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."
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Nigga WHAT?
Check it out!
This be some playa ass shit, what this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
This be some playa ass shit, nigga what this is? [Some playa ass shit]
I say they choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas x2
Check it, this be some playa ass shit, soft ass niggas need to check you bitch
They choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas
[JT Money]
They hungry foe that cheese
They get down on they knees
Tryin' to get dem honey bees
Think she won't? Nigga please
Let's be real for a minute
If yo' hoe couldn't spend it
Would that bitch still be wit' it?
Hell naw nigga quit it
Stop fooling yourself, this ho floss to much
Since you fucking this bitch, you done loss to much
Everything cost bread from her toes to her head
>From the jewels to the threads, nigga sleeping in yo' bed
Nigga fuck that bitch, ?? floss don't make since
Use to do lil' shit, now you paying this hoe rent
Nigga what thats yo' life, trying to turn this hoe trife
??? from the club trying to make her yo' wife [Nigga what?]
Uh! This be some playa ass shit
What this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
Yeah, uh! This be some playa ass shit
What this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
They choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas
Uh! This be some playa ass shit
Now what this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
Alot of you niggas don't be knowing how to treat these hoes
When you meet these hoes, wanna sweet these hoes
And trying to keep these hoes
And playa hating on a playa
Mad at me cuz I'm getting broke off why you pay-a [Shit]
Thats the game and nigga I'm in it
So you keep breaking off these hoes with that loot
And I keep helping 'em spend it
Too many niggas got they game in they pocket
Trying to rank my game but you just can't stop it[Uh!]
See my game is just two strong, three strong, four strong
I been out here so long
For some new jack to come and try to knock me
I know that git jock me cuz he alway trying to mock me
See I don't sweat that, cuz pimping ain't easy
A major you chumps is just measly, believe me
See ain't no trick fooling me
She ain't gotta be true to be, as long as she do for me
PEEP GAME!
[HOOK]
Playa haters don't understand the money man
I keep grands plus your best hoe my biggest fan
Tell me where you niggas was when game was being passed out
If it wasn't for that loot alot of niggas would be assed out
You get amped around these hoes and wanna flash knots
I get a word these same hoes off in yo' stash box
I'm in this thang for the riches
Plus I'm a pimp and I love all my bitches
[HOOK]
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta work these hoes
Gotta make this flow
Gotta work these hoes
Nigga WHAT?
Check it out!
This be some playa ass shit, what this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
This be some playa ass shit, nigga what this is? [Some playa ass shit]
I say they choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas x2
Check it, this be some playa ass shit, soft ass niggas need to check you bitch
They choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas
[JT Money]
They hungry foe that cheese
They get down on they knees
Tryin' to get dem honey bees
Think she won't? Nigga please
Let's be real for a minute
If yo' hoe couldn't spend it
Would that bitch still be wit' it?
Hell naw nigga quit it
Stop fooling yourself, this ho floss to much
Since you fucking this bitch, you done loss to much
Everything cost bread from her toes to her head
>From the jewels to the threads, nigga sleeping in yo' bed
Nigga fuck that bitch, ?? floss don't make since
Use to do lil' shit, now you paying this hoe rent
Nigga what thats yo' life, trying to turn this hoe trife
??? from the club trying to make her yo' wife [Nigga what?]
Uh! This be some playa ass shit
What this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
Yeah, uh! This be some playa ass shit
What this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
They choose raw niggas
They use flaw niggas
We can't forget they use ALL niggas
Uh! This be some playa ass shit
Now what this is nigga? [Some playa ass shit]
Alot of you niggas don't be knowing how to treat these hoes
When you meet these hoes, wanna sweet these hoes
And trying to keep these hoes
And playa hating on a playa
Mad at me cuz I'm getting broke off why you pay-a [Shit]
Thats the game and nigga I'm in it
So you keep breaking off these hoes with that loot
And I keep helping 'em spend it
Too many niggas got they game in they pocket
Trying to rank my game but you just can't stop it[Uh!]
See my game is just two strong, three strong, four strong
I been out here so long
For some new jack to come and try to knock me
I know that git jock me cuz he alway trying to mock me
See I don't sweat that, cuz pimping ain't easy
A major you chumps is just measly, believe me
See ain't no trick fooling me
She ain't gotta be true to be, as long as she do for me
PEEP GAME!
[HOOK]
Playa haters don't understand the money man
I keep grands plus your best hoe my biggest fan
Tell me where you niggas was when game was being passed out
If it wasn't for that loot alot of niggas would be assed out
You get amped around these hoes and wanna flash knots
I get a word these same hoes off in yo' stash box
I'm in this thang for the riches
Plus I'm a pimp and I love all my bitches
[HOOK]
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
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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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.