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."
Did I give in so much?
Was it never enough?
The walls are rising up
Is it too late to lose?
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell.
So take cover 'cause I'm not the only one.
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one in here with everyone
I'm not the only one.
You're never close enough
You're too far behind
Slipped to the floor
No heart to find
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell
So take cover cause I'm not the only one.
I'm not the only one.
I wish you well
You won't drag me to hell
And you'll never, you'll be the only one.
You'll be the only one.
Come back to me
Your heart is not breathing
Come, come back to me
Your heart is not breathing
(Please don't drag me down with you)
(Taking me down with you)
Please don't drag me down, ever
(Dragging me down with you)
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell
So take cover, cause I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I wish you well, you won't drag me to hell
And you'll never, you'll be the only one
You'll be the only one
Was it never enough?
The walls are rising up
Is it too late to lose?
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell.
So take cover 'cause I'm not the only one.
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one in here with everyone
I'm not the only one.
You're never close enough
You're too far behind
Slipped to the floor
No heart to find
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell
So take cover cause I'm not the only one.
I'm not the only one.
I wish you well
You won't drag me to hell
And you'll never, you'll be the only one.
You'll be the only one.
Come back to me
Your heart is not breathing
Come, come back to me
Your heart is not breathing
(Please don't drag me down with you)
(Taking me down with you)
Please don't drag me down, ever
(Dragging me down with you)
And I wish you well on the storm giving you hell
So take cover, cause I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I wish you well, you won't drag me to hell
And you'll never, you'll be the only one
You'll be the only one
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
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.
“Wooly” This song features our best friend and [tour manager], Coco Wiley! It’s about attempting to try and save someone, but understanding that only they can save themselves. -Breathe Carolina
I think it's just about how not committing to a relationship means the end of it.
It's time! Did I give in too much? Was it never enough? The walls are rising up Is it too late to learn?
Starting to turn on me As if I stole its memory Left alone, gone and forgotten So close to breaking me in
And I wish you well I'm the storm giving you hell So take cover, cause I'm not the only one I'm not the only one
It's time! I'm not the only one You're killing everyone I'm not the only one
You're never close enough You're too far behind Stripped to the bone No heart to find
I'm falling, nothing to break my fall Once I hit, I won't feel anything at all
And I wish you well I'm the storm giving you hell So take cover, cause I'm not the only one I'm not the only one I wish you well, you won't drag me to hell, no never You'll be the only one You'll be the only one
Come back to me Your heart's not breathing Come, come back to me Your heart's not breathing
Please don't drag me down with you Never! Dragging me down with you Please don't drag me down (Dragging me down with you) Never Dragging me down with you
(And I wish you well I'm the storm giving you hell So take cover, cause I'm not the only one)
And I wish you well (I wish you well) I'm the storm giving you hell So take cover, cause I'm not the only one I'm not the only one
And I wish you well (I wish you well) You won't drag me to hell And no never You'll be the only one You'll be the only one
More correct lyrics right here, ugh