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."
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Tuesday without fail
If you have got a bill to pay
Or something you need to buy
Just write the check and send it off in the mail
Millions of Americans go out every day
With a checkbook in their purse
They might have a little cash to pay for their lunch
And a little to get home on the bus
But if they suddenly decide to make a purchase or shop
They whip it out and write out the exact amount
With some I.D., then they sign it
And they walk out with the stuff
That they paid for with their checking account
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Wednesday without fail
When you need to send some money
Do what business folk do
Just write a check and send it off in the mail
Every month you've got a little bundle to pay
Like the rent, the lights, the phone, and the car
Write them out for each amount and send them away
With an envelope and stamp they'll go far
It really is a safer way for you to pay all your bills
And so you ought to open up your own account
Your check is just a written order only you can write
That tells your bank to pay someone a certain amount
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Thursday without fail
You can keep your money moving with a flick of the wrist
And you're happy that the check's in the mail
BANKER: Now you may wonder what happens when you send a check to someone, and how it gets back to your bank. Well, that someone deposits your check into their account and then, through an electronic flow of digital information, your check is cleared by a central bank and comes back to your bank where, at that point, the amount is deducted from your account and paid over to theirs. So it's obvious that you've got to keep enough money in your checking account to stay in the black. Otherwise, you'll write a "hot check" and that sucker's going to bounce -- and that's illegal!
Once a month your bank will send a statement to you
So you'll know just where you stand
Listing all your checks and charges and deposits too
To help you stay ahead and keep things in hand
And you should learn to be real careful with your checkbook and your checks
And keep track of every little amount
Now you compare your figures with the bank's
And if it all adds up
Then you can say that you have balanced your account
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it's got to be there Friday without fail
But just remember that you've got to have some income coming in
Before you send out all those checks in the mail
I'm sure it'll be there next week, sometime!
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Tuesday without fail
If you have got a bill to pay
Or something you need to buy
Just write the check and send it off in the mail
Millions of Americans go out every day
With a checkbook in their purse
They might have a little cash to pay for their lunch
And a little to get home on the bus
But if they suddenly decide to make a purchase or shop
They whip it out and write out the exact amount
With some I.D., then they sign it
And they walk out with the stuff
That they paid for with their checking account
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Wednesday without fail
When you need to send some money
Do what business folk do
Just write a check and send it off in the mail
Every month you've got a little bundle to pay
Like the rent, the lights, the phone, and the car
Write them out for each amount and send them away
With an envelope and stamp they'll go far
It really is a safer way for you to pay all your bills
And so you ought to open up your own account
Your check is just a written order only you can write
That tells your bank to pay someone a certain amount
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it ought to be there Thursday without fail
You can keep your money moving with a flick of the wrist
And you're happy that the check's in the mail
BANKER: Now you may wonder what happens when you send a check to someone, and how it gets back to your bank. Well, that someone deposits your check into their account and then, through an electronic flow of digital information, your check is cleared by a central bank and comes back to your bank where, at that point, the amount is deducted from your account and paid over to theirs. So it's obvious that you've got to keep enough money in your checking account to stay in the black. Otherwise, you'll write a "hot check" and that sucker's going to bounce -- and that's illegal!
Once a month your bank will send a statement to you
So you'll know just where you stand
Listing all your checks and charges and deposits too
To help you stay ahead and keep things in hand
And you should learn to be real careful with your checkbook and your checks
And keep track of every little amount
Now you compare your figures with the bank's
And if it all adds up
Then you can say that you have balanced your account
The check's in the mail
The check is in the mail
And it's got to be there Friday without fail
But just remember that you've got to have some income coming in
Before you send out all those checks in the mail
I'm sure it'll be there next week, sometime!
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.