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 have a few words in defense of my youth
My guts are feeling an ocean or two
I was young; I didn't know what I was stumbling into
I've had a lot on my mind and there were so many rules
Makes a girl crazy, makes her break a few
And there I go again
Acting like it's my fault
When you're to blame
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad you're gone
I've got snapshots of things on my mind
Though I love the past, we don't leave it behind
But I learned and now I know
I don't need you coming around
One thing I should probably say
I got over it all and surrendered the pain
That's the thing about mistakes
You never see them coming
Until it's too late
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad
Sacrifice my happiness
It's not enough to know
I'm better off the way it is
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad you're gone
My guts are feeling an ocean or two
I was young; I didn't know what I was stumbling into
I've had a lot on my mind and there were so many rules
Makes a girl crazy, makes her break a few
And there I go again
Acting like it's my fault
When you're to blame
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad you're gone
I've got snapshots of things on my mind
Though I love the past, we don't leave it behind
But I learned and now I know
I don't need you coming around
One thing I should probably say
I got over it all and surrendered the pain
That's the thing about mistakes
You never see them coming
Until it's too late
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad
Sacrifice my happiness
It's not enough to know
I'm better off the way it is
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad
It makes me happy
To use you a little
Just to use you a little
To write this song
It's the very last letter
To an old lover
To say I'm glad you're gone
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Really good song from her new album. I can see this becoming one of my favorites. I think this girl was hurt by a guy and is now over him. She's writing this 'last letter' to tell him that she's better off without him.