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 don't seem to care today
I mirror what I love
With what I hate
Empty ways can cloud your eyes
I only know because I tried
So come with me
Come with me
Let's meet our contestants
There's no better time to play the game
I don't want to give it away
Underneath the citadels
Buried deep with your guilt and regrets
Leading in the dark, everything is wonderful
I don't care, I don't want to forget
When is it a crime, It's none of your business
I prefer to be in hell by myself
Turn the other cheek, and tell it to somebody who
Refuses to forgive,
When nothing was taken
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Alone in here, I realize
The one that kills the least still kills us all
Hidden in the rubble
Everybody's got a story to tell
What do I need? Eliminate the possible
All that's left is a man in a cell
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe a decision is
The better way to go, the better way to be
I've got my demon, go get your own
Save another number, don't forget to hate me
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Alone in here, I realize
The one that kills the least still kills us all
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Lost in here, I realize
That the one that kills the least still killed us all
The one that kills the least still kills us all
The one that kills the least still kills us all, all, all, all
I mirror what I love
With what I hate
Empty ways can cloud your eyes
I only know because I tried
So come with me
Come with me
Let's meet our contestants
There's no better time to play the game
I don't want to give it away
Underneath the citadels
Buried deep with your guilt and regrets
Leading in the dark, everything is wonderful
I don't care, I don't want to forget
When is it a crime, It's none of your business
I prefer to be in hell by myself
Turn the other cheek, and tell it to somebody who
Refuses to forgive,
When nothing was taken
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Alone in here, I realize
The one that kills the least still kills us all
Hidden in the rubble
Everybody's got a story to tell
What do I need? Eliminate the possible
All that's left is a man in a cell
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe a decision is
The better way to go, the better way to be
I've got my demon, go get your own
Save another number, don't forget to hate me
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Alone in here, I realize
The one that kills the least still kills us all
No one else survives
I've seen you live, now watch me die
But we don't see the writing on the wall
And as I close my eyes
Lost in here, I realize
That the one that kills the least still killed us all
The one that kills the least still kills us all
The one that kills the least still kills us all, all, all, all
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
The Song is about Paul Gray (just by being on the Gray Chapter).
I think, with "The one that kills the least" is meant that Paul was the least fucked up of the band. Also after his death, Corey said Paul was always the one to help others out of problems. So he "killed" noone with being himself.
"Still killed us all" means that, with his death, Paul killed the other band member mentally because he teared them apart. In a video you see Corey crying for Paul and in an interview he said he will never get over it.
L