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 can understand how the edges are rough
And they cut you like the tiny slivers of glass
And you feel too much
And you don't know how long you're gonna last
But everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Find a way to make the hurt go away
But everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Like you're trying to scream underwater
But, I won't let you make the great escape,
I'm never gonna watch you checkin' out of this place
I'm not gonna lose you
'Cause the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep you alive someday
Gonna keep you alive someday
I feel like I could wave my fist in front of your face
And you wouldn't flinch or even feel a thing
And you retreated to your silent corner
Like you decided the fight was over for ya
Everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Find a way to make the hurt go away
Everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Everyone needs a floor they can fall through
I won't let you make the great escape
I'm never gonna watch you checkin' out of this place
I'm not gonna lose you
'Cause the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep you alive someday
They're gonna keep you alive someday
Oh, terrified of the dark, but not if you go with me
And I don't need a pill to make me know
And I wrote the book already
But that chapter of my life will soon be done
I'm the king of the great escape
You're not gonna watch me checkin' out of this place
You're not gonna lose me
'Cause the passion and pain
Are gonna keep us alive, someday
Yeah the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep us alive someday
Someday, yeah
And they cut you like the tiny slivers of glass
And you feel too much
And you don't know how long you're gonna last
But everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Find a way to make the hurt go away
But everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Like you're trying to scream underwater
But, I won't let you make the great escape,
I'm never gonna watch you checkin' out of this place
I'm not gonna lose you
'Cause the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep you alive someday
Gonna keep you alive someday
I feel like I could wave my fist in front of your face
And you wouldn't flinch or even feel a thing
And you retreated to your silent corner
Like you decided the fight was over for ya
Everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Find a way to make the hurt go away
Everyone you know, is tryna smooth it over
Everyone needs a floor they can fall through
I won't let you make the great escape
I'm never gonna watch you checkin' out of this place
I'm not gonna lose you
'Cause the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep you alive someday
They're gonna keep you alive someday
Oh, terrified of the dark, but not if you go with me
And I don't need a pill to make me know
And I wrote the book already
But that chapter of my life will soon be done
I'm the king of the great escape
You're not gonna watch me checkin' out of this place
You're not gonna lose me
'Cause the passion and pain
Are gonna keep us alive, someday
Yeah the passion and the pain
Are gonna keep us alive someday
Someday, yeah
Lyrics submitted by mike, edited by thrwmyhrtawy., quiana1174
The Great Escape Lyrics as written by Dan Wilson Alecia Moore
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave
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pretty sure this is about how you should not kill yourself
Clearly, we all recognize that "The Great Escape" is referring to someone killing themselves. You may recall the song, which is one of my favorites, "Who Knew". This was a song about her love that killed himself which deals with the loss retroactively. The "Great Escape" song is a proactive way to encourage someone ahead of time from making a permanent decision to a temporary problem. Can't wait to see her in Washington DC 3/14/13!
Actually she said it was about pills and unnecessary meds.
Pink said in an interview that this song was about how she thinks that people now have pills for everything and she thinks that the world is slowly becoming more and more numb. She talked about how people around her using pills for every little thing aggravate her because personally she gains inspiration from her emotional highs and lows and she needs them to get by. Hence the lyrics "I don't need a pill to make me numb," and "The passion and the pain are gonna keep us alive someday." She did say that everyone interpreted the escape differently, but to her it was about pills and unnecessary medications.
Think it's about life in general. Everyone is looking for short cuts, they give up easily in every aspect in life. Personally I think it's because we're better evolved with technology science and knowledge and have everything at our fingertips.LITERALLY . We need the good and the bad to be better and stronger in life. It's like a ying yang. Perfect balance of chaos and peace. The road has to be bumpy and filled with the unexpected wether it's good or bad. What the hell is life even about it you don't actually experience it??life isn't just cruising along till you die. Life is the fucking journey you have to embrace it and make the most of it because it's short and full of wonderful shitty things that will make us better and stronger human beings.
Love this song...My bff/unbiological sister/soulmate battled cancer for 5 years while caring for Mother, big brother ( both lost their battle with cancer ) as well as baby bro after his stroke... True soldier...i'd sing this song to her when she was ready to give up...she fought hard but 1/30/18, she left us...she was tired of fighting... I stayed by her side until she took her last breath... No Not suicide but there were days...so many days she wanted to make the great escape... SHE RAN A DAMN GOOD RACE...