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."
Jesus Christ, girl
What are people gonna think
When I show up to one of several funerals
I've attended for grandpa this week
With you
With me
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
Jesus Christ, girl
It hasn't been long so it seems
Since I was picking out an island and a tomb for you
At the Hollywood Cemetery
You kiss
On me
We should let this dead guy sleep
We should let this dead guy sleep
Jesus Christ, girl
I laid up for hours in a daze
Retracing the expanse of your American back
With Adderall and weed in my veins
You came
I think
'Cause the marble made my cheeks look pink
But I'm unsure of so many things
Ooh
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
What are people gonna think
When I show up to one of several funerals
I've attended for grandpa this week
With you
With me
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
Jesus Christ, girl
It hasn't been long so it seems
Since I was picking out an island and a tomb for you
At the Hollywood Cemetery
You kiss
On me
We should let this dead guy sleep
We should let this dead guy sleep
Jesus Christ, girl
I laid up for hours in a daze
Retracing the expanse of your American back
With Adderall and weed in my veins
You came
I think
'Cause the marble made my cheeks look pink
But I'm unsure of so many things
Ooh
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
Someone's gotta help me dig
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I think this song might be about having sex on people's graves.
Sorry.
Yeah, I think people are over-analyzing this a tad. The "marble" refers to headstones in the cemetery. And "we should let this dead guy sleep" more or less means let's not bang on top of his grave.
You might be right, but I think that interpretation doesnt make sense for a few reasons.<br /> <br /> First, the tone of the song would make no sense. The song is kind of sad and serious and wouldnt make sense if he were just talking about how they should stop having sex in graveyards.<br /> <br /> Second, sex doesnt even come up until the last stanza. If the whole song is about sex it should have been introduced at the very beginning to provide context. Only one verse talks about sex, it seems a mistake to then think the whole song is about it.<br /> <br /> Third, whats with the repetition of "someone's gotta help me dig" if the song is about banging on graves? And why is he picking out a tomb for the girl, and why is he reflecting on the fact that he picked out a tomb some time ago? In general why the focus on past tense in the song? This suggest that the song is reflective, not about something likes to do with his lover.