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."
I'm chasing down a memory
Of the way that things used to be
Kids playing underneath and old street light
Knowing they were safe when they laid down at night
I'm looking for something I ain't seen in a while
I'm looking for a factory
Where a man can feed his family
Not worried about them moving it south
Closing the doors and shutting her down tomorrow
I'm looking for America
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
I'm searching for an old church steeple
Where inside you'll find people
Who live their lives unashamed
And they ain't afraid to say God's name outloud
Yeah I'm looking for America
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
I'm out here looking for the truth
A few folks to waive the red, white and blue
Who still believe freedom isn't free
And I guess it's up to you and me to find it
Yeah we've got to find it
'Cause we're looking for
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
Of the way that things used to be
Kids playing underneath and old street light
Knowing they were safe when they laid down at night
I'm looking for something I ain't seen in a while
I'm looking for a factory
Where a man can feed his family
Not worried about them moving it south
Closing the doors and shutting her down tomorrow
I'm looking for America
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
I'm searching for an old church steeple
Where inside you'll find people
Who live their lives unashamed
And they ain't afraid to say God's name outloud
Yeah I'm looking for America
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
I'm out here looking for the truth
A few folks to waive the red, white and blue
Who still believe freedom isn't free
And I guess it's up to you and me to find it
Yeah we've got to find it
'Cause we're looking for
The land of the free and the home of the brave
Seems like I just woke up one day
And it was gone, long gone
But I know in my heart it's still out there
Can somebody please tell me where
I'm looking for America
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Looking for America Lyrics as written by Dennis Round Anthony Bernard Round
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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