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."
Oh yeah yeah
Her voice is echoed in my mind
I count the days 'til she is mine
I can't tell my friends 'cause they will laugh
I love a member of the staff
And I fight my way to the front of class
To get the best view of her ass
I drop a pencil on the floor
She bends down and shows me more
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
So she may be thirty-three
But that doesn't bother me
Her boyfriend's working out of town
I find a reason to go 'round
I climb a tree outside her home
To make sure that she's alone
I see her in her underwear
I can't help but stop and stare
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
Everyone that you teach all day
Knows you're looking at me in a different way
I guess that's why my marks are getting so high
I can see those telltale signs
Telling me that I was on you're mind
I could see that you wanted more when you told me
That I'm what you go to school for
I'm what you go to school for
She's packed her bag, it's in the trunk
Looks like she's picked herself a hunk
We drive past school to say goodbye
My friends they can't believe their eyes
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
Her voice is echoed in my mind
I count the days 'til she is mine
I can't tell my friends 'cause they will laugh
I love a member of the staff
And I fight my way to the front of class
To get the best view of her ass
I drop a pencil on the floor
She bends down and shows me more
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
So she may be thirty-three
But that doesn't bother me
Her boyfriend's working out of town
I find a reason to go 'round
I climb a tree outside her home
To make sure that she's alone
I see her in her underwear
I can't help but stop and stare
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
Everyone that you teach all day
Knows you're looking at me in a different way
I guess that's why my marks are getting so high
I can see those telltale signs
Telling me that I was on you're mind
I could see that you wanted more when you told me
That I'm what you go to school for
I'm what you go to school for
She's packed her bag, it's in the trunk
Looks like she's picked herself a hunk
We drive past school to say goodbye
My friends they can't believe their eyes
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
But I know that she craves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
None like Miss Mackenzie
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
What I Go to School For Lyrics as written by James Bourne Charles Simpson
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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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