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."
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the shoppin' malls
I said Burn down the malls
said burn down the shoppin' malls
burna burna burna burna down shoppin' malls
Hey you ever get the feelin that America is turning into some kinda sit-com
lowest common denominator
shopping mall marketing strategy from hell
You ever get that feeling?
Well I got that feeling right now
and it's kinda getting under my skin
yeah
so get some gas-o-line and
Burn down the malls SAY IT
Burn down the malls LOUDER
Burn down the malls
You know it just started out as a kind of corner store
Then it turned into a shopping center
Oh I remember the shoppin' center openings man
they used to have those big lights shinin' up
but now
Now, where do the old folks go?
Where do the young kids go?
What's America, what's America turning into?
Mondo-condo-shopping-mall-hell
I say
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Nero had the right idea
fiddle while you burn
Now another thing is kinda gettin' on my nerves...
another thing that's kinda gettin' on my nerves is this
national 21 drinking age
Huh? what do ya think about that?
A bunch of malarkey
whatever malarkey is man
it's a whole bunch of it..
you know if Reagan finally gets the war he's lookin for
you think he's gonna be draftin' 21 year olds?
No man they're gonna be draftin' 18 and 19 year olds
but ya can't buy beer
you can get married and screw yourself up real good
but ya can't buy beer
ya can charge 8 million dollars on the master charge
but ya can't buy beer
you can vote for one fool or another
but ya can't buy beer
'cause this is America
America that's run by the lowest common denominator
the money
how many units did ya move Mojo?
how many things of apple juice did ya sell?
see'mon suckers see'mon feel it
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Alright all you weirdo's out there
all you moralistic twisted evil little ice pickers
you say "we want to censor rock and roll"
we want to decide what you read
what you watch
what you listen to
oh oh oh Mr. Falwell
oh Miss Tipper Gore
wait till i got you on the floor
we gonna tie you up inside of a shopping mall
then we're gonna then we're gonna
we're gonna have a war on drugs
a war on drugs
we outta' have a war on war you suckers
we outta 'have a war on this senseless condominium
new car hell
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the shoppin' malls
I said Burn down the malls
said burn down the shoppin' malls
burna burna burna burna down shoppin' malls
Hey you ever get the feelin that America is turning into some kinda sit-com
lowest common denominator
shopping mall marketing strategy from hell
You ever get that feeling?
Well I got that feeling right now
and it's kinda getting under my skin
yeah
so get some gas-o-line and
Burn down the malls SAY IT
Burn down the malls LOUDER
Burn down the malls
You know it just started out as a kind of corner store
Then it turned into a shopping center
Oh I remember the shoppin' center openings man
they used to have those big lights shinin' up
but now
Now, where do the old folks go?
Where do the young kids go?
What's America, what's America turning into?
Mondo-condo-shopping-mall-hell
I say
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Nero had the right idea
fiddle while you burn
Now another thing is kinda gettin' on my nerves...
another thing that's kinda gettin' on my nerves is this
national 21 drinking age
Huh? what do ya think about that?
A bunch of malarkey
whatever malarkey is man
it's a whole bunch of it..
you know if Reagan finally gets the war he's lookin for
you think he's gonna be draftin' 21 year olds?
No man they're gonna be draftin' 18 and 19 year olds
but ya can't buy beer
you can get married and screw yourself up real good
but ya can't buy beer
ya can charge 8 million dollars on the master charge
but ya can't buy beer
you can vote for one fool or another
but ya can't buy beer
'cause this is America
America that's run by the lowest common denominator
the money
how many units did ya move Mojo?
how many things of apple juice did ya sell?
see'mon suckers see'mon feel it
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Alright all you weirdo's out there
all you moralistic twisted evil little ice pickers
you say "we want to censor rock and roll"
we want to decide what you read
what you watch
what you listen to
oh oh oh Mr. Falwell
oh Miss Tipper Gore
wait till i got you on the floor
we gonna tie you up inside of a shopping mall
then we're gonna then we're gonna
we're gonna have a war on drugs
a war on drugs
we outta' have a war on war you suckers
we outta 'have a war on this senseless condominium
new car hell
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Burn down the malls
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Burn Down the Malls Lyrics as written by Nixon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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.
Great version of a great song,
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.