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."
Sometimes I wonder who the fuck I am
Uhh
Yeah, want you to feel it
I want you all to feel it
So step up on the mic and uhh
Show them what you got tiger
Sometimes I wonder who the fuck I am
So I've been lookin' in the mirror and it still don't make no sense
I'm askin' what am I supposed to do?
I've done so much in my short lifetime, but I haven't done shit
I done flew around the whole world
First I shook a million hands and I took a million pictures
But I'm a hostage in my own world
And my thoughts my own enemy, got no time for these bitches
I got too much on my damn mind
So if I add some more stress, I just don't see how I'm a cope
I think they underestimate the grind
I do, bring this dough, and I'm only 20 years old
I wonder why I sip this devil juice
Cause it feel incredible, problems, I got several
Thank God that none of that medical
Ugh, I've been blessed with much to be expected
What am I doing here?
I wonder what am I doing here
What am I doing here
What am I doing here
I hope this feelin' lasts for fuckin' ever
I don't want to come back down, let me stay above the ground
I hope I do what I was meant to do
Cause I've been searchin' for that answer, I just hope I get it now
Please, let me find euphoria
When you up above the clouds, like, who goin' to touch me now
And do we ever get to know the truth?
Cause everyone seems to have it, but to me it seems they lack it
Now I'm rollin' and I'm sippin' lean
Sometimes I catch a buzz just to help me picture love
Drinkin' liquor and I'm smokin' weed
And you don't ever do too much if you could never do enough
Wonder why it's me instead of you
I'll be there to rescue you, problems you got several
Thank God that none of that medical
Ugh, I've been blessed with much to be expected
What am I doing here?
I wonder what am I doing here
What am I doing here
What am I doing here
Uhh
Yeah, want you to feel it
I want you all to feel it
So step up on the mic and uhh
Show them what you got tiger
Sometimes I wonder who the fuck I am
So I've been lookin' in the mirror and it still don't make no sense
I'm askin' what am I supposed to do?
I've done so much in my short lifetime, but I haven't done shit
I done flew around the whole world
First I shook a million hands and I took a million pictures
But I'm a hostage in my own world
And my thoughts my own enemy, got no time for these bitches
I got too much on my damn mind
So if I add some more stress, I just don't see how I'm a cope
I think they underestimate the grind
I do, bring this dough, and I'm only 20 years old
I wonder why I sip this devil juice
Cause it feel incredible, problems, I got several
Thank God that none of that medical
Ugh, I've been blessed with much to be expected
What am I doing here?
I wonder what am I doing here
What am I doing here
What am I doing here
I hope this feelin' lasts for fuckin' ever
I don't want to come back down, let me stay above the ground
I hope I do what I was meant to do
Cause I've been searchin' for that answer, I just hope I get it now
Please, let me find euphoria
When you up above the clouds, like, who goin' to touch me now
And do we ever get to know the truth?
Cause everyone seems to have it, but to me it seems they lack it
Now I'm rollin' and I'm sippin' lean
Sometimes I catch a buzz just to help me picture love
Drinkin' liquor and I'm smokin' weed
And you don't ever do too much if you could never do enough
Wonder why it's me instead of you
I'll be there to rescue you, problems you got several
Thank God that none of that medical
Ugh, I've been blessed with much to be expected
What am I doing here?
I wonder what am I doing here
What am I doing here
What am I doing here
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
The Question Lyrics as written by Jeremy Kulousek Eric Dan
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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