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."
In the court of our friends' opinion
In the righteous? eyes of all our friends
in the way the phone goes dead
in the way you use your head
i can see how this thing is gonna end
in the darkest hours of my depression
in the rocks it takes to end
in the way you cross you legs
in the way my right hand shakes
i can see how this thing is gonna end
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
When the smoke pours into the bedroom
When the man comes 'round collecting all our friends
When the loved one finally learns
that the fire no longer burns
I can see how this thing is gonna end
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
from a nervous guy
In the righteous? eyes of all our friends
in the way the phone goes dead
in the way you use your head
i can see how this thing is gonna end
in the darkest hours of my depression
in the rocks it takes to end
in the way you cross you legs
in the way my right hand shakes
i can see how this thing is gonna end
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
When the smoke pours into the bedroom
When the man comes 'round collecting all our friends
When the loved one finally learns
that the fire no longer burns
I can see how this thing is gonna end
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
Goodbye, goodbye from a nervous guy
from a nervous guy
Lyrics submitted by charlesbronson
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This song seems pretty self explanatory to me and I feel that it's all summed up by the one line "When the loved one finally learns that the fire no longer burns." I know, 'cause I've felt this way several times before. It's like when one person in the relationship doesn't have the same feelings as before or even just as the other person does and they finally figure it out or find out. The fire is really just a representation of their love. The guy is nervous because he knows the relationship is coming to an end and he doesn't want it to happen.
"In the court of our friends' opinion In the righteous eyes of all our friends" is kinda admitting that their mutual friends all know how the girl feels and that she wants it to end. Maybe all their friends judge him for still being with her.
"in the way the phone goes dead in the way you use your head" can mean when they get off the phone it isn't the same as before maybe one is hanging up on the other or maybe they just hang up with one another with no I love yous like they did before. She uses her head differently as in her reactions are different or she treats him differently.
Then he ends it with just accepting it's over and saying goodbye.
Any takers on this one?
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