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."
Dana, my darling, I'm writing to you.
Cause your father passed away, it was a beautiful day
And I don't want to bother You anymore,
I used to hope you'd come back
But not anymore Dana.
My eyes might have betrayed me, but I have seen
Your picture on the cover of a filthy magazine
And I think my heart just cannot handle that
Dana, my darling, would be so bad.
Dana my darling I'm writing to you
Your mother passed away it was a really rainy day
And I didn't mean to bother you anymore
Your mother wished: Come visit your fathers grave, Dana
Your father disowned you because you have sinned
But he did forgive you in condition he was in
And I you won't do those things anymore
Dana My darling I'm waiting for
Dana O'Hara oh, Dana my dear,
How I wish that my Dana was here
Little Dana O'Hara decided one day
To travel away, faraway
No, you can't surprise me anymore
I have seen it all before
But it seems I cannot let you go
Anyhow, Dana, Dana, Dana, Dana
And I think that I told you, I'd wait for you forever
Now I know someone else's holding you,
So, for the first time in my life - I must lie
Lie's a sin, mess that I am in,
Love is not the thing I feel know
I promise you: I won't write again 'til the sun sets
Behind your grave
Dana, oh, Dana I'm writing to you, I heard you passed
Away it was a beautiful day
I'm old and I feel time will come for me, my diary's
Pages are full of thee
Dana O'Hara oh, Dana my dear,
How I wish that my Dana was here
Little Dana O'Hara decided one day
To travel away, far away
Cause your father passed away, it was a beautiful day
And I don't want to bother You anymore,
I used to hope you'd come back
But not anymore Dana.
My eyes might have betrayed me, but I have seen
Your picture on the cover of a filthy magazine
And I think my heart just cannot handle that
Dana, my darling, would be so bad.
Dana my darling I'm writing to you
Your mother passed away it was a really rainy day
And I didn't mean to bother you anymore
Your mother wished: Come visit your fathers grave, Dana
Your father disowned you because you have sinned
But he did forgive you in condition he was in
And I you won't do those things anymore
Dana My darling I'm waiting for
Dana O'Hara oh, Dana my dear,
How I wish that my Dana was here
Little Dana O'Hara decided one day
To travel away, faraway
No, you can't surprise me anymore
I have seen it all before
But it seems I cannot let you go
Anyhow, Dana, Dana, Dana, Dana
And I think that I told you, I'd wait for you forever
Now I know someone else's holding you,
So, for the first time in my life - I must lie
Lie's a sin, mess that I am in,
Love is not the thing I feel know
I promise you: I won't write again 'til the sun sets
Behind your grave
Dana, oh, Dana I'm writing to you, I heard you passed
Away it was a beautiful day
I'm old and I feel time will come for me, my diary's
Pages are full of thee
Dana O'Hara oh, Dana my dear,
How I wish that my Dana was here
Little Dana O'Hara decided one day
To travel away, far away
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
~ I think it was likely also literal, as the day he died on was a nice day. ~
At the time this song came out I'd buy the literal interpretation. But 4 albums later, their lyrics are far too poetic and metaphorical to be taken at face value.
~The lie he's telling is that he no longer loves her.~
The lie is that "I'd wait for you forever", but since Dana has someone else ("someone else is holding you"), he has no choice but to move on.