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."
[Verse 1]
The commander is calling home to tell the news
It isn't good, I am afraid to say
Today's the day you have been dreading for so many years
Its almost like you have been saving up the tears
Remembering the words
You to me, are encased in nothing but beauty and gracious love
[Chorus]
You'll always be my one good reason to keep on moving 'til I'm in your arms
My favorite place is wherever you are
But I don't know where you are
[Verse 2]
Now this ugly point of view keeps creeping up to say
Its all his fault you feel this way
But that won't help and its not right to think that anyway
Well, god damn, why did this have to happen anyway?
Why'd you have to leave across the sea?
Where I can't reach you and hold you, protect you the way I need
[Chorus]
You'll always be my one good reason to keep on moving 'til I'm in your arms
My favorite place is wherever you are, but I don't know where you are
My favorite place is wherever you are, but I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
[Bridge]
Now this crack beneath the ocean floor, it calls it way up to me
And when I sleep I don't know why
But it suggests I should come find it
So when I wake I don't know where I am
I fumble all around into the dark
And in an awful moment I realize I've lost you
I keep thinking you're hiding somewhere only I can see
But I wake to find you nowhere and I'm tearing at my sheets
I keep thinking you're hiding somewhere only I can see
But I wake to find you nowhere and I'm tearing at my sheets
[Outro]
I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
The commander is calling home to tell the news
It isn't good, I am afraid to say
Today's the day you have been dreading for so many years
Its almost like you have been saving up the tears
Remembering the words
You to me, are encased in nothing but beauty and gracious love
[Chorus]
You'll always be my one good reason to keep on moving 'til I'm in your arms
My favorite place is wherever you are
But I don't know where you are
[Verse 2]
Now this ugly point of view keeps creeping up to say
Its all his fault you feel this way
But that won't help and its not right to think that anyway
Well, god damn, why did this have to happen anyway?
Why'd you have to leave across the sea?
Where I can't reach you and hold you, protect you the way I need
[Chorus]
You'll always be my one good reason to keep on moving 'til I'm in your arms
My favorite place is wherever you are, but I don't know where you are
My favorite place is wherever you are, but I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
[Bridge]
Now this crack beneath the ocean floor, it calls it way up to me
And when I sleep I don't know why
But it suggests I should come find it
So when I wake I don't know where I am
I fumble all around into the dark
And in an awful moment I realize I've lost you
I keep thinking you're hiding somewhere only I can see
But I wake to find you nowhere and I'm tearing at my sheets
I keep thinking you're hiding somewhere only I can see
But I wake to find you nowhere and I'm tearing at my sheets
[Outro]
I don't know where you are
I don't know where you are
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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