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."
I woke up early this mornin'
I was feelin' kind of blue
My landlady said you got a letter here
And I began to sing the blues
It was from my brother
Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam
Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but
Lord knows you think you're right
(but you got to be wrong, don't you hear me, you got to be wrong, now pick up -)
You wake up early in the mornin' baby
And you don't have nothin' to eat
You can't buy yourself no clothes baby
Lord knows who can you meet
My brother's in Vietnam
People don't you know just why I'm singin' these blues
You might have no respect for your country darlin'
But that's why, that's why I'm singin' these blues
(you better pick up baby and get with it, you hear me? Looka here -)
The mothers, all the wives,
All the fathers, that have sons,
In Vietnam, you hear me?
This is to you
Always
Oh I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
Lord I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
It's so sad, it's so sad to think about your people
Lord when the other man thinks they're wrong
(you're not right baby. Hear this just before I go -)
Lord I woke up in the mornin' (*)
You're gonna look up, you're gonna look up and find yourself gone
Lord I woke up this mornin'
You're gonna look up and find yourself gone
(how would you feel if it was your brother over there, eh? How would you feel?)
Lord then you're gonna ask the good Lord to forgive you
Please forgive me for my sins.
I was feelin' kind of blue
My landlady said you got a letter here
And I began to sing the blues
It was from my brother
Don't you know the boy's laying down in Vietnam
Lord they say, you don't have no reason to fight baby but
Lord knows you think you're right
(but you got to be wrong, don't you hear me, you got to be wrong, now pick up -)
You wake up early in the mornin' baby
And you don't have nothin' to eat
You can't buy yourself no clothes baby
Lord knows who can you meet
My brother's in Vietnam
People don't you know just why I'm singin' these blues
You might have no respect for your country darlin'
But that's why, that's why I'm singin' these blues
(you better pick up baby and get with it, you hear me? Looka here -)
The mothers, all the wives,
All the fathers, that have sons,
In Vietnam, you hear me?
This is to you
Always
Oh I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
Lord I'm gonna wake up early in the mornin'
People I'm 'bout to go out of my god-darn' mind
It's so sad, it's so sad to think about your people
Lord when the other man thinks they're wrong
(you're not right baby. Hear this just before I go -)
Lord I woke up in the mornin' (*)
You're gonna look up, you're gonna look up and find yourself gone
Lord I woke up this mornin'
You're gonna look up and find yourself gone
(how would you feel if it was your brother over there, eh? How would you feel?)
Lord then you're gonna ask the good Lord to forgive you
Please forgive me for my sins.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Vietcong Blues Lyrics as written by Junior Wells
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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