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."
Open the side gate and follow the moon
Enter through the glass cracked
wide enough for you
As your feet fall, the stones will quiver
like luminarios in a Santa Fe wind
One by one they'll light your way
to where I will be waiting
Chorus:
Unraveled like a blanket whose
initials have fallen out
Wide-eyed anticipating,
the state before a butterfly blooms
A butterfly blooms
What's my name the one before I am
Remember as I hold you
We'll become the time before lightning bugs
and mud slides as we collide
Elbows and cheekbones,
God knows who's who
Underneath we'll have no words
Only you, only you...
Chorus:
Unraveled like a blanket whose
initials have fallen out
Wide-eyed anticipating,
the state before a butterfly blooms
A butterfly blooms
Da di da...da, da, da, da, da, da dah...
A butterfly must bloom... Only you...
Oh a butterfly must bloom
Enter through the glass cracked
wide enough for you
As your feet fall, the stones will quiver
like luminarios in a Santa Fe wind
One by one they'll light your way
to where I will be waiting
Chorus:
Unraveled like a blanket whose
initials have fallen out
Wide-eyed anticipating,
the state before a butterfly blooms
A butterfly blooms
What's my name the one before I am
Remember as I hold you
We'll become the time before lightning bugs
and mud slides as we collide
Elbows and cheekbones,
God knows who's who
Underneath we'll have no words
Only you, only you...
Chorus:
Unraveled like a blanket whose
initials have fallen out
Wide-eyed anticipating,
the state before a butterfly blooms
A butterfly blooms
Da di da...da, da, da, da, da, da dah...
A butterfly must bloom... Only you...
Oh a butterfly must bloom
Lyrics submitted by baby_jane
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Mountain Song
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