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."
Don't wanna sound full of myself or rude
But you ain't looking at no other dudes cause you love me
(I'm sorry but, so sexy)
So you think about a chance
You find yourself trying to do my dance
Maybe cause you love me (Uh, you do it well)
So then we tried, ain't feeling this love now
Because you weren't used to how fast we touched (fast we touched)
Then we locked eyes, and I knew I was in there
And I was gon' tear ya ass up (tear ya ass up)
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
Trying to be the best girlfriend you could be
But still you sneak and look at me, and girl I love it
Then you give your other girl a shove
Tell her you gon' palm her ass like it was
And she's gon love it (whoa-oh whoa, yeah yeah)
So then we tried, ain't feeling this love now
Because you weren't used to how fast we touched (fast we touched)
Then we locked eyes, and I knew I was in there
And I was gon' tear ya ass up (tear ya ass up)
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
We got another one Pha-real
Dance, ooh ooh
I call you Pha-real cause you the truest, ha ha, Young!
Whoa-oh, oh oh
Uh, yeah
Dance, ooh ooh
Yeah, lemme talk to em
Whoa-oh, oh oh
I'm a keep it real
Every time your name was brought up
I would act all nonchalant in front of an audience
Like if you was just another shorty I put the naughty on
But uh, truth be told you do me for a loop, this Hov
I'm too old to be frontin' when I'm feeling Denzel
And you acting like you ain't appealing but you are
Stunting like you ain't my only girl but you are (I was just frontin')
I'm ready to stop when you are
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
Dance, ooh ooh
Whoa-oh, oh oh
Dance, ooh ooh
Whoa-oh, oh oh
But you ain't looking at no other dudes cause you love me
(I'm sorry but, so sexy)
So you think about a chance
You find yourself trying to do my dance
Maybe cause you love me (Uh, you do it well)
So then we tried, ain't feeling this love now
Because you weren't used to how fast we touched (fast we touched)
Then we locked eyes, and I knew I was in there
And I was gon' tear ya ass up (tear ya ass up)
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
Trying to be the best girlfriend you could be
But still you sneak and look at me, and girl I love it
Then you give your other girl a shove
Tell her you gon' palm her ass like it was
And she's gon love it (whoa-oh whoa, yeah yeah)
So then we tried, ain't feeling this love now
Because you weren't used to how fast we touched (fast we touched)
Then we locked eyes, and I knew I was in there
And I was gon' tear ya ass up (tear ya ass up)
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
We got another one Pha-real
Dance, ooh ooh
I call you Pha-real cause you the truest, ha ha, Young!
Whoa-oh, oh oh
Uh, yeah
Dance, ooh ooh
Yeah, lemme talk to em
Whoa-oh, oh oh
I'm a keep it real
Every time your name was brought up
I would act all nonchalant in front of an audience
Like if you was just another shorty I put the naughty on
But uh, truth be told you do me for a loop, this Hov
I'm too old to be frontin' when I'm feeling Denzel
And you acting like you ain't appealing but you are
Stunting like you ain't my only girl but you are (I was just frontin')
I'm ready to stop when you are
I know that I'm carrying on, never mind if I'm showing off
I was just frontin' (you know I want ya babe)
I'm ready to bet it all, unless you don't care at all
But you know I want ya (you should stop frontin' babe)
Dance, ooh ooh
Whoa-oh, oh oh
Dance, ooh ooh
Whoa-oh, oh oh
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Frontin' Lyrics as written by Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Mountain Song
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