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."
Well, I don't wanna be President, Superman, or Clark Kent
I don't wanna walk around in their shoes
'Cause I don't know whose side I'm on
I don't know my right from wrong
I don't know where I'm goin' to
I don't know about you
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I don't wanna make you mad
I don't wanna meet your dad
I don't wanna be your dream come true
'Cause I don't know just what I've found
I don't know my sky from ground
I don't know where I'm goin' toI don't know about you
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I don't wanna walk around in their shoes
'Cause I don't know whose side I'm on
I don't know my right from wrong
I don't know where I'm goin' to
I don't know about you
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I don't wanna make you mad
I don't wanna meet your dad
I don't wanna be your dream come true
'Cause I don't know just what I've found
I don't know my sky from ground
I don't know where I'm goin' toI don't know about you
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
I can be myself, how 'bout you?
Lyrics submitted by Zekethesweetpeak
Fire Escape Lyrics as written by Miles Zuniga
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Ok I think the line 'I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape' isn't exactly saying he'll be there for her. A fire escape are those things in apartment buildings that look like little porches with tons of stairs, usually beside brick or concrete walls, and usually made our of some sort of metal. Rain on metal=uber slippery. He's warning her that he won't live up to everything she may be expecting, and her grandeur ideas of what love should be, he may even end up hurting her (being the rain on her fire escape), but he's willing to give it a shot anyway, if she's willing to accept reality.
@missa809 YES!! A fire escape that's slick with rain water is a dangerous proposition. If you try to climb down, you're bound to get hurt. In chaos, you (the listener) aren't left with many sage choices — essentially, you either stay in a room filled with smoke and fire, or attempt escape on a wet ladder that's just as likely to cause you to fall, slip, and get hurt. Do you walk through fire to get out of a burning room? Or do you take your chances on a rain-soaked fire escape? Metaphorically or otherwise, this story does not have a happy ending.<br /> <br /> The speaker in this song expresses constant skepticism: he doesn't take sides or even know what side he's on (read: he's loyal to no one and nothing, his ideals and relationships can turn on a whim); he has no plans for his immediate or long-term future because "I don't know where I'm going to." The speaker senses that the person he's addressing has some expectations from him ("I may not be the man you want me to") — but, to me, the truest expression of his doubts is when he admits "I don't know about you." And he doesn't say if this conversation is an introduction — or if the speaker and listener were already intimate for some time and he's only now opening up about who he really is inside. He tells the listener all of the things he doesn't want to do or play at or be in their dynamic: "I don't wanna / I don't know / I don't want." His sole affirmative declaration? "I can be myself." But he won't be your escape or your pleasure. The entire song is basically a warning not to get too close because the speaker will be the rain on your fire escape: treacherous, a shaky proposition, a bad idea. I'm so glad that someone all these years ago recognized the metaphor for what I see it as a cautionary tale the kind of person who will smash your heart and then shrug as they claim, "Well, I warned you from the beginning."