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."
[McGruff]
I'm from the east coast, I don't care, snatch police coats
Leave the beast roast, Gruff disturb the peace in me, ghost
Walk wit notes, plus I'm known for puttin forks in throats
Armed robbery, strong-arm, dope fiend yolks
No joke, the burner, that'll total leave you unwoke
Heartless, body niggas, roll a blunt or smoke
Spaced out loke, sherm head, my eyes turn red
One time I came in off my high level, and guys was dead
Hold my own, from my Harlem home to Riker's
Up state and down state, wit them hillbilly crackers
They got the average black man labeled as a savage
Before that cabbage, he turn to pick a bad habit
[Chorus 2X]
Word to miz, my frontin Harlem Kidz get biz
Ready to set it, and we don't really care you is
[McGruff]
Let me tell ya, how I live, I put paraphernalia
Wait, Herb McGruff ain't got vowels to show ya
Kingpin stay sharp, supreme thinkin
Gettin money out my ass, who think my cream sinkin
Heroine don, yeah, private jet airborne
Me and my niggas countin figgas wit that fresh gear on
Sip Crystal, skip the Mo', don't like Fidel Castro
Sportin diamond rings, like Don King wit that wild afro
It's time no, knowhatimean? Harlem bout to blow
No fake jacks, get the green, go all out for dough
Where I'm from son, snitches be dialin 911
But those the one you find in the alley filled wit 9 dumb-dums
[Chorus 2X]
[McGruff]
Aiyo, my town's real, it ain't no fairy tale here
Homicide Harlem, blaow, what's the problem?
We rob 'em, take all the jewels and the lucci
Cowards that grave, hit the fools wit the uzi
I lived this, handle all my business, leave no witness
God bless the guy who test the fine dress
To die F to BS, rock the cock this leg GS
Gruff be hittin virg, the skin, couldn't be sex the stretch
Hold my own, I'm own as the black Al Capone
Dangerzone, we pack chrome and wack out your dome
I want three nine, and Linic is where you will find this menace
Puffin la, sippin Harvey's Bristol, wine and Guinness
[Chorus 4X]
I'm from the east coast, I don't care, snatch police coats
Leave the beast roast, Gruff disturb the peace in me, ghost
Walk wit notes, plus I'm known for puttin forks in throats
Armed robbery, strong-arm, dope fiend yolks
No joke, the burner, that'll total leave you unwoke
Heartless, body niggas, roll a blunt or smoke
Spaced out loke, sherm head, my eyes turn red
One time I came in off my high level, and guys was dead
Hold my own, from my Harlem home to Riker's
Up state and down state, wit them hillbilly crackers
They got the average black man labeled as a savage
Before that cabbage, he turn to pick a bad habit
[Chorus 2X]
Word to miz, my frontin Harlem Kidz get biz
Ready to set it, and we don't really care you is
[McGruff]
Let me tell ya, how I live, I put paraphernalia
Wait, Herb McGruff ain't got vowels to show ya
Kingpin stay sharp, supreme thinkin
Gettin money out my ass, who think my cream sinkin
Heroine don, yeah, private jet airborne
Me and my niggas countin figgas wit that fresh gear on
Sip Crystal, skip the Mo', don't like Fidel Castro
Sportin diamond rings, like Don King wit that wild afro
It's time no, knowhatimean? Harlem bout to blow
No fake jacks, get the green, go all out for dough
Where I'm from son, snitches be dialin 911
But those the one you find in the alley filled wit 9 dumb-dums
[Chorus 2X]
[McGruff]
Aiyo, my town's real, it ain't no fairy tale here
Homicide Harlem, blaow, what's the problem?
We rob 'em, take all the jewels and the lucci
Cowards that grave, hit the fools wit the uzi
I lived this, handle all my business, leave no witness
God bless the guy who test the fine dress
To die F to BS, rock the cock this leg GS
Gruff be hittin virg, the skin, couldn't be sex the stretch
Hold my own, I'm own as the black Al Capone
Dangerzone, we pack chrome and wack out your dome
I want three nine, and Linic is where you will find this menace
Puffin la, sippin Harvey's Bristol, wine and Guinness
[Chorus 4X]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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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,
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