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 love was found
I kept my hope just like I'd hoped to
Then sang to the sea for feelings deep blue
And coming down
And we've had problems that we've grown through
But I bet you dream of what you could do
At seventeen, I was alright
Was like nothin' I could feel inside
And wishing you were here tonight is like holding on
But I still get to see your face, right?
And that's like nothing they can take, right?
So there won't be no feeling in the firelight, hoping this'll be right
Time to show your worth, child
I remember when her heart broke over stubborn shit
That's no way to be living kid
The angel of death is ruthless
And I'm always thinking summertime with the bikes out
Pushing our luck, getting wiped out
Days with nothing but laughing loud
Underneath my coat, won't you tap my shoulder, hold my hand
Nights with nothing but dark in there
You could be my armor then
Island smiles and cardigans
The nights that we've been drinking in
We're here to help you kill all of this hurt that you've been harboring
Confessions should be better planned
Alone, that night, I'm surely damned
Run away, I'll understand
What's important is this evening I will not forget
Purple, blue, orange, red
These colors of feeling
Give me love, I'll put my heart in it
And I think about it all the time
Lights went out, you were fine
You kinda struggle not to shine
I still love you, though
I still love you, though
I still love you always
So hold me when I'm home
Keep the evenings long
Crack and break and part ways
I still love you, though
I still love you, though
I still love you always
So hold me when I'm home
Keep the evenings long
Let's not crack and break and part ways
And I wonder if I could let her down
It's for real, it's for real
It's for real, it's for real
I kept my hope just like I'd hoped to
Then sang to the sea for feelings deep blue
And coming down
And we've had problems that we've grown through
But I bet you dream of what you could do
At seventeen, I was alright
Was like nothin' I could feel inside
And wishing you were here tonight is like holding on
But I still get to see your face, right?
And that's like nothing they can take, right?
So there won't be no feeling in the firelight, hoping this'll be right
Time to show your worth, child
I remember when her heart broke over stubborn shit
That's no way to be living kid
The angel of death is ruthless
And I'm always thinking summertime with the bikes out
Pushing our luck, getting wiped out
Days with nothing but laughing loud
Underneath my coat, won't you tap my shoulder, hold my hand
Nights with nothing but dark in there
You could be my armor then
Island smiles and cardigans
The nights that we've been drinking in
We're here to help you kill all of this hurt that you've been harboring
Confessions should be better planned
Alone, that night, I'm surely damned
Run away, I'll understand
What's important is this evening I will not forget
Purple, blue, orange, red
These colors of feeling
Give me love, I'll put my heart in it
And I think about it all the time
Lights went out, you were fine
You kinda struggle not to shine
I still love you, though
I still love you, though
I still love you always
So hold me when I'm home
Keep the evenings long
Crack and break and part ways
I still love you, though
I still love you, though
I still love you always
So hold me when I'm home
Keep the evenings long
Let's not crack and break and part ways
And I wonder if I could let her down
It's for real, it's for real
It's for real, it's for real
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Mountain Song
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