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."
Daddy I'm not gonna tell you that I'm sorry
Cause there ain't nothing you can do to change my mind
I'm not here to know the things I cannot do
We've seen the outcome of the boys who didn't fly
That road outside that you've been taking home forever
That'll be the same road that I take when I depart
Those charcoal veins that hold this chosen land together
May twist and turn but somewhere deep there is a heart
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
Perhaps this calling is the channel of invention
I will not blush if others see it as a crime
However dangerous the road, however distant
These things won't compromise the will of the design
Ten thousand demons hammer down with every footstep
Ten thousand angels rush the wind against my back
This church of mine may not be recognized by steeple
But that doesn't mean that I will walk without a God
Rolling river of truth, can you spare me a sip?
The holy fountain of youth has been reduced to a drip
I've got this burning belief in salvation and love
This notion may be naive, but when push comes to shove
I will till this ground
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
(oh, oh, oh)
Out on the wire
And I might not get there
But this little town, this little house,
They seem to be leaning in the wrong direction
I'm not afraid of you no more (oh-oh, oh-oh,)
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
(Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Cause there ain't nothing you can do to change my mind
I'm not here to know the things I cannot do
We've seen the outcome of the boys who didn't fly
That road outside that you've been taking home forever
That'll be the same road that I take when I depart
Those charcoal veins that hold this chosen land together
May twist and turn but somewhere deep there is a heart
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
Perhaps this calling is the channel of invention
I will not blush if others see it as a crime
However dangerous the road, however distant
These things won't compromise the will of the design
Ten thousand demons hammer down with every footstep
Ten thousand angels rush the wind against my back
This church of mine may not be recognized by steeple
But that doesn't mean that I will walk without a God
Rolling river of truth, can you spare me a sip?
The holy fountain of youth has been reduced to a drip
I've got this burning belief in salvation and love
This notion may be naive, but when push comes to shove
I will till this ground
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
(oh, oh, oh)
Out on the wire
And I might not get there
But this little town, this little house,
They seem to be leaning in the wrong direction
I'm not afraid of you no more (oh-oh, oh-oh,)
Playing with fire
You know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight
And you're out on the wire
You know you're playing with fire
(Oh-oh, oh-oh)
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Mountain Song
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This song to me seems to be talking about not following the religion than the people around him because of the verse, "The church of mine may not be recognised by steeple, That doesn't mean that I will walk without a God." He seems to be stuck in the middle of what to choose for himself and what others want from him. Just my interpretation, but it is a great song and one of my favorites off of Flamingo.
Yeah I agree, I wrote something similar to this =D