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."
She's dressed in black again
And I'm falling down again
Down to the floor again
I'm begging for more again
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black
My mind wanders endlessly
On paths where she's leading me
With games that she likes to play
And words that she doesn't say
Not when we're alone
And she's dressed in black
As a picture of herself
She's a picture of the world
A reflection of you
A reflection of me
And it's all there to see
If you only give in
To the fire within
Dressed in black again
Shadows fall onto me
And she stands there over me
And waits to encompass me
I lay here helplessly
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black
By Fistan Majere
And I'm falling down again
Down to the floor again
I'm begging for more again
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black
My mind wanders endlessly
On paths where she's leading me
With games that she likes to play
And words that she doesn't say
Not when we're alone
And she's dressed in black
As a picture of herself
She's a picture of the world
A reflection of you
A reflection of me
And it's all there to see
If you only give in
To the fire within
Dressed in black again
Shadows fall onto me
And she stands there over me
And waits to encompass me
I lay here helplessly
But oh what can you do
When she's dressed in black
By Fistan Majere
Lyrics submitted by Fistan
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Zombie
Cranberries, The
Cranberries, The
"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
To me it means temptation and sin that I cannot resist. "She's dressed in black again... and I am falling down again..." ..."And it's all there to see if you only give in to the fire within"
Depeche Mode has had a long history of BDSM tinged songs i.e. Master and Servant, In Your Room, and others. Though somewhat more subtle than those previously mentioned, this song is about BDSM. Note the title "Dressed in Black", which refers to a black leather costume, the references to domination and submission of "I'm falling down again/ Down to the floor again" and "I lay here helplessly".
@Empiricalproof No, after a husband or other close family member would die in older days the women would wear a black dress in mourning, and would be left alone by all lovers until she stopped wearing black dresses. This song is about be led along and then being manipulated.
Yes, DM often looked & sounded like they were into that. M Gore especially; he was the songwriter/Dangerously Dressed Dude of the band, LOL! But no, gotta agree w/the 1st. person: it was a nice Goth song-"I give in to sin" (from another DM song) is how I see it too. "Master & Servant" is NOT a S&M song! "It's a lot like life" is the 1st line. Read: Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Esp. in Love. The BBC decided to approve airplay for "M&S" based on that meaning; also the 1 person who would've pushed it the other way-NO way, LOL, was out sick that day. I'm not kidding. (grin)
Of all the Depeche Mode songs I've heard (and I own Speak & Spell, Black Celebration, Music For The Masses, Violator, Ultra, and Playing The Angel) this ties as the worst with Nodisco. This song just doesn't have anything good going for it.
Lol, definite BDSM theme here.
When they are out in public, she's a normal girl, seemingly like everyone else. But behind closed doors, her kinky dominant side comes out, and he's completely captivated by it.
Lol, definite BDSM theme here.
When they are out in public, she's a normal girl, seemingly like everyone else. But behind closed doors, her kinky dominant side comes out, and he's completely captivated by it.
The unique thing about the album "Black Celebration" is that rather simple, but beautiful songs like this one (along with Sometimes, It Doesn't Matter Two, Here Is The House, World Full Of Nothing) make a great counterpoint to those classic Mode anthems like Stripped, A Question Of Time, Black Celebration, Fly On The Windscreen.
They add up to a well-balanced mixture that IMHO no other DM album achieved - even though it's not my top favourite one.
Does this song strike anyone else as being very Beatles-esque? The lyrics ("But oh, what can you do when she's dressed in black,") and the harmonies in particular are quite reminiscent of early Lennon-McCartney hits such as Baby's in Black. Obviously there's the usual dark twist thrown in there typical of DM but there's an oddly bouncy upbeat to it as well.