bands :)
agreed!
Not so much a reference to the series, just like anyone on TV is a talking head.
definitely says GOALS when hes singing live so..
I think this is could be both literal or entirely metaphorical, but obvious a break-up song after things weren't working out and he wasn't satisfied. I'm not sure if he's actually the one who ended but I think either way it's over.
The Goals I think is an obvious play on words for both ambitions given the last song and literal football goals.
and the end I think is tongue-in-cheek about the nature of his self pitying or self agonizing following the break-up.