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."
Oh no-there's got to be a better way
Say it again
There's got to be a better way-yeah
What is it good for? (war)
Man has a sense for the discovery of beauty
How rich is the world for one who makes you for us to show
Beauty must have power over man, war
After the end of the war I want to devote myself
To my thoughts for five to ten years and to writing them down
War has caused unrest among the younger generation
Induction then destruction, who wants to die?
Wars come and go what remains are only the values of culture
Then of course there is revolutionary love
Love of comrades fighting for the people and love of people
Not an abstract people but people one meets and works with
When Che Guevara taught of love being
At the center of revolutionary endeavor, he meant both
For people like Che or George Jackson or Malcolm X
Love was the prime mover of their struggle
That love cost them their lives, love coupled with a man's pride
Love coupled with a man's pride
Give it to you on top, now
War, I despise 'cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War, means tears to thousands of mothers how
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said, war, good god, now, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing
Say it again, war, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothing but a heart breaker
War, friend only to the undertaker, war
(War, war, war, war)
War, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, war, good god now, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, (war)
Oh no, there's got to be a better way
Say it again, there's got to be a better way
Yeah, what is it good for?
War, what is it good for?
Say it again
There's got to be a better way-yeah
What is it good for? (war)
Man has a sense for the discovery of beauty
How rich is the world for one who makes you for us to show
Beauty must have power over man, war
After the end of the war I want to devote myself
To my thoughts for five to ten years and to writing them down
War has caused unrest among the younger generation
Induction then destruction, who wants to die?
Wars come and go what remains are only the values of culture
Then of course there is revolutionary love
Love of comrades fighting for the people and love of people
Not an abstract people but people one meets and works with
When Che Guevara taught of love being
At the center of revolutionary endeavor, he meant both
For people like Che or George Jackson or Malcolm X
Love was the prime mover of their struggle
That love cost them their lives, love coupled with a man's pride
Love coupled with a man's pride
Give it to you on top, now
War, I despise 'cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War, means tears to thousands of mothers how
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said, war, good god, now, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing
Say it again, war, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothing but a heart breaker
War, friend only to the undertaker, war
(War, war, war, war)
War, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, war, good god now, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, (war)
Oh no, there's got to be a better way
Say it again, there's got to be a better way
Yeah, what is it good for?
War, what is it good for?
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
War! Lyrics as written by Barrett Strong Norman Whitfield
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
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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.
Great version of a great song,
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