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 night's synthetic half-light
Rolls over your steering wheel
I'm closing my eyes just for a while
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
The house
The first thing I see
Filled up with a family
Surrounded by city and by sea
Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
A saint is chasing a snake
For everybody's sake
And so they go burning cars
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
The mother prepares the weapon
Before handing it to son
Who watches his daddy runs
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
Cause I'd never reach my home
The flames wander through the city
And set fire to the sea
Then out of the blaze appears a face
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
A girl with a look in her eyes
As if to say, "I despise
Such poisonous family ties"
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
But a poison as sweet as nectar
Could never forget or neglect her
It carries her home and closes her eyes
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
So she goes back under
Swallows the water
Fixes her face like a good little daughter
And follows her family
Who follow a saint and a snake
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
Cause I'd never reach my home
No I'd never reach my home
No I'd never reach my home
Home
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
Rolls over your steering wheel
I'm closing my eyes just for a while
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
The house
The first thing I see
Filled up with a family
Surrounded by city and by sea
Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
A saint is chasing a snake
For everybody's sake
And so they go burning cars
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
The mother prepares the weapon
Before handing it to son
Who watches his daddy runs
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
Cause I'd never reach my home
The flames wander through the city
And set fire to the sea
Then out of the blaze appears a face
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
A girl with a look in her eyes
As if to say, "I despise
Such poisonous family ties"
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
But a poison as sweet as nectar
Could never forget or neglect her
It carries her home and closes her eyes
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
So she goes back under
Swallows the water
Fixes her face like a good little daughter
And follows her family
Who follow a saint and a snake
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
Will you wake me when we're almost halfway
I don't wanna take this trip alone
Cause I'd never reach my home
No I'd never reach my home
No I'd never reach my home
Home
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
(Can you call me when we're almost halfway)
(Wake me when we're almost halfway)
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The saint and the snake refers to saint patrick who chased the snakes out of Ireland apparently... a saint is chasing a snake for everybodys sake so they all go burning cars, i think refers to saint paddys day itself when everyone gets drunk and often burn out cars.... The stuff about the little girl getting poisoned and drowned is quite but I still adore this song, in fact the entire album is genius, there is not one bad song on the album!!