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."
Your beauty took my breath away
In awe all day
Your company was so relaxing
Easy going ways
We saw the first signs of summer and springtime change
Walking barefoot along the sand
I hadn't planned to stay
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
You are broke all summer
But you still sing
Don't need money when it's sunny
Don't need anything
Just need music and sun and laughter
And no currency
The sun on your bare shoulders
Comes for free
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
Why can't we just design
To live like this all the time
Why can't we just quit
Sand ran through my fingers
And the land was hot
Anointed by Apollo
And his chariot
Disarmed by your charm
That night I felt it again
Addictive and consuming
Love's sweet pain
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Our days are as the wind blows us
We are free
You've a quiet love out of town
Of coastal ease
The wind it has no pattern
We take life slow
And when the night has fallen
Out cups overflows
When the summer's gone
And the room is cold
When you're looking at the rain
And it just won't go
Remember when the sun was high
Up above
Remember when the days were long
And we were in love
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
Why can't we just design
To live like this all the time
Why can't we just quit
In awe all day
Your company was so relaxing
Easy going ways
We saw the first signs of summer and springtime change
Walking barefoot along the sand
I hadn't planned to stay
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
You are broke all summer
But you still sing
Don't need money when it's sunny
Don't need anything
Just need music and sun and laughter
And no currency
The sun on your bare shoulders
Comes for free
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
Why can't we just design
To live like this all the time
Why can't we just quit
Sand ran through my fingers
And the land was hot
Anointed by Apollo
And his chariot
Disarmed by your charm
That night I felt it again
Addictive and consuming
Love's sweet pain
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Our days are as the wind blows us
We are free
You've a quiet love out of town
Of coastal ease
The wind it has no pattern
We take life slow
And when the night has fallen
Out cups overflows
When the summer's gone
And the room is cold
When you're looking at the rain
And it just won't go
Remember when the sun was high
Up above
Remember when the days were long
And we were in love
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
It'll be sad my friend
To see it come to an end
Why can't we just quit
Yeah we've been walking barefoot
All summer
Why can't we just design
To live like this all the time
Why can't we just quit
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This is possibly my favourite Ash song , maybe my favourite song in the world. It has so many good memories for me of summer, being on holiday and being with my friends, carefree and happy. My favourite bit is also: ''We are as The wind blows us We are free You've a quiet life out of town Of coastal ease And the wind it has no pattern We take life slow And when the night has fallen Our cup overflows
When The summer's gone and the room is cold When you're looking at the rain and it just won't go Remember when the sun was high up above Remember when the days were long And we were in love.''
Bittersweet and beautiful it makes me cry when I hear it 'cos I'm such a sentimental fool. I think the meaning is clear, the memories of a summer, the lamenting of the passing of the seasons, and the best times of your life that you will never have again, and can never be replaced. Tim is a God.