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 hear a song, it makes me think of a girl I used to know...
I sing along when I hear it on the radio now)
Hey now where'd we go?
Yeah days when the rains came
Way down in the hollows
Oooh yeah playing a new game
Laughing and a-running
Hey hey
Skipping and a-jumping
In the misty morning fog
Oh baby, yeah my heart's a-thumping you
My brown eyed girl
(Brown eyed girl...brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
Do you remember when? (do you remember when?)
Yeah we used to sing...
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
(I hear a song, it makes me think of a girl I used to know)
Hey... Hey... Hey
(I sing along when I hear it on the radio now)
Now that the years gone by
Yeah now that I'm on my own
I saw you baby, just the other day
But my baby, you have grown
I cast my memory back there Lord
Sometimes, I am overcome just thinking about it
Making love in the green grass
Behind the stadium with you
My brown eyed girl
You my
Brown eyed girl
(My brown eyed girl...my brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
(My brown eyed girl...my brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
Do you remember when?
Yeah we used to sing
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
I hear a song
It makes me think of a girl
I used to know
HEY...HEY...HEY
I sing along
When I hear it on the radio now
I sing along
When I hear it on the radio
Now
I sing along when I hear it on the radio now)
Hey now where'd we go?
Yeah days when the rains came
Way down in the hollows
Oooh yeah playing a new game
Laughing and a-running
Hey hey
Skipping and a-jumping
In the misty morning fog
Oh baby, yeah my heart's a-thumping you
My brown eyed girl
(Brown eyed girl...brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
Do you remember when? (do you remember when?)
Yeah we used to sing...
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
(I hear a song, it makes me think of a girl I used to know)
Hey... Hey... Hey
(I sing along when I hear it on the radio now)
Now that the years gone by
Yeah now that I'm on my own
I saw you baby, just the other day
But my baby, you have grown
I cast my memory back there Lord
Sometimes, I am overcome just thinking about it
Making love in the green grass
Behind the stadium with you
My brown eyed girl
You my
Brown eyed girl
(My brown eyed girl...my brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
(My brown eyed girl...my brown eyed girl)
You my
Brown eyed girl
Do you remember when?
Yeah we used to sing
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
Sha la la la la la
La la la la la la
I hear a song
It makes me think of a girl
I used to know
HEY...HEY...HEY
I sing along
When I hear it on the radio now
I sing along
When I hear it on the radio
Now
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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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
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.
Is it just me, or is the video absolutely disgusting... and hilarious? I mean, you go on hoping for a happy ending, then you're crushed, then you're like "AWWWWW" and then you HAVE to laugh!
Anyway, I don't know why people don't like this cover. It's not meant to be just like the original; you can still ike Van Morrison's. This one just happens to be different, but good too.