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."
When you're born in the dirt the only way to grow is up
So we reach for the sun but it seems
Every rung that you climb is another crooked line
That you cross off the tally of your dreams
Don't step out of line kid, you learn it pretty fast
Every face has its place in the crowd
They'll give you all the answers, so you don't ask any questions
Then they'll march you with a smile into the ground
And we all go to heaven in a little row boat
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
This stray dog world, this sick sad place
Got a belly full of maggots and disease
Every apple here is rotten, every blessing is a curse
Every word is a lie you best believe
We take one step forward, then two steps back
In a race to the bottom of the barrel
They teach us how to fear
They teach us how to hate
Then they arm us and they march us off to hell
And it's left, left, left right left
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
This ain't ever gonna stop
Because they came for our minds
We said nothing
They came for our hopes
We said nothing
They came for our souls
And still we said nothing
Now they're coming for our lives
So what's it gonna take
So what's it gonna take
What's it gonna take
What's it gonna take
See how they run, see how they run
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If clawing for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If clawing for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
So we reach for the sun but it seems
Every rung that you climb is another crooked line
That you cross off the tally of your dreams
Don't step out of line kid, you learn it pretty fast
Every face has its place in the crowd
They'll give you all the answers, so you don't ask any questions
Then they'll march you with a smile into the ground
And we all go to heaven in a little row boat
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
This stray dog world, this sick sad place
Got a belly full of maggots and disease
Every apple here is rotten, every blessing is a curse
Every word is a lie you best believe
We take one step forward, then two steps back
In a race to the bottom of the barrel
They teach us how to fear
They teach us how to hate
Then they arm us and they march us off to hell
And it's left, left, left right left
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If crawling for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
This ain't ever gonna stop
Because they came for our minds
We said nothing
They came for our hopes
We said nothing
They came for our souls
And still we said nothing
Now they're coming for our lives
So what's it gonna take
So what's it gonna take
What's it gonna take
What's it gonna take
See how they run, see how they run
So put your hands up, put your hands up
If clawing for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
The writing's on the wall, this ain't ever gonna stop
Put your hands up, put your hands up
If clawing for the scraps won't ever be enough
Put your hands up, put your hands up
We'll fight until we die, this ain't ever gonna stop
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Has a very similar musical style to King 810 songs. The theme is a little different, as King 810 seem to focus more so on criminal aspects in their impoverished Flint area. Parkway Drive seem to be more making a general rally cry for all (a bit more encompassing and relatable to the masses).