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."
I blame myself for never saying anything.
You're dead to me,
But I'm the fool who still believes
That one day you'll actually see
That you missed out on everything.
My innocence you devoured,
You fuckin' coward!
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
You're the fear, all the panic and shame.
I'm afraid I'll be like you one day.
I'd love to hear the things you tell yourself
To pass the blame.
Your own daughter barely knows your face.
You set the fire and then walked away,
Leaving everyone to clean the mess that you have made.
Everything you passed down to me,
The stiff right hand, this fuckin' disease.
What do I get for being your son
Nothing!
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
Jesus Christ, look what you've done.
Abandoning everyone that you should love.
You fuckin' failed me.
All that I have left
Is a choice to forgive or forget.
Hold your hand to the fire
You fuckin' liar
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
You're dead to me,
But I'm the fool who still believes
That one day you'll actually see
That you missed out on everything.
My innocence you devoured,
You fuckin' coward!
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
You're the fear, all the panic and shame.
I'm afraid I'll be like you one day.
I'd love to hear the things you tell yourself
To pass the blame.
Your own daughter barely knows your face.
You set the fire and then walked away,
Leaving everyone to clean the mess that you have made.
Everything you passed down to me,
The stiff right hand, this fuckin' disease.
What do I get for being your son
Nothing!
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
Jesus Christ, look what you've done.
Abandoning everyone that you should love.
You fuckin' failed me.
All that I have left
Is a choice to forgive or forget.
Hold your hand to the fire
You fuckin' liar
I'm finding faith in myself tonight
And finally, I got it right.
I must forgive you to move on.
It's my only choice;
Cause' you'll never come
To fill up all the cracks in this foundation.
Lyrics submitted by nickmont1627
Coward Lyrics as written by Buddy James Nielsen Garrett Zablocki
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Definitely about Buddy's father. And there's only one thing wrong with this, its "All the fear", not "you're the fear". It's from the booklet
That sounds right.
Song is definatly about the relationship between Buddy and his father, and how his dad's a coward for leaving his family to grow up by themselves.