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."
Cathy's New Clown
Sometimes when you get mystic
I have to leave the room
Another accident statistic
While the big bass drum goes boom
There's an apocalypse now on Station Road
If there's a nuclear winter, at least it'll snow
Your talk turns all of me upside down
You turned up my ticket at the lost and found
And all I got was the current crown worn by
Cathy's New Clown
Our enemies are at the border
We couldn't go back too soon
Be a nice girl and don't take orders
That's what they're saying in the back room
You got a big black box that I can't get a look in
And I wanna look at you but I don't get a look in
I'm like a talking head with the sound turned down
Or Pavlov's dog when he wasn't around
I'm just a little bit lost so I'm heading downtown to be
Cathy's New Clown
One upon a time
I didn't know you
That's the way the story goes
But how I wish, how I wish you'd let me show you
That I love the lines but hate the clothes
That's the way it goes
Turn the speakers up to ten now
Listen to what he has to say
Watch out there's a body talking body-talk
A big mouth just gets in the way, hey
When I'm with you, there's something to it
You know the old lie and you can see through it
But now I'm alone and I'm homeward bound
Cover my tracks up and cover new ground
Put down the purse cos I'm buying this round
I'm putting pepper down for the pack of bloodhounds
And all I need is a single sound, I'll be
Cathy's New Clown
Here he comes.....
Sometimes when you get mystic
I have to leave the room
Another accident statistic
While the big bass drum goes boom
There's an apocalypse now on Station Road
If there's a nuclear winter, at least it'll snow
Your talk turns all of me upside down
You turned up my ticket at the lost and found
And all I got was the current crown worn by
Cathy's New Clown
Our enemies are at the border
We couldn't go back too soon
Be a nice girl and don't take orders
That's what they're saying in the back room
You got a big black box that I can't get a look in
And I wanna look at you but I don't get a look in
I'm like a talking head with the sound turned down
Or Pavlov's dog when he wasn't around
I'm just a little bit lost so I'm heading downtown to be
Cathy's New Clown
One upon a time
I didn't know you
That's the way the story goes
But how I wish, how I wish you'd let me show you
That I love the lines but hate the clothes
That's the way it goes
Turn the speakers up to ten now
Listen to what he has to say
Watch out there's a body talking body-talk
A big mouth just gets in the way, hey
When I'm with you, there's something to it
You know the old lie and you can see through it
But now I'm alone and I'm homeward bound
Cover my tracks up and cover new ground
Put down the purse cos I'm buying this round
I'm putting pepper down for the pack of bloodhounds
And all I need is a single sound, I'll be
Cathy's New Clown
Here he comes.....
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Cathy's New Clown Lyrics as written by John Wesley Harding
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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No Surprises
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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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
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“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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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