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."
Pins and needles, needles and pins
(yo D what's up)
Pins and needles, needles and pins
(yo what's up milk what's up?)
10, 9, 8, 7
(yo what's up milk?)
6, 5, 4
(yo chill what's up what's up?)
3, 2, 1
Now what am I mad about?
(i don't know man)
In my particular style, I rhyme a while
Then I crack a smile, then I change again
Now say, hypothetically, that I am medically
Insane, then why are you still my friend?
I want an avenue far, far, away from you
But yet the audio two rehearse
You say it in front of me, try to make fun of me
Sayin' I'm second, but who is first?
The questions, the questions, the questions, the questions!!
(yo milk chill! chill, chill, chill chill)
In my particular way, I like to say, hey
To the people as I go by
If I'm actin polite and I say it alright
Then explain to me why you don't say, hi?
I'm livin' on a plateau, in somebody's shadow
Yet I go on to reach my goal
You robbin' and stealin', wheelin' and dealin'
Sayin' you straight, but who's in control?
The questions hah, the questions, the questions, the questions!
(chill!)
Yo, I don't know what's goin' giz
I need a cup of milk
I need a cup of milk
(what are you talkin' about d? here's some milk)
Yo forget the cup, I don't want no-cup!
(aight aight aight)
Gimme a glass, a full glass!
(here's your glass)
Yo, where's my girl? where is my girl?
(yo milk, chill)
Come here sweetheart, I miss you!
(i ain't gonna tell you, do I have to tie you up and hurt you or what?)
In my particular show, I say "say ho!"
Then I go, now I'm back again
You said I'm weak and wack, is that a fact
Who's clockin ducats while you're partyin?
You said you don't care about the clothes you wear
But it's not fair because apartheid's wack
You say milk is buggin, like milk is druggin
Shakin your head but brother who's on the crack?
The questions, the questions, the questions hah, the questions!!
(aight we gonna chill on that)
With this particular beat, I got you movin' your feet
And the heat in the room will make the devil grin
But yet behind my back you persist I'm wack
But wait, who paid their money, to get in?
You say you need a savior, with a different flavor
The road I'm pavin', is paved in gold
(calm down)
It's not around my neck, but mostly in my pocket
Compare the two images, now who is bold?
The questions, the questions, the questions, the questions!!
(cool out, I thought you was chillin')
The questions, the questions yeah
(chill out, calm down)
The questions, the questions!!
The questions! the questions boy! the questions! the quest-ions!
The questions sucka the questions the questions the questions
(yo yo yo yo milk! chill out!)
The questions!
(i can't take it no more! chill!)
(yo D what's up)
Pins and needles, needles and pins
(yo what's up milk what's up?)
10, 9, 8, 7
(yo what's up milk?)
6, 5, 4
(yo chill what's up what's up?)
3, 2, 1
Now what am I mad about?
(i don't know man)
In my particular style, I rhyme a while
Then I crack a smile, then I change again
Now say, hypothetically, that I am medically
Insane, then why are you still my friend?
I want an avenue far, far, away from you
But yet the audio two rehearse
You say it in front of me, try to make fun of me
Sayin' I'm second, but who is first?
The questions, the questions, the questions, the questions!!
(yo milk chill! chill, chill, chill chill)
In my particular way, I like to say, hey
To the people as I go by
If I'm actin polite and I say it alright
Then explain to me why you don't say, hi?
I'm livin' on a plateau, in somebody's shadow
Yet I go on to reach my goal
You robbin' and stealin', wheelin' and dealin'
Sayin' you straight, but who's in control?
The questions hah, the questions, the questions, the questions!
(chill!)
Yo, I don't know what's goin' giz
I need a cup of milk
I need a cup of milk
(what are you talkin' about d? here's some milk)
Yo forget the cup, I don't want no-cup!
(aight aight aight)
Gimme a glass, a full glass!
(here's your glass)
Yo, where's my girl? where is my girl?
(yo milk, chill)
Come here sweetheart, I miss you!
(i ain't gonna tell you, do I have to tie you up and hurt you or what?)
In my particular show, I say "say ho!"
Then I go, now I'm back again
You said I'm weak and wack, is that a fact
Who's clockin ducats while you're partyin?
You said you don't care about the clothes you wear
But it's not fair because apartheid's wack
You say milk is buggin, like milk is druggin
Shakin your head but brother who's on the crack?
The questions, the questions, the questions hah, the questions!!
(aight we gonna chill on that)
With this particular beat, I got you movin' your feet
And the heat in the room will make the devil grin
But yet behind my back you persist I'm wack
But wait, who paid their money, to get in?
You say you need a savior, with a different flavor
The road I'm pavin', is paved in gold
(calm down)
It's not around my neck, but mostly in my pocket
Compare the two images, now who is bold?
The questions, the questions, the questions, the questions!!
(cool out, I thought you was chillin')
The questions, the questions yeah
(chill out, calm down)
The questions, the questions!!
The questions! the questions boy! the questions! the quest-ions!
The questions sucka the questions the questions the questions
(yo yo yo yo milk! chill out!)
The questions!
(i can't take it no more! chill!)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Questions Lyrics as written by Freddie Byrd Audio Two
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.