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."
Fragile, like a baby in your arms
Be gentle with me, I'd never willingly do you harm
Apologies are all you seem to get from me
But just like a child, you make me smile when you care for me
And you know
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
Independence is still important for us though
(We realise)
It's easy to make the stupid mistake of letting go
(Do you know what I mean?)
My weaknesses, you know each and every one
(It frightens me)
But I need to drink more than you seem to think before I'm anyone's
And you know
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
Kiss me goodbye when I'm on my own
But you know that I'd rather be home
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
Be gentle with me, I'd never willingly do you harm
Apologies are all you seem to get from me
But just like a child, you make me smile when you care for me
And you know
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
Independence is still important for us though
(We realise)
It's easy to make the stupid mistake of letting go
(Do you know what I mean?)
My weaknesses, you know each and every one
(It frightens me)
But I need to drink more than you seem to think before I'm anyone's
And you know
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
Kiss me goodbye when I'm on my own
But you know that I'd rather be home
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
It's a question of lust, it's a question of trust
It's a question of not letting what we've built up crumble to dust
It is all of these things and more
That keep us together
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
To me this song represents the raw NEED to have that one person in your life that satisfies all you need and to feel vulnerable because you have that need. Defeinitely a unique and tragic love story in which one person holds more love and depth than the other.