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."
So you wanna play games with my head?
Fuck you, make me fall apart, I wish that I was dead
I just can't believe I fell for such a blackened heart
You played me for a fool and used me from the start
Fuck you (fuck you), I just want to know the truth
But the words from your mouth they just cloud
All the negativity, forces me down into (silence)
But still I can dream
I wanna know, I wanna know
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty?
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty?
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
Now I fucking hate you, with all of my heart
Just disappear, and never will I fear for my life
I just want to be alone
And never, no never, will I be unhappy alone
I wanna know, I wanna know
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty?
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty?
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
So you wanna play games with my head
But you make me fall apart, and wish that I was dead
Can't believe I fell for such a blackened heart
Played me for a fool and just used me from the start
I just wanna know the truth (but the words from your mouth)
All your negativity (you keep forcing me down)
Into silence I can dream (into silence I can dream)
Into silence I can dream
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty? (Pretty)
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty? (Pretty)
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
(You're so pretty on the outside)
You're so pretty on the outside
Fuck you, make me fall apart, I wish that I was dead
I just can't believe I fell for such a blackened heart
You played me for a fool and used me from the start
Fuck you (fuck you), I just want to know the truth
But the words from your mouth they just cloud
All the negativity, forces me down into (silence)
But still I can dream
I wanna know, I wanna know
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty?
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty?
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
Now I fucking hate you, with all of my heart
Just disappear, and never will I fear for my life
I just want to be alone
And never, no never, will I be unhappy alone
I wanna know, I wanna know
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty?
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty?
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
So you wanna play games with my head
But you make me fall apart, and wish that I was dead
Can't believe I fell for such a blackened heart
Played me for a fool and just used me from the start
I just wanna know the truth (but the words from your mouth)
All your negativity (you keep forcing me down)
Into silence I can dream (into silence I can dream)
Into silence I can dream
If I tear you open wide, take a look inside
Are you pretty? (Pretty)
Can I get inside your mind, see what I can find?
Are you pretty? (Pretty)
So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that you're only
Pretty on the outside
You're so pretty on the outside
(You're so pretty on the outside)
You're so pretty on the outside
Lyrics submitted by Elective Amnesia
Pretty On the Outside Lyrics as written by Jason James Don Gilmore
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced 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.
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.
okay so the first paragraph is: So you wanna play games with my head? But you make me fall apart, i wish that i was dead. I just cant believe i fell for such a blackened heart. You blamed me for a fool and used me from the start.
second paragraph: Fuck it all! (Fuck it all!) I just wanna know the truth, but the words from your mouth, They just cloud all the negativity Forces me down into (silence) But still i can dream I wanna know, i wanna know!
Chorus: If i tear u up alive, take a look inside, Are u pretty? Can i get inside ur mind, see wat i can find, Are u pretty? So just take off that disguise, everyone knows that ur only Pretty on the outside