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."
All my life people tellin' me just who I am
They don't wanna know
They don't really understand
So many people tryin' to tell me to be practical
Only think that I am undemensional
But I can feel it
There's a fire ragin' underneath
Running through the pages
Here I am comin' clean
I'm sick of lyin' to myself gotta a little truth
And now I got to do what I gotta do
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
Is there a crime to be just who I wanna be
I need some space so I can chase all my dreams
Cause when I hit the stage anything is possible
I get lost in the song and then it is magical
So crank it up feel the rush
Send this time we lose
I wanna feel the inspiration through my soul
And there's a walk in place when I feel alive
And I start to say
You just cant deny
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
When everybody's gone
And I'm here all alone
I don't gotta hide
You've got to understand
That it's is who I am
And it's where I shine
And it's where I shine
I know
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
Let it set me free
Let it set me free
You've got to believe
They don't wanna know
They don't really understand
So many people tryin' to tell me to be practical
Only think that I am undemensional
But I can feel it
There's a fire ragin' underneath
Running through the pages
Here I am comin' clean
I'm sick of lyin' to myself gotta a little truth
And now I got to do what I gotta do
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
Is there a crime to be just who I wanna be
I need some space so I can chase all my dreams
Cause when I hit the stage anything is possible
I get lost in the song and then it is magical
So crank it up feel the rush
Send this time we lose
I wanna feel the inspiration through my soul
And there's a walk in place when I feel alive
And I start to say
You just cant deny
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
When everybody's gone
And I'm here all alone
I don't gotta hide
You've got to understand
That it's is who I am
And it's where I shine
And it's where I shine
I know
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
This is where I should be
There ain't no other place yeah
Will my soul release please
There ain't no other way
I can feel it singin' movin' shakin'
Gotta go where the music takes me
Let it set me free
You got to believe
Let it set me free
Let it set me free
You've got to believe
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Got to Believe Lyrics as written by Jessi Leigh Alexander Mitch Allan
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.