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."
Even the old folks never knew
Why they call it like they do
I was wondering since the age of two
Down on Copperline
Copper head, copper beech
Copper kettles sitting side by each
Copper coil, cup o'Georgia peach
Down on Copperline
Half a mile down to Morgan Creek
Leaning heavy on the end of the week
Hercules and a hog-nosed snake
Down on Copperline
We were down on Copperline
One Summer night on the Copperline
Slip away past supper time
Wood smoke and moonshine
Down on Copperline
One time I saw my daddy dance
Watched him moving like a man in a trance
He brought it back from the war in France
Down onto Copperline
Branch water and tomato wine
Creosote and turpentine
Sour mash and new moonshine
Down on Copperline
Down on Copperline
First kiss ever I took
Like a page from a romance book
The sky opened and the earth shook
Down on Copperline
Down on Copperline
Took a fall from a windy height
I only knew how to hold on tight
And pray for love enough to last all night
Down on Copperline
Day breaks and the boy wakes up
And the dog barks and the bird sings
And the sap rises and the angels sigh, yeah
I tried to go back, as if I could
All spec house and plywood
Tore up and tore up good
Down on Copperline
It doesn't come as a surprise to me
It doesn't touch my memory
Man I'm lifting up and rising free
Down on over Copperline
Half a mile down to Morgan Creek
I'm only living for the end of the week
Hercules and a hog-nosed snake
Down on Copperline, yeah
Take me down on Copperline
Oh, down on Copperline
Take me down on Copperline
Why they call it like they do
I was wondering since the age of two
Down on Copperline
Copper head, copper beech
Copper kettles sitting side by each
Copper coil, cup o'Georgia peach
Down on Copperline
Half a mile down to Morgan Creek
Leaning heavy on the end of the week
Hercules and a hog-nosed snake
Down on Copperline
We were down on Copperline
One Summer night on the Copperline
Slip away past supper time
Wood smoke and moonshine
Down on Copperline
One time I saw my daddy dance
Watched him moving like a man in a trance
He brought it back from the war in France
Down onto Copperline
Branch water and tomato wine
Creosote and turpentine
Sour mash and new moonshine
Down on Copperline
Down on Copperline
First kiss ever I took
Like a page from a romance book
The sky opened and the earth shook
Down on Copperline
Down on Copperline
Took a fall from a windy height
I only knew how to hold on tight
And pray for love enough to last all night
Down on Copperline
Day breaks and the boy wakes up
And the dog barks and the bird sings
And the sap rises and the angels sigh, yeah
I tried to go back, as if I could
All spec house and plywood
Tore up and tore up good
Down on Copperline
It doesn't come as a surprise to me
It doesn't touch my memory
Man I'm lifting up and rising free
Down on over Copperline
Half a mile down to Morgan Creek
I'm only living for the end of the week
Hercules and a hog-nosed snake
Down on Copperline, yeah
Take me down on Copperline
Oh, down on Copperline
Take me down on Copperline
Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by friendless
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