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."
Good morning, son
I am a bird
Wearing a brown polyester shirt
You want a Coke?
Maybe some fries?
The roast beef combo's only nine ninety five
But it's okay
You don't have to pay
I've got all the change
Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry
Good morning, son
Twenty years from now
Maybe we'll both sit down
And have a few beers
And I can tell
You 'bout today
And how I picked you up
And everything changed
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows
It sucks to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
You'll try and try
And one day you'll fly
Away from me
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
Good morning, son
(Good morning, son)
I am a bird
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it, oh
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry
I am a bird
Wearing a brown polyester shirt
You want a Coke?
Maybe some fries?
The roast beef combo's only nine ninety five
But it's okay
You don't have to pay
I've got all the change
Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry
Good morning, son
Twenty years from now
Maybe we'll both sit down
And have a few beers
And I can tell
You 'bout today
And how I picked you up
And everything changed
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows
It sucks to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
You'll try and try
And one day you'll fly
Away from me
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
Good morning, son
(Good morning, son)
I am a bird
(Good morning, son)
(Good morning, son)
It was pain
Sunny days and rain
I knew you'd feel the same things
Everybody knows
It hurts to grow up
And everybody does
It's so weird to be back here
Let me tell you what
The years go on and
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it, oh
We're still fighting it
We're still fighting it
And you're so much like me
I'm sorry
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This song is about a man who knew he wasn't going to stick around and it's almost like a passive pep talk informing his son that growing up without him is going to be rough but you can't give in, you've got to fight it. I think the "your so much like me, I'm sorry" is him projecting that his son is going to go through the same problems growing up that he encountered. I think a lot of fathers go through such a thing when they see the same issues and personality defects that they have showing up in their children either through nurture or nature. Either way it's quite a sad song and it's too bad so many men and women for that matter have to be this way with their children. It's a lesson on how you really need to come to terms with your past issues before you can have children. I think a lot of people who don't come to terms with their issues think it's better to leave and not subject their children to it but that probably just creates worse issues in the child because they grow up thinking THEY were the ones with the problem. Children are forgiving and all they really need is a hug.
I think the reason why I love so many of Ben Folds songs is that he really is one of the few artists out there that really delves into the depths of human relations.