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."
Silence, here in the sunset of my life
I've been walking through the darkness
With your ghost by my side
How I've tried, but never can stop the pain I feel
I have tried so hard but the wounds never heal
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
Mother, these are the final words I'll write
I know they're full of sadness, I know they'll make you cry
How I've tried to hide the truth of my despair
The sadness kept on calling, drowning out my prayers
There's no place for me, I'm torn apart
And I wish I could have made things better
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
There's no place for me, and deep inside
This pain won't last forever
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
I've been walking through the darkness
With your ghost by my side
How I've tried, but never can stop the pain I feel
I have tried so hard but the wounds never heal
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
Mother, these are the final words I'll write
I know they're full of sadness, I know they'll make you cry
How I've tried to hide the truth of my despair
The sadness kept on calling, drowning out my prayers
There's no place for me, I'm torn apart
And I wish I could have made things better
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
There's no place for me, and deep inside
This pain won't last forever
Now the time has come for our last goodbye
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies
I have tried in vain but this is the end
We will meet again
I will be again
Lyrics submitted by Ashram
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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,
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Personally I love this song, it hurts to listen to it, and it will be more painful if you listen to "You're Not Alone" first..
Silence, here in the sunset of my life I've been walking through the darkness With your ghost by my side - Maybe his talking about the girl who died on "You're Not Alone" from "Maximum OverLoad" "Emptiness, tears inside On the night before she died"
How I've tried, but never can stop the pain I feel I have tried so hard but the wounds never heal - Even though he tried to ease the pain love won't just fade away
Mother, these are the final words I'll write I know they're full of sadness, I know they'll make you cry - Words of sadness, dispair and depression that he felt, sent to his Mother
How I've tried to hide the truth of my despair The sadness kept on calling, drowning out my prayers - Even if he tries he can't really hide it, maybe on his perspective, the sadness won't leave even if he prays to move on
There's no place for me, I'm torn apart And I wish I could have made things better - His depression is really kicking in, thinking his all alone and all, his heart is broken torn in to pieces, and wishes he would have done better when she was alive
There's no place for me, and deep inside This pain won't last forever - Now he made his final decision, his gonna commit suicide
Now the time has come for our last goodbye - His final goodbyes to everyone
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies - It'll be the one last time look up to the sky I have tried in vain but this is the end - He tried everything but he can't ease the pain, so this is his end We will meet again I will be again - As he continues, he hope's to see her again in another life..
Personally I love this song, it hurts to listen to it, and it will be more painful if you listen to "You're Not Alone" first..
Silence, here in the sunset of my life I've been walking through the darkness With your ghost by my side - Maybe his talking about the girl who died on "You're Not Alone" from "Maximum OverLoad" "Emptiness, tears inside On the night before she died"
How I've tried, but never can stop the pain I feel I have tried so hard but the wounds never heal - Even though he tried to ease the pain love won't just fade away
Mother, these are the final words I'll write I know they're full of sadness, I know they'll make you cry - Words of sadness, dispair and depression that he felt, sent to his Mother
How I've tried to hide the truth of my despair The sadness kept on calling, drowning out my prayers - Even if he tries he can't really hide it, maybe on his perspective, the sadness won't leave even if he prays to move on
There's no place for me, I'm torn apart And I wish I could have made things better - His depression is really kicking in, thinking his all alone and all, his heart is broken torn in to pieces, and wishes he would have done better when she was alive
There's no place for me, and deep inside This pain won't last forever - Now he made his final decision, his gonna commit suicide
Now the time has come for our last goodbye - His final goodbyes to everyone
As I raise my head and gaze up to the skies - It'll be the one last time look up to the sky I have tried in vain but this is the end - He tried everything but he can't ease the pain, so this is his end We will meet again I will be again - As he continues, he hope's to see her again in another life..
This song about suicide. and I think this is sequel from you're not alone