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."
It goes a one, two, three
With the hunger of a lion, the strength of a sun
I don't need to sweat it when the competition come
Original style, like an eight of eight drum
So I don't run the track, no, I make the track run
My momma taught me words, my daddy built rockets
I hold 'em both together now, tell me what I got
It's a pretty small weapon, I can shoot it, I can drop it
But learn to respect it 'cause you clearly can't stop it
Like that
It ain't over 'cause the sharks on the left side, the snakes on the right
And anything you do, they wanna get a little bite
It really doesn't matter if you're wrong or if you're right
'Cause once they get their teeth in nothing really fights
And razzle me I do it like I got nothing to lose
And you can run your mouth like you could try to fill my shoes
But steady little soldier, I ain't standing next to you
I can lay it on the ground before you're even in my view
Like that
Give me the strength of the rising sun
Give me the truth of the words unsung
And when the last bells ring, the poor men sing
Bring me to kingdom come
This is something for your people on the block to
Blackout and rock to, give you what you need
Like Papa, who shot ya
Seperate the weak from the obsolete
You're meek, I creep hard on impostors
And switch styles on the dime, quick-witted y'all
Quit tripping, I don't have time for your crying
I grind tough, sucka, make your mind up
Are you in the firing squad or are you in the line-up?
Bang, bang, little monkey man playing
With the big guns only get you slain
I ain't playing, I'm just saying
You ain't got a sliver of a chance
I get ill or I deliver while you quiver in your parents
So shake, shake down, money, here's the break down
You can play the bank, I'ma play the bank take down
And no mistakes now I'm coming to get you
I'm just a Banksy, you're a Brainwash, get the picture?
It's like that
We swim against the rising waves
That crash against the shore
The body bends until it breaks
The early morning sings no more
So rest your head
It's time to sleep
And dream of what's in store
The body bends until it breaks
And sings again no more
'Cause time has torn the flesh away
The early morning sings no more
With the hunger of a lion, the strength of a sun
I don't need to sweat it when the competition come
Original style, like an eight of eight drum
So I don't run the track, no, I make the track run
My momma taught me words, my daddy built rockets
I hold 'em both together now, tell me what I got
It's a pretty small weapon, I can shoot it, I can drop it
But learn to respect it 'cause you clearly can't stop it
Like that
It ain't over 'cause the sharks on the left side, the snakes on the right
And anything you do, they wanna get a little bite
It really doesn't matter if you're wrong or if you're right
'Cause once they get their teeth in nothing really fights
And razzle me I do it like I got nothing to lose
And you can run your mouth like you could try to fill my shoes
But steady little soldier, I ain't standing next to you
I can lay it on the ground before you're even in my view
Like that
Give me the strength of the rising sun
Give me the truth of the words unsung
And when the last bells ring, the poor men sing
Bring me to kingdom come
This is something for your people on the block to
Blackout and rock to, give you what you need
Like Papa, who shot ya
Seperate the weak from the obsolete
You're meek, I creep hard on impostors
And switch styles on the dime, quick-witted y'all
Quit tripping, I don't have time for your crying
I grind tough, sucka, make your mind up
Are you in the firing squad or are you in the line-up?
Bang, bang, little monkey man playing
With the big guns only get you slain
I ain't playing, I'm just saying
You ain't got a sliver of a chance
I get ill or I deliver while you quiver in your parents
So shake, shake down, money, here's the break down
You can play the bank, I'ma play the bank take down
And no mistakes now I'm coming to get you
I'm just a Banksy, you're a Brainwash, get the picture?
It's like that
We swim against the rising waves
That crash against the shore
The body bends until it breaks
The early morning sings no more
So rest your head
It's time to sleep
And dream of what's in store
The body bends until it breaks
And sings again no more
'Cause time has torn the flesh away
The early morning sings no more
Lyrics submitted by MusicFREAK20
Until It Breaks Lyrics as written by Chester Charles Bennington Allie Wrubel
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group, The Administration MP, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
linkin park is just the best