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."
Something you can't hide
Says you're lonely,
Hidden deep inside
Of you only.
It's there for you to see,
Take a look at me:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Something there outside
Says we're only
In the hands of time,
Falling slowly.
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
So love everybody
And make them your friends.
So love everybody
And make them your friends.
Something you can't hide
Says you're lonely,
Hidden deep inside
Of you only.
It's there for you to see,
Take a look at me:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Something there outside
Says we're only
In the hands of time,
Falling slowly.
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Says you're lonely,
Hidden deep inside
Of you only.
It's there for you to see,
Take a look at me:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Something there outside
Says we're only
In the hands of time,
Falling slowly.
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
So love everybody
And make them your friends.
So love everybody
And make them your friends.
Something you can't hide
Says you're lonely,
Hidden deep inside
Of you only.
It's there for you to see,
Take a look at me:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Something there outside
Says we're only
In the hands of time,
Falling slowly.
It's there for us to know
With love that we can go:
Burn slowly the candle of life.
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by Voyager5577
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
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.
I think this one's pretty straightforward, really well done, but I think it's pretty clear; Realize that eventually the candle of your life will be exstinguished, so enjoy what you have, and love, learn how to love.
Is it just me, or are there way too few comments on these Moody Blues songs? It's such an amazing band, but only one in ten of their songs has even one comment...it's sad.
@live2daygone2morrow <br /> You are right my friend, The Moody Blues are one of the best bands ever! My wife and I saw them live at least 12 times and they are studio perfection on stage! Many people adore the Moody Blues and their music, but many don't take the time to share with the world.
First off I am 28, not sure why I should mention that, however this song is so incredible and WAY ahead of its time even still. A girl I dated once both agreed that the feeling of the song, the tune and melody of the song makes this brilliant. We used to get goosebumps listining to this. The portion of the song where Hayward sings "in the hands of time" is so bold, so glourious, something about the way it's mixed is just astonishing. And slowly the Candle of Life, seize the moment I suppose, at least that's how I look at. Such a graceful song. Love it!
I know why you gave your age- the candle of life. I'm 57 years of age, and the song struck me as it did you years before you were born (1969 I think). I just got a slight case of vertigo when I said that. That tune still holds its... power(?). The Moody Blues do that to me a lot.
I agree, this is the best secular song ever written. Most people don't understand that a couple of the band members are strong Christian believers. Christian themes abound in many songs (along with stories of LSD trips).
The theme of the album is space travel. By the time we get to side B of the album, we are doing interstallar travel (Gypsy). Traveling at relativistic speeds, the candle of lfe does indeed burn slowly. At .99C, the interstellar traveler would only age at a small fraction of the rate as those on earth. If is very, very lonely in space. A tiny whisper or candle of life in a multi-generational star ship traveling to colonize or explore other star systems. That is why the traveler never thought he'd get to be a hundred, much less a milion. Fabulous, fabulous song and album written with great knowledge of relativity and what it would be like to cross the great gulfs of space.
Damn, these guys can harmonize.
This is song about how overclocked life can become. I hear stories about the rat race and how gamers overclock their computers to play the newest of newfangled timewasters, and they are missing out. Life is meant to be experienced, not wasted like a precious natural resources because it is the only one you have.
This song rules.
siggmaestro this isn't the place for proseltyzing.
Candle of Life is an amazing song, one of my favs from this album., which is my favorite of the Moodies. The production is jut remarkable. The whole album revolves around our connection to the universe, and this one. It's there for us to know, it's there for us to see... that is the core message of this one, to realize ourselves at the ultimate level. It talks to the sanctity of life, and the purpose for our existence.
I'm only 25, yet The Moody Blues' work is some of my favorite. Growing up, my dad gave my sibling and I a cassette tape with Days of Future Passed and Question of Balance on each side. As I've grown, I've had the chance to expand my tastes a bit. I love this song, I think its meaning is simple, straight forward, and powerfully delivered. Let that light burn, but not without hope, or honor, or noble deeds and the chance to live it.
It is becoming clear to me that there has been angelic communication to mankind as a species. The Moody Blues have sent them to us: ex: " love everybody and make them your friends" Candle of Life also My Song Mike Pinder " Love with all of your might before it is too late" think they are trying to tell us something?
i agree! and there arent nearly enough comments for the moody blues an they are so kick ass, ugh i dk .....but for all of you ppl out there, COMMENT ALREADY! i mean this band is awesome!
Nice interpretation. Loneliness and hope all rolled together in one song. Great, great song. Loneliness, time, love - these are the themes from To Our Childrens Childrens Childrens that this song comes from (great album, too). This song evokes so many emotions all at the same time (sadness, loneliness, hope for love, etc.)