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 reach within my isolation,
I harbor it, I honor it
You say you'd like to see me closer,
Of course you would, you have no choice
(intro to chorus)
And I cry cause the weather has gotten to me, and I laugh at the people that I can't be,
All their lives,
Silly pictures
(chorus)
Hey now now now, hey now hey baby
Baby's getting older
Hey now now now hey now hey baby
The tide is turning, turning us away,
You build the wall I'll build the fountain,
We'll wrestle it,
We'll conquer it
I think we'll live to see the mountain
Of course we will
We have no choice
(intro to chorus)
(chorus)
And I can remember
Forever December,
The center of dying,
The heart of the pain
The rose in the bottle,
The thorns in the bottom
The stars surround me, the cold astounds me
(solo)
(intro to chorus)
(chorus)
I harbor it, I honor it
You say you'd like to see me closer,
Of course you would, you have no choice
(intro to chorus)
And I cry cause the weather has gotten to me, and I laugh at the people that I can't be,
All their lives,
Silly pictures
(chorus)
Hey now now now, hey now hey baby
Baby's getting older
Hey now now now hey now hey baby
The tide is turning, turning us away,
You build the wall I'll build the fountain,
We'll wrestle it,
We'll conquer it
I think we'll live to see the mountain
Of course we will
We have no choice
(intro to chorus)
(chorus)
And I can remember
Forever December,
The center of dying,
The heart of the pain
The rose in the bottle,
The thorns in the bottom
The stars surround me, the cold astounds me
(solo)
(intro to chorus)
(chorus)
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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/
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.
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.
this song is soo beautiful... these are the lyrics as I know them... but i cold be wrong:
Reach within my isolation, I harbor it, I honor it Say you'd like to see me closer, Of course you would, you have no choice
(intro to chorus) And I cry cause the weather has gotten to me, and I laugh at the people that I can't be, All their lives, are silly pictures
(chorus) Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, turning us away,
You build the wall I'll build the fountain, We'll wrestle it, We'll conquer it I think we'll live to see the mountain Of course we will We have no choice
(intro to chorus) Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, don't turn me away,
And I can remember Forever december, The sins of the dying, The heart of the pain The rose in the bottle, The thorns in the bottom The stars surround me, the cold astounds me
(solo) (intro to chorus) baby's getting old (chorus)Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, turning us away Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, turning us away Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, turning us away (fade out)
There is an alternate version of this song, with slightly different lyrics... :
Reach within my isolation, I harbor it, I honor it Say you'd like to see me closer, Of course you would, you have no choice
(intro to chorus) And I cry cause the weather has gotten to me, and I laugh at the people that I can't be, cause all their lives, are silly pictures
(chorus) So hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older
You build the wall I'll build the fountain, We'll wrestle it, oh we'll conquer it I think we'll live to see the mountain well of course we will We have no choice
(intro to chorus)
So hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, don't turn me away,
And It wont take long we both knew this But i wasnt quite prepared for my center of dying the heart of your pain all my words get lost and I can't speak got my head stripped down Well i get weak and the words fall out like forever december soon it wont matter cause she wont mean nothing
(solo) She don't mean nothing she wont mean nothing (intro to chorus) Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older Baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby The tide is turning, Don't turn me away Hey now now now, hey now hey baby Baby's getting older my baby's getting older Hey now now now hey now hey baby yeah the tide is turning, don't turn me away (fade out)
Don't ask me why...maybe it's the lyrics...maybe it's the music...maybe it's where i was when i first heard it...but this is my absolute favorite song of all time...and will always be. I first heard it 2 years ago, and i was always waiting for it to come true (because then it had to meaning to me) and then...december 29th, 2002, my g/f dumped me...
im listening to this song right now, its a beautiful song.
Very good song. Both versions are awesome. Can't pick a favorite, as they're both unique in their own wonderful tune. Another example of Rob's lost past being one of the most amazing points in his musical career.
I wish that he could do this song now.. but he didnt get control of it when Tabithas secret split up.. its a great song whatever it means.. so deep Rob uses important words not just silly fluff... was such an honor to get to chat with him.... twice...
@bonn310 have you heard him sing this live? I love it so much.. I am seeing MB20 next week and would love them to play some Tabithas Secret.
I love this song. It's the perfect winter song, the one you listen to while you're outside at seven in the morning in mid december and it's snowing. Lol. It's a shame that few people realize how great this bad was. They got completely overshadowed by Matchbox. Shame, but they still get played on university radio.