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."
Mellow was the world when it began,
The alphabet and a master plan,
Settled in the trees and growing like a vine,
A delivery arriving back in time.
The officer revolt walks the beat with a bang,
For a millisecond and a boomerang,
As they walk away singing the peace is not so strong,
To turn the inside to the out and right to wrong
But silly as it is, when you can bang your head,
And who needs history when time just moves ahead,
As everything you want brings something else instead,
A hammerhead might taste the blood,
A ladybug might see the red,
There was a princess, her friend the mouse, and his little cheese,
And she wore these tiny slippers wear you'd think her toes were squeezed,
As she smiles on a swing, glides above a flower bed,
The gentle nature of a woman gives me hope to rest my head.
And hope fuels generations.
And hope can start your car.
And hope is the root of fantasy.
It's nothing but a star.
Which may be fleeting, may be bright.
May keep you staring at the night.
Where one might question what life will be.
Quietly, I ask myself, 'Is there still hope for me?'
Hope is a generation.
Bang your head in the car.
And what is the root of fantasy?
Lay your bet on a star.
The alphabet and a master plan,
Settled in the trees and growing like a vine,
A delivery arriving back in time.
The officer revolt walks the beat with a bang,
For a millisecond and a boomerang,
As they walk away singing the peace is not so strong,
To turn the inside to the out and right to wrong
But silly as it is, when you can bang your head,
And who needs history when time just moves ahead,
As everything you want brings something else instead,
A hammerhead might taste the blood,
A ladybug might see the red,
There was a princess, her friend the mouse, and his little cheese,
And she wore these tiny slippers wear you'd think her toes were squeezed,
As she smiles on a swing, glides above a flower bed,
The gentle nature of a woman gives me hope to rest my head.
And hope fuels generations.
And hope can start your car.
And hope is the root of fantasy.
It's nothing but a star.
Which may be fleeting, may be bright.
May keep you staring at the night.
Where one might question what life will be.
Quietly, I ask myself, 'Is there still hope for me?'
Hope is a generation.
Bang your head in the car.
And what is the root of fantasy?
Lay your bet on a star.
Lyrics submitted by LoriMeyers
Hope Lyrics as written by Nitin Sawhney Natacha Atlas
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, EMI Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.