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."
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Every little thing I take from you
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ah, ah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Every little thing you say or do
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
Whenever you go away from me
Go out with your friends I see
There's something in your eyes, uh
(And it looks just like a lie)
Didn't I give you what you want?
Didn't I give it all to you?
Why is everything you do a little bit untrue?
And every time (every time)
You act wrong
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
You can do just what you like
As long as you know deep inside
That I'm the only one for you
(Don't you act just like you do)
Didn't I make you feel so good?
Didn't I treat you like I should?
So why is everything I know that the way you act's not true?
And every time (every time)
You act wrong (you act wrong)
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true (you should know it's true)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You should know it's true, baby
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building, baby
And every time
You act wrong (you act wrong)
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true (you should know it's true)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, baby
Every little thing I take from you
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ah, ah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Every little thing you say or do
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
Whenever you go away from me
Go out with your friends I see
There's something in your eyes, uh
(And it looks just like a lie)
Didn't I give you what you want?
Didn't I give it all to you?
Why is everything you do a little bit untrue?
And every time (every time)
You act wrong
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
You can do just what you like
As long as you know deep inside
That I'm the only one for you
(Don't you act just like you do)
Didn't I make you feel so good?
Didn't I treat you like I should?
So why is everything I know that the way you act's not true?
And every time (every time)
You act wrong (you act wrong)
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true (you should know it's true)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You should know it's true, baby
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building, baby
And every time
You act wrong (you act wrong)
I go away from you just a little more
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
Every little thing I take from you
Every little thing you say or do
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
It's there you know it's true
Every little thing I feel inside
I don't want to talk about my own pride
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true (you should know it's true)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Adds another stone to the wall I'm building
And you should know it's true
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, baby
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More Featured Meanings
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.