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."
Allright listen, that's it, i've had enough. Pull up your fucking
pants straighten your hat why are you talking like that why are you
walking like that? Fucking think your ass is cute or somethin. Why
don't you go fucking listen to Aerao speed wagon and wear taggers like
your supposed to? This aint about your fantasy, this is about my fucking reality
why don't you go whitewash your fence or clean your daddys car or something
like that, you fucking suburban nerd!
Bullshit!
Who the fuck do you think you are you've taken it a bit too far
Believing that you're king shit in your fake fantasy
A clown dressed to impress.
Soft core, Mickey Mouse and nothing less
Exposing you will make me rest
until then remember you're a bullshit fake paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image and a liar
A bullshit fake paper gangster, a punk ass motherfucker
could it be, you're really not from the streets, Could it be you saw it on TV?
The way you act, where I come from you'd never last
Could it be you're lying through your teeth?
Liar! Once long, long time ago, I was naive to all I know
People tried to push on to me their weak mentality
I woke up and I know I am real and not for show
Unlike you, who knows inside your soft
because you're a bullshit fake, paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image an a liar
A bullshit fake, paper gangster
A punk ass motherfucker
Bullshit!
(I) I know what lies inside
(I know) what lies behind your lies
(what lies) behind your lies inside
(inside) I know your lies
You're just another fucking bullshit fake, paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image and a liar
A bullshit fake, paper gangster
a punk ass motherfucker
The life I've lived, the pain I've felt
with such things you've never dealt
So to me you are a maggot
So when you go and outcast me
and I can't do a fucking thing
know that I know inside you're weak!
pants straighten your hat why are you talking like that why are you
walking like that? Fucking think your ass is cute or somethin. Why
don't you go fucking listen to Aerao speed wagon and wear taggers like
your supposed to? This aint about your fantasy, this is about my fucking reality
why don't you go whitewash your fence or clean your daddys car or something
like that, you fucking suburban nerd!
Bullshit!
Who the fuck do you think you are you've taken it a bit too far
Believing that you're king shit in your fake fantasy
A clown dressed to impress.
Soft core, Mickey Mouse and nothing less
Exposing you will make me rest
until then remember you're a bullshit fake paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image and a liar
A bullshit fake paper gangster, a punk ass motherfucker
could it be, you're really not from the streets, Could it be you saw it on TV?
The way you act, where I come from you'd never last
Could it be you're lying through your teeth?
Liar! Once long, long time ago, I was naive to all I know
People tried to push on to me their weak mentality
I woke up and I know I am real and not for show
Unlike you, who knows inside your soft
because you're a bullshit fake, paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image an a liar
A bullshit fake, paper gangster
A punk ass motherfucker
Bullshit!
(I) I know what lies inside
(I know) what lies behind your lies
(what lies) behind your lies inside
(inside) I know your lies
You're just another fucking bullshit fake, paper gangster
You aint nothing but an image and a liar
A bullshit fake, paper gangster
a punk ass motherfucker
The life I've lived, the pain I've felt
with such things you've never dealt
So to me you are a maggot
So when you go and outcast me
and I can't do a fucking thing
know that I know inside you're weak!
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Ya' Still A Paper Gangster Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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