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."
Girl, I'm gonna take you on a date tonight
So put on your sexy dress and meet me
In my chambers by the firelight
This night is gonna be the best of your life
Oh yeah the mood is right
You look more beautiful than poetry can describe
By the way, do you mind if Ninja Brian
Joins us he's promised not to kill anyone...oh never mind
It's a party of three
It's just you and me
And a psychotic ninja
Every girl's dream
Don't make sudden movements!
[Waiter:] Good evening, would you like an appetizer?
[Danny:] Oh, Brian!
Do you see what I mean?
Nothing's more romantic
Than a murder in the second degree
You'll be convinced
Though I'm sensing you're not totally on board with this
Was it the murder thing? Yeah, I thought it might be.
Now it's after dinner and we're out at the club
I'm grinding up against you and I'm starting to chub
Oh you know girl, we're makin' it work
While Brian goes completely fucking apeshit berserk
There were 300 people at this club
Brian killed 297, so that leaves us with a
Party of three
If human life were a keyboard
He'd be gluing down Control-Alt-Delete
Don't make direct eye contact!
DJ: Yo I'm the DJ! Who wants to dance? AGH!!
Danny: OK Brian, we get it.
Girl you're looking at me
Like your feeling sick
I'll take you home and give you vitamin P
That stands for penis
Nothing will come between us
Brian! Lay down a tasty bridge
Damn girl, we had such a great night
It's a shame more bystanders couldn't have survived
We're going back to my place where we're gonna make love
At the moment of completion I'll release a flock of doves
Let me lay the foundation of the state of our relations
There's gonna be temptation then sensations of vibration
Followed by the cremation of your sexual frustration
Ending in the culmination of elation consummation
There's just one thing I think I forgot to mention
Ninja Brian's gonna be there giving us his full attention
'Cause nothing could be hotter than our sensual embrace
With a ninja staring at us three inches from your face
Whoo!
It's a party of three
Welcome to my kingdom of Slamalot
You are the new queen
Please take your throne
Together we'll rule this majestic bedroom alone
Oh, hey Brian!
I think we all can agree
It's time for me to plow your fields and
Sow the seeds of a new family tree
We're young and free
Come on, baby
It's just you and me
...and Ninja Brian.
So put on your sexy dress and meet me
In my chambers by the firelight
This night is gonna be the best of your life
Oh yeah the mood is right
You look more beautiful than poetry can describe
By the way, do you mind if Ninja Brian
Joins us he's promised not to kill anyone...oh never mind
It's a party of three
It's just you and me
And a psychotic ninja
Every girl's dream
Don't make sudden movements!
[Waiter:] Good evening, would you like an appetizer?
[Danny:] Oh, Brian!
Do you see what I mean?
Nothing's more romantic
Than a murder in the second degree
You'll be convinced
Though I'm sensing you're not totally on board with this
Was it the murder thing? Yeah, I thought it might be.
Now it's after dinner and we're out at the club
I'm grinding up against you and I'm starting to chub
Oh you know girl, we're makin' it work
While Brian goes completely fucking apeshit berserk
There were 300 people at this club
Brian killed 297, so that leaves us with a
Party of three
If human life were a keyboard
He'd be gluing down Control-Alt-Delete
Don't make direct eye contact!
DJ: Yo I'm the DJ! Who wants to dance? AGH!!
Danny: OK Brian, we get it.
Girl you're looking at me
Like your feeling sick
I'll take you home and give you vitamin P
That stands for penis
Nothing will come between us
Brian! Lay down a tasty bridge
Damn girl, we had such a great night
It's a shame more bystanders couldn't have survived
We're going back to my place where we're gonna make love
At the moment of completion I'll release a flock of doves
Let me lay the foundation of the state of our relations
There's gonna be temptation then sensations of vibration
Followed by the cremation of your sexual frustration
Ending in the culmination of elation consummation
There's just one thing I think I forgot to mention
Ninja Brian's gonna be there giving us his full attention
'Cause nothing could be hotter than our sensual embrace
With a ninja staring at us three inches from your face
Whoo!
It's a party of three
Welcome to my kingdom of Slamalot
You are the new queen
Please take your throne
Together we'll rule this majestic bedroom alone
Oh, hey Brian!
I think we all can agree
It's time for me to plow your fields and
Sow the seeds of a new family tree
We're young and free
Come on, baby
It's just you and me
...and Ninja Brian.
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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,
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Danny is a master MC