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."
I consume the wind that makes you cold
And drink the blood of the bleeding souls
To check your fear and hide the noise
Of howling wolves that steals your voice
I confuse your mind and feed your dreams
To read your thoughts and keep them safe
From harmful truth and the hopeful lies
Of the tempting demon that hurts your eyes
I will protect you from your visions
To save you from illusions
I will protect you from ideals
To save you from defeats
I consume the wind that makes you bold
And suck the blood of the living souls
To make you numb and hide the noise
Of the howling wolves that is your voice
I seduce your mind to fear your dreams
And read your thoughts to keep you blind
From harmful truth and the open skies
Of the outside world before your eyes
I will protect you from your visions
To save you from illusions
I will protect you from ideals
To save you from defeats
And drink the blood of the bleeding souls
To check your fear and hide the noise
Of howling wolves that steals your voice
I confuse your mind and feed your dreams
To read your thoughts and keep them safe
From harmful truth and the hopeful lies
Of the tempting demon that hurts your eyes
I will protect you from your visions
To save you from illusions
I will protect you from ideals
To save you from defeats
I consume the wind that makes you bold
And suck the blood of the living souls
To make you numb and hide the noise
Of the howling wolves that is your voice
I seduce your mind to fear your dreams
And read your thoughts to keep you blind
From harmful truth and the open skies
Of the outside world before your eyes
I will protect you from your visions
To save you from illusions
I will protect you from ideals
To save you from defeats
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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,
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
i think this song is actually about feedback, like you receive when people comment on your work. "i will protect you from your visions save you from delusions, i will protect you from ideals to save you from defeat" sometimes you think you are great, when the consensus might say otherwise, feedback removes your self-delusion of perfection to keep you from becoming complacent, and thus irrelevant. i'm rather convinced that this is the message, and was impressed by how clever this song is when i realized it. covenant = awesome.
I would say it is about a society that's overprotecting its citizens, thus suffocating their spirit. By keeping them away from everything "dangerous", they are kept away from everything that evolves them.
I noticed that there are very few posts on Covenant's songs. It personally think that their songs are very well written, all with a message behind them. As in the case of VNV Nation they deserve thorough analysis. VNV's songs are more touching, maybe that's the reason why people have posted more on them...
I agree that more posts should be made about Covenant. They're more analytical, though, at times, so I guess that's why VNV seem more accessible. Feeling over thought. Not that VNV are shallow by any means. This song seems at first to be the message sent by the "State", censorship, etc., saying that what they do is for our own good. At the end, the real face comes out, and the greed and suffocation becomes plain. That's what I think, anyway.
I think the song is mainly about the little voice in the back of our minds that tells us to stay safe, not to take any risks so that we will not be hurt. It's the restraint we put on ourselves, not that which is put on us by others. Hence the "feedback"...