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."
Who let the cat out of the bag?
Who told the world that I was older?
Who laughed at all I had?
Who said the race was over?
I am a small and gentle man
Who carries the world upon his shoulders
Kindly lend a helping hand
Come over
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
And hold onto me,
Hold on
And my behavior is hard to understand
When I'm like a phone with no connection
But I'm still doin' all I can
To try and get me some redemption
And I'm knee deep in sinking sand
Crying out for your attention
Kindly lend a helping hand
For once defy convention
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold on
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold on
[Dialogue]
Our task is to transform ourselves,
Into awakened multidimensional beings
Thus fulfilling our dream.
The 4th and 5th dimensions to the third.
It is the inner meaning between Earth descending and Heaven descending
This sacred magic has already been achieved by many of us.
The nameless others are awakening daily
As the cause steadfastly intensifies.
We are the claiming of divine birthright and heritage
Remembering that we are angels incarnate;
Vast starried beings of light.
We are no longer limited and bound by the illusions of time, space, and matter
We are ready to join as unimensions? of the one
The [?] doorways cannot be opened or passed by any of us
Still operating as individual units of consciousness.
They are brought into manifestation from our unified presence;
Through our focused intent;
Through our total commitment to serving a higher purpose.
This is the bridge to an entirely different energy pattern.
It is the step beyond the mound dimensional universe.
It is a journey into the unknown which shall lead us ever closer to home.
Who told the world that I was older?
Who laughed at all I had?
Who said the race was over?
I am a small and gentle man
Who carries the world upon his shoulders
Kindly lend a helping hand
Come over
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
And hold onto me,
Hold on
And my behavior is hard to understand
When I'm like a phone with no connection
But I'm still doin' all I can
To try and get me some redemption
And I'm knee deep in sinking sand
Crying out for your attention
Kindly lend a helping hand
For once defy convention
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold on
And hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold onto me,
Hold on
[Dialogue]
Our task is to transform ourselves,
Into awakened multidimensional beings
Thus fulfilling our dream.
The 4th and 5th dimensions to the third.
It is the inner meaning between Earth descending and Heaven descending
This sacred magic has already been achieved by many of us.
The nameless others are awakening daily
As the cause steadfastly intensifies.
We are the claiming of divine birthright and heritage
Remembering that we are angels incarnate;
Vast starried beings of light.
We are no longer limited and bound by the illusions of time, space, and matter
We are ready to join as unimensions? of the one
The [?] doorways cannot be opened or passed by any of us
Still operating as individual units of consciousness.
They are brought into manifestation from our unified presence;
Through our focused intent;
Through our total commitment to serving a higher purpose.
This is the bridge to an entirely different energy pattern.
It is the step beyond the mound dimensional universe.
It is a journey into the unknown which shall lead us ever closer to home.
Lyrics submitted by JackieBee, edited by mfrazee, yanna11213, windyde, pkh-legend
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
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
I think it goes like "It is the inner meaning between Earth ascending and Heaven descending."
The song itself is okay, but this dialogue is absolutely awesome
'But I'm still doing all I can To try and get me some redemption' points clearly at a morality - redemption story. This idea is supported by the protagonist who offers: 'Kindly lend a helping hand. Come over. And hold on to me'. Morality - Redemption stories are all about sacrificing oneself for the greater good. And this person here is searching for the balance between the earthly and heavenly life. Searching for his purpose is his journey to find himself.
Brian Molko - lightworker. I can get used to that :)
I think it goes like "It is the inner meaning between Earth ascending and Heaven descending."
The song itself is okay, but this dialogue is absolutely awesome
For me this song is a reflection in how it's perceived eternal love , and the contradiction it brings that longing in this dimension in which the most important task is being a self sufficient individual whit not bounds on this dimension because of its fleeting nature we are all eternal beings together this is only an illusion of separation