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 looked at the moon so full and bright
And then at the fireplace, when it's flickering light
And realize why this world will never be right
Then I threw another log on the fire
Inside these four walls, I am a king
But beyond that door, it doesn't mean a thing
I pay all my dues, till I have only a portion of membership in world happiness
And my blood runs freely in Vietnam
So I threw another log on the fire
Why do you insist on keeping us caged?
You know all that does is intensify rage
The word knowledge sees the time
And all power to the people!
Power to the people!
Then I threw another log on the fire
Putting us in a cage was a mistake
All that did was intensify hate
Now (?) to our cages, you expect us to wait?'
While you fool around on the moon
And from there look for another place to conquer
While i throw another log on the fire
America, UR, you're just doing fine
These racial things however do take time
While I'm tired waiting not getting mine
(Me too!)
Except however in Vietnam
Where every dead black man is a credit to his race
Eh, as long as he remembers his place
So I threw another log on the fire
Quit to put pencil to paper, it can wait
What's right must explain before it's too late
The flames are at their peaks now, can't wait
Too many broken promises
Too many black babies asking "Why?...."
Too many restless armies in the ghetto
So i'll just throw another log on the fire
And then at the fireplace, when it's flickering light
And realize why this world will never be right
Then I threw another log on the fire
Inside these four walls, I am a king
But beyond that door, it doesn't mean a thing
I pay all my dues, till I have only a portion of membership in world happiness
And my blood runs freely in Vietnam
So I threw another log on the fire
Why do you insist on keeping us caged?
You know all that does is intensify rage
The word knowledge sees the time
And all power to the people!
Power to the people!
Then I threw another log on the fire
Putting us in a cage was a mistake
All that did was intensify hate
Now (?) to our cages, you expect us to wait?'
While you fool around on the moon
And from there look for another place to conquer
While i throw another log on the fire
America, UR, you're just doing fine
These racial things however do take time
While I'm tired waiting not getting mine
(Me too!)
Except however in Vietnam
Where every dead black man is a credit to his race
Eh, as long as he remembers his place
So I threw another log on the fire
Quit to put pencil to paper, it can wait
What's right must explain before it's too late
The flames are at their peaks now, can't wait
Too many broken promises
Too many black babies asking "Why?...."
Too many restless armies in the ghetto
So i'll just throw another log on the fire
Lyrics submitted by epiwoosh
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
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.
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.