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."
Ever think about your high school friends
All the kids that you knew back when
If you'd pass'em on the street today
You just might see they've gone a different way
Lovely Linda was a friend of mine
Dressed to kill she always looked sure fine
We all thought she was a star back then
Now she's entertaining businessmen
But she's doin' what she wants to
Macho Johnny from around the block
Always had that funky walk
Now he's wearing little sister clothes
Wrapped up in a world of pantyhose
But he's doin' what he wants to
Gonna have a good time (gonna have a good time)
Wooh oh
Little Four-Eyes was the teacher's pet
Stacks of books and his chemistry set
Now he's a rancher down in ol' Brazil
Mixes powders making little pills
But he's doin' what he wants to
Cause it makes him feel fine
Paid for the ticket
Might as well take a ride
The rest of them were born to tears
Or hiding fears and never broke away
Wimpy Andy was a punching bag
Screamed and hollered he was such a drag
Now you hear him on the radio
Sings songs and playing rock & roll
Rock & roll, rock & roll, rock & roll
Doin' what he wants to
Gonna have a good time
Paid for the ticket
Might was well take a ride, take a ride
Well he's doin' what he wants to (doin' what he wants to)
Gonna have a good time
Doin' what he wants to (doin' want he wants to)
Gonna have a good time (have a good, have a good time)
Doin' what he wants to
He's gonna have a good time
Hey
All the kids that you knew back when
If you'd pass'em on the street today
You just might see they've gone a different way
Lovely Linda was a friend of mine
Dressed to kill she always looked sure fine
We all thought she was a star back then
Now she's entertaining businessmen
But she's doin' what she wants to
Macho Johnny from around the block
Always had that funky walk
Now he's wearing little sister clothes
Wrapped up in a world of pantyhose
But he's doin' what he wants to
Gonna have a good time (gonna have a good time)
Wooh oh
Little Four-Eyes was the teacher's pet
Stacks of books and his chemistry set
Now he's a rancher down in ol' Brazil
Mixes powders making little pills
But he's doin' what he wants to
Cause it makes him feel fine
Paid for the ticket
Might as well take a ride
The rest of them were born to tears
Or hiding fears and never broke away
Wimpy Andy was a punching bag
Screamed and hollered he was such a drag
Now you hear him on the radio
Sings songs and playing rock & roll
Rock & roll, rock & roll, rock & roll
Doin' what he wants to
Gonna have a good time
Paid for the ticket
Might was well take a ride, take a ride
Well he's doin' what he wants to (doin' what he wants to)
Gonna have a good time
Doin' what he wants to (doin' want he wants to)
Gonna have a good time (have a good, have a good time)
Doin' what he wants to
He's gonna have a good time
Hey
Lyrics submitted by harderman61
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Mountain Song
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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.
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