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."
What's on the other side of the wall
Seems like my world has gotten so small Where are the friends who don't ever call
Is there an answer to these questions at all
When will they come and open the door
I can't hold out anymore
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
I saw somebody get married today
Saw people crying as they drove away
Old ladies laughing and children at play
I ask for love but they don't hear what I say
I want to feel what everyone feels
What will tomorrow reveal
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
What is it like to kiss a real girl
To think you're in love and get married to her
Have lots of children and grow fat and old
And die like a fish on the end of a pole
Walking down the main street
Looking at the people
Shopping at the marketplace
Standing on the corner
Praying in the temple
Dancing at the disco
Working at the factory
Party on the weekend
I just can't wait to have it all now
I want it all now
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
Seems like my world has gotten so small Where are the friends who don't ever call
Is there an answer to these questions at all
When will they come and open the door
I can't hold out anymore
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
I saw somebody get married today
Saw people crying as they drove away
Old ladies laughing and children at play
I ask for love but they don't hear what I say
I want to feel what everyone feels
What will tomorrow reveal
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
What is it like to kiss a real girl
To think you're in love and get married to her
Have lots of children and grow fat and old
And die like a fish on the end of a pole
Walking down the main street
Looking at the people
Shopping at the marketplace
Standing on the corner
Praying in the temple
Dancing at the disco
Working at the factory
Party on the weekend
I just can't wait to have it all now
I want it all now
I just can't wait to have it all now
Just take it one thing at a time
I want it all now
You'll have to learn to wait in line
I'll get it some way, somehow
I want it all now
All now
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
I Want It All Now Lyrics as written by Michael David Cotten John Waldo Waybill
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.