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."
Hey if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
Attention threatened me
Now I give an apology
When stressing is no way to be
With no measure on how hard I could pull
Oh why do we do all the things we do
That serve only to harm? I left her feeling used
The other person we had I lost in the crash.
I take him out to choose.
Hey if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
It’s in the beating of another breed
It’s in the pulse of the apology
If you cut the tension in the monologue
Embed "no hope, give up" it means "let it be"
If you want to be asleep just hold my hand.
Believe.
But if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
You don’t know what you’re really scared of I can tell
The circles that you’re running in your mind
All well remove me from your sights and scare your heart
from feeling mine
For where you’re at!
You need to be yourself
I wore off
A good face
A good place
I was safe
Hey if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
You don’t know what you’re really scared of I can tell
The circles that you’re running in your mind
All well remove me from your sights and scare your heart
from feeling mine
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
Attention threatened me
Now I give an apology
When stressing is no way to be
With no measure on how hard I could pull
Oh why do we do all the things we do
That serve only to harm? I left her feeling used
The other person we had I lost in the crash.
I take him out to choose.
Hey if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
It’s in the beating of another breed
It’s in the pulse of the apology
If you cut the tension in the monologue
Embed "no hope, give up" it means "let it be"
If you want to be asleep just hold my hand.
Believe.
But if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
You don’t know what you’re really scared of I can tell
The circles that you’re running in your mind
All well remove me from your sights and scare your heart
from feeling mine
For where you’re at!
You need to be yourself
I wore off
A good face
A good place
I was safe
Hey if you really wanna fight with me
Then drop the act and take accountability.
And own your wrongs and keep them near
Don’t waive your love for foolish fears.
You don’t know what you’re really scared of I can tell
The circles that you’re running in your mind
All well remove me from your sights and scare your heart
from feeling mine
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
Someone who’s certain and certain you’re falling
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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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Jordan: "We were in the recording studio with Brian McTernan when he said 'Write me a hit!' We didn't have one for the record yet, and that day we jammed out the music for this song and one other in all but 30 minutes or less. Sometimes 'Keep it simple, stupid!' (Brian) is the best way to go. I just remember sitting on the couch in his control room playing these chords one after the other, and it all made sense. I couldn't have played it through more than two times before Mikey took it to put drums to. I don't think we've ever written a song this easily."