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."
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
Man, I can hear that wind blowing
You say it don't get cold in CP
Well niggas it's been snowing
Even though some might disagree
When business is still slowing
Even if we subject to change
Come up out them diamonds and rings
Even all them dollars and change
Nigga we home-grown
And to those that couldn't take the pressure
Nigga they long gone
Skeet 25 lighters on dressers
Or you'll get zoned on
They be puttin' them bodies in bags
They be cuttin' them bodies on slabs
Then go to somebody and brag
Gotta keep a straight face
Better keep inside with your know
Gotta find a safe place
Better stay in silence or go
Or end up a waste case
Pick figure it's more stuff to do
Pick nigga it's more folks than you
Pigs never come close to a clue
I put my life on it
Want to disrespect give me your neck
And I'll put a knife on it
Some say it's slippery when wet
But my Roll got ice on it
It's all about supply and demand
It's all about me buying some land
You folks just don't understand
That uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
Man, I see the clouds coming
Y'all see a man on the moon walking
I see a crowd running
And the APD steadily talking
'Cause we done found something
And it's not as good as it seems
Oh I wish I could get some cream
And get up out of the hood with some dreams
I'm peepin' hard crimes
See the system's fucked up
And they givin' out some hard times
Heard one of these wannabes lucked up
And one of my people snortin' hard lines
Locked up and they didn't do a thang
Locked up because of the pressure and pain
Locked up because they wouldn't do the same
And I see the case close
I can't ask no questions, and it's over
'Cause they say so
I ain't learned no lessons, but these snitches
Better lay low
Or we gonna be chopping some heads
And we gonna be rocking some beds
And we gonna be dropping some eggs
We walk a long road
Trying to find the essence of self
But I picked the wrong clothes
'Do rag with a gat under my belt
'Cause life's throwing strong blows
But I keep a little hope and some dreams
And I try to stay focused and clean
But I got a little dope and some green
'Cause uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I can see them shamed faces
Man, y'all look at me like y'all grew up
In the same places
Scams and dirty work came up on
A day to day basis
Now they gotta re-up and re-bag
And they gotta re-up and re-slab
Then they gotta be up and be bad
This game'll never end
Excuse my French, but God dammit
I got some clever friends
They might get set back by some wench
But that bitch'll never win
It's all about the way of the world
It's all about the way of them girls
It's all about them diamonds and pearls
We waiting too long
But the DEC and Southwest Atlanta
Is too strong
We might bring that soap out and wash up
And throw them suits on
Coming in the court with some pride
'Cause we ain't got nothing to hide
Just didn't know what laws to abide
I play the cards dealt
And I bought a full house and I watched
The woman's heart melt
See my mama's cooled out and she's crying
'Cause it's heart-felt
It's all about supply and demand
It's all about me buying some land
You folks just don't understand
That uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
Man, I can hear that wind blowing
You say it don't get cold in CP
Well niggas it's been snowing
Even though some might disagree
When business is still slowing
Even if we subject to change
Come up out them diamonds and rings
Even all them dollars and change
Nigga we home-grown
And to those that couldn't take the pressure
Nigga they long gone
Skeet 25 lighters on dressers
Or you'll get zoned on
They be puttin' them bodies in bags
They be cuttin' them bodies on slabs
Then go to somebody and brag
Gotta keep a straight face
Better keep inside with your know
Gotta find a safe place
Better stay in silence or go
Or end up a waste case
Pick figure it's more stuff to do
Pick nigga it's more folks than you
Pigs never come close to a clue
I put my life on it
Want to disrespect give me your neck
And I'll put a knife on it
Some say it's slippery when wet
But my Roll got ice on it
It's all about supply and demand
It's all about me buying some land
You folks just don't understand
That uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
Man, I see the clouds coming
Y'all see a man on the moon walking
I see a crowd running
And the APD steadily talking
'Cause we done found something
And it's not as good as it seems
Oh I wish I could get some cream
And get up out of the hood with some dreams
I'm peepin' hard crimes
See the system's fucked up
And they givin' out some hard times
Heard one of these wannabes lucked up
And one of my people snortin' hard lines
Locked up and they didn't do a thang
Locked up because of the pressure and pain
Locked up because they wouldn't do the same
And I see the case close
I can't ask no questions, and it's over
'Cause they say so
I ain't learned no lessons, but these snitches
Better lay low
Or we gonna be chopping some heads
And we gonna be rocking some beds
And we gonna be dropping some eggs
We walk a long road
Trying to find the essence of self
But I picked the wrong clothes
'Do rag with a gat under my belt
'Cause life's throwing strong blows
But I keep a little hope and some dreams
And I try to stay focused and clean
But I got a little dope and some green
'Cause uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I can see them shamed faces
Man, y'all look at me like y'all grew up
In the same places
Scams and dirty work came up on
A day to day basis
Now they gotta re-up and re-bag
And they gotta re-up and re-slab
Then they gotta be up and be bad
This game'll never end
Excuse my French, but God dammit
I got some clever friends
They might get set back by some wench
But that bitch'll never win
It's all about the way of the world
It's all about the way of them girls
It's all about them diamonds and pearls
We waiting too long
But the DEC and Southwest Atlanta
Is too strong
We might bring that soap out and wash up
And throw them suits on
Coming in the court with some pride
'Cause we ain't got nothing to hide
Just didn't know what laws to abide
I play the cards dealt
And I bought a full house and I watched
The woman's heart melt
See my mama's cooled out and she's crying
'Cause it's heart-felt
It's all about supply and demand
It's all about me buying some land
You folks just don't understand
That uh
It ain't no one to trust but me
And I gotta make sure that I take care of my family
And it ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
And to my niggas on the block
On the grind and hustlin' tryin' to sell some rocks
You hear the voices say it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
I'm hiding out and smokin' herb
Because my boss is getting on my motherfucking nerves
But I gotta take it 'cause it's cold outside (it's cold outside)
See rappin' is my only way
My mama told me just to save it for another day
But I gotta make it 'cause it's cold outside
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Really good job of getting the lyrics down for this one. Great song, but this part goes:
Pick figure it's more stuff to do Pick nigger it's more folks than you Pigs never come close to a clue