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."
Look at all those fancy clothes
But these gonna keep us warm, just like those
What about your soul?
Is it cold?
Is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold?
Cars and phones and diamond rings, bling bling
Those are only removable things
What about your mind, does it shine?
Or are there things that concern you more than your time?
Gone
Goin'
Gone everything
Gone give a damn
Gone be the birds when they don't want to sing
Gone people all awkward with their things
Gone
Look at you out to make a deal
You try be appealing but you lose your appeal
What about those shoes you're in today?
They'll do no good on the bridges you brought along the way, oh
You willing to sell anything, gone with your head
Leave your footprints, well shame them with our words
Gone people, all careless and consumed, gone
Gone
Goin'
Gone everything
Gone give a damn
Gone be the birds if they don't want to sing
Gone people all awkward with their things
Gone
But these gonna keep us warm, just like those
What about your soul?
Is it cold?
Is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold?
Cars and phones and diamond rings, bling bling
Those are only removable things
What about your mind, does it shine?
Or are there things that concern you more than your time?
Gone
Goin'
Gone everything
Gone give a damn
Gone be the birds when they don't want to sing
Gone people all awkward with their things
Gone
Look at you out to make a deal
You try be appealing but you lose your appeal
What about those shoes you're in today?
They'll do no good on the bridges you brought along the way, oh
You willing to sell anything, gone with your head
Leave your footprints, well shame them with our words
Gone people, all careless and consumed, gone
Gone
Goin'
Gone everything
Gone give a damn
Gone be the birds if they don't want to sing
Gone people all awkward with their things
Gone
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
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.
I've been a fan of Jack for a long time now. When I heard this "new" song on a live bootleg of the Bimbo's show I got chills. This song is special
just hear jack play this live at the sasquatch festival. awesome song so much meaning and emotion he puts into it. also he got a great crowd reaction after the "bling bling"
just hear jack play this live at the sasquatch festival. awesome song so much meaning and emotion he puts into it. also he got a great crowd reaction after the "bling bling"
i like the lyrics to this song...i think maybe its about an ex girlfriend...or someone he knew in the past who made it big. they have all these fancy things...nice clothes and diamonds and cars and money...but like he says in the song "and what about those shoes you're in today they'll do no good on the bridges you've burnt along the way..." i think that is telling this person that no matter how rich you are now and no matter how much you try to show it off...you severed a lot of relationships to get there...and was it really worth it? and the part "leave your footprints and we'll shame them with our words" i like..because its so true. if someone changes you sooooo much and then leaves you for something "better" no matter what it is, you will always hold a grudge against them...
i think this song is definately about how much people cherish material things in life more than relationships, it might be about a particular person, like an old girlfriend...or it could just be about people in general. but i totally know what he means in this song, these lyrics mean alot to me. when he says"gone people all awkward with their things gone." it pretty much sums it up, because hes saying that once you have all your stupid material things...youll be left always looking for something more.
I love jack johnson. i live in Santa barbara (where he went to school) You don't even have to listen to the words, although it makes it all that much better, just listen to the music. It reminds me of home and exactly the mood in SANTA BARBARA!!!
I love jack johnson. i live in Santa barbara (where he went to school) You don't even have to listen to the words, although it makes it all that much better, just listen to the music. It reminds me of home and exactly the mood in SANTA BARBARA!!!
Such an awesome song with a great message
I'm goin to see jack Johnson play in less than i week!!!!! I'm soo excited and this song is awesome!
why isnt this song more popular? its the best