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'm sittin' in the railway station
Got a ticket to my destination
On a tour of one-night stands
My suitcase and guitar in hand
And every stop is neatly planned
For a poet and a one-man band
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Every day's an endless stream
Of cigarettes and magazines
And each town looks the same to me
The movies and the factories
And every stranger's face I see
Reminds me that I long to be
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Tonight I'll sing my songs again
I'll play the game and pretend
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Silently for me
Got a ticket to my destination
On a tour of one-night stands
My suitcase and guitar in hand
And every stop is neatly planned
For a poet and a one-man band
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Every day's an endless stream
Of cigarettes and magazines
And each town looks the same to me
The movies and the factories
And every stranger's face I see
Reminds me that I long to be
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Tonight I'll sing my songs again
I'll play the game and pretend
But all my words come back to me
In shades of mediocrity
Like emptiness in harmony
I need someone to comfort me
Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home where my thought's escapin'
Home where my music's playin'
Home where my love lies waitin'
Silently for me
Silently for me
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Another Love
Tom Odell
Tom Odell
I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
I think that they wrote this song about their experiences while touring as musicians and just getting tired of living in a different place every night. It expresses their desire to back with their loved ones in a farmiliar setting. The song portrays a bit of homsesickness I think.
Ghad, that song is so much more meaningful than someone missing their warm beds and pets. To me it is about deep longing and desire for some kind of escape from the loneliness and solitude that all people feel at times. In times of strife or isolation we tend to hark back upon the past and yearn for a time when we were happy. However, that place can never come back in the form that it was once in, but we can’t help wanting it, however silly it may be to:
Tonight I'll sing my songs again, I'll play the game and pretend. But all my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity Like emptiness in harmony I need someone to comfort me.
To me that is the best part of the entire song. I think that wishing for something that is foolish to wish for and then looking back and feeling weak is an universal feeling.
What a great song.
The song was first thought of by Paul Simon on a cold rainy night on Widnes railway station near Liverpool England, part way through a tour. As other comments brilliant lyrics for 2 guys starting out without the trappings of riches roadies and Rolls Royces......If only they knew what was to follow. At this time in England they also wrote Scarborough Fayre from an old English folk song.. Beautiful and haunting try to listen to it!
While Homeward Bound Does indeed seem one of homesickness, I think that S&G intend home in a broader sense. The home they long for is more of a respite from a rambling life, not simply a house.
after wishing to get away for so long you finally realize all you want is to be back to a familiar place.
Ghad, that song is so much more meaningful than someone missing their warm beds and pets. To me it is about deep longing and desire for some kind of escape from the loneliness and solitude that all people feel at times. In times of strife or isolation we tend to hark back upon the past and yearn for a time when we were happy. However, that place can never come back in the form that it was once in, but we can’t help wanting it, however silly it may be to:
Tonight I'll sing my songs again, I'll play the game and pretend. But all my words come back to me in shades of mediocrity Like emptiness in harmony I need someone to comfort me.
To me that is the best part of the entire song. I think that wishing for something that is foolish to wish for and then looking back and feeling weak is an universal feeling.
What a great song.
THANK YOU starangel. The percussion really ruins the studio version of this song. Far superior is the acoustic version to be found on "S&G's Greatest Hits" which also has a nicer musical arrangement at the end of verse 2. Worth getting hold of.
The percussion is a bit harsh, I'll agree. To me though it reminds me of the clacking of a train on its rails. Maybe an intentional effect in the song?
I take this song to be about making a living out of something you enjoy doing but after so long it all becomes tedious. The repetition of "home" acentuates that he feels so strongly of being in his place of comfort when he feels confused and tired. "Home where my thought's escaping" means that he doesn't dwell on his thoughts as he would when he is without his loved one, he just lets them get out. I love this song. It defines monotony and reminds me to do something with my day. Very talented musicians. They know how to write about more than love and death.
My favorite version of this song was when Paul Simon performed an acoustic with George Harrison on Saturday Night Live. Their voices worked so well together, just like it was Art Garfunkel at Simon's side. Beautiful
ive heard this is about paul simon wanting to be back in america when he was at a train station in england touring ?? i love this song thou i love simon and garfunkels harmonys i think its a bout someone missing their 'home' (not necessarily a house) wherever that may be and that they just dont feel as comftable when there not there i love the line home, where my musics playing, home where my love lies waiting silently for me