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'll never be your beast of burden
My back is broad but it's a-hurting
All I want for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want for you to make love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
I'll never be your beast of burden
So let's go home and draw the curtains
Music on the radio
Come on baby make sweet love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
Oh, little sister
Pretty, pretty, pretty girls
Ooh, you're a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Pretty, pretty, such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Come on, baby, please, please, please
I'll tell ya
You can put me out
On the street
Put me out
With no shoes on my feet
But put me out, put me out
Put me out of misery, yeah
All your sickness, I can suck it up
Throw it all at me
I can shrug it off
There's one thing, baby
I don't understand
You keep on telling me
I ain't your kind of man
Ain't I rough enough? Ooh, honey
Ain't I tough enough?
Ain't I rich enough? In love enough?
Ooh, please
I'll never be your beast of burden
I'll never be your beast of burden
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want is you to make love to me
Yeah
I don't need no beast of burden
I need no fussing
I need no nursing
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
My back is broad but it's a-hurting
All I want for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want for you to make love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
I'll never be your beast of burden
So let's go home and draw the curtains
Music on the radio
Come on baby make sweet love to me
Am I hard enough?
Am I rough enough?
Am I rich enough?
I'm not too blind to see
Oh, little sister
Pretty, pretty, pretty girls
Ooh, you're a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Pretty, pretty, such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl
Come on, baby, please, please, please
I'll tell ya
You can put me out
On the street
Put me out
With no shoes on my feet
But put me out, put me out
Put me out of misery, yeah
All your sickness, I can suck it up
Throw it all at me
I can shrug it off
There's one thing, baby
I don't understand
You keep on telling me
I ain't your kind of man
Ain't I rough enough? Ooh, honey
Ain't I tough enough?
Ain't I rich enough? In love enough?
Ooh, please
I'll never be your beast of burden
I'll never be your beast of burden
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles, my feet are hurting
All I want is you to make love to me
Yeah
I don't need no beast of burden
I need no fussing
I need no nursing
Never, never, never, never, never, never, never be
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i mean, how is this song so perfect? it's one of those songs that was in your head before you ever even heard it. it's just so.......just so.
It`s perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!I love this song
Lanny, that is so true.
@lannymad What a great comment. It seems like this song has always existed, and The Stones just seemed to tap into the other side to retrieve it.