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."
Woke this morning and it seemed to me
That every night turns out to be
A little bit more like Bukowski
And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read
But God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
Well we sat on the edge of the river
The crowd screamed, "Sacrifice the liver!"
If God takes life, he's an Indian giver
So tell me now why, you'll tell me never
Who would want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Well who would want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Well, see what you want to see
You should see it all
Well, take what you want from me
You deserve it all
Nine times out of ten
Our hearts just get dissolved
Well, I want a better place
Or just a better way to fall
But one time out of ten
Everything is perfect for us all
Well, I want a better place
Or just a better way to fall
Here we go
If God controls the land and disease
Keeps a watchful eye on me
If he's really so damn mighty
My problem is I can't see
Well who'd want to be
Who'd want to be such a control freak?
Well who'd want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Evil home stereo
What good songs do you know?
Evil me, oh yeah, I know
What good curves can you throw?
Well, all that icing and all that cake
I can't make it to your wedding but I'm sure I'll be at your wake
You were talk, talk, talking in circles that day
When you get to the point make sure that I'm still awake, okay?
Went to bed and didn't see
Why every day turns out to be
A little bit more like Bukowski
And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read
But God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
That every night turns out to be
A little bit more like Bukowski
And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read
But God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
Well we sat on the edge of the river
The crowd screamed, "Sacrifice the liver!"
If God takes life, he's an Indian giver
So tell me now why, you'll tell me never
Who would want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Well who would want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Well, see what you want to see
You should see it all
Well, take what you want from me
You deserve it all
Nine times out of ten
Our hearts just get dissolved
Well, I want a better place
Or just a better way to fall
But one time out of ten
Everything is perfect for us all
Well, I want a better place
Or just a better way to fall
Here we go
If God controls the land and disease
Keeps a watchful eye on me
If he's really so damn mighty
My problem is I can't see
Well who'd want to be
Who'd want to be such a control freak?
Well who'd want to be
Who would want to be such a control freak?
Evil home stereo
What good songs do you know?
Evil me, oh yeah, I know
What good curves can you throw?
Well, all that icing and all that cake
I can't make it to your wedding but I'm sure I'll be at your wake
You were talk, talk, talking in circles that day
When you get to the point make sure that I'm still awake, okay?
Went to bed and didn't see
Why every day turns out to be
A little bit more like Bukowski
And yeah, I know he's a pretty good read
But God, who'd want to be
God, who'd want to be such an asshole?
Lyrics submitted by nuclearjesus
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It's very straightforward.
He's talking to religious people and how they get so much into their religion they are unable to listen to other point of views.
He also attacks God on how it's a hypocrite.
In some traditions, if you are not of Christian faith, you cannot attend the wedding of a Christian couple getting married. The narrator asserts that even though he's not invited to the wedding, he'll be at the wake, when they're dead and nothing matters.
On Bukowski: This is why the song is named so:
"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula, the big answers don’t remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us." - Charles Bukowski
He said that and that's why the song is named so. Note that Modest Mouse isn't calling Bukowski an asshole, he's calling God one because of it being a control freak. When he says "I am my own God," I think this bothered Isaac, and he wrote about it.
This is a great interpretation. Isaac Brock is an atheist, so he's probably not approaching this from a religious/spiritual mindset, however.
he may be addressing it with this song
Woa, Bukowski said "I am my own God"? In the next song on MM's album, This Devil's Workday, isaac says "I am my own damn God!". Its interesting how a lot of MM songs are all somehow connected.
@Efforts <br /> <br /> Nice post.<br /> <br /> I do however think he is specifically calling Bukowski an a**.<br /> <br /> You can be inspired by someone and yet still think they are an a**, and Bukowski acted like an a** in life.
Charles Bukowski is a famous author who wrote poetry and mostly autobiographical fiction and is notorious for being a down and out drunkard. His life was that of a dazed drifter who lived in the bottom of the barrell as far as societal standing went. I think this song illustrates the narrators descent into a similar lifestyle, pondering exactly why God is so controlling, bringing the image of God down a peg by asking why he'd want to be a "control freak," a very human trait.
Come to think of it, i always thought it somewhat mocking that he'd say "God who'd want to be such an asshole?" because he's actually talking about God in this situation and i always thought of it as "God would want to be such an asshole." in the way that he says it.<br />
I hope so, for you.<br /> <br /> <br /> In all seriousness, I thought the same thing. The way he sings it seems to have a double meaning. Clever clever Isaac.
just a crossreference, bukowski is, as surname said, a notorious drifter, and in "the world at large" Brock ssys "I like songs about drifter-books about the same" I love how this album has so many resounding themes and crossreferences.
I've believed in God my since I was young and this is one of my favorite Modest Mouse songs. The questioning spirit is important present in these lyrics are really important as a person grows with belief. This song forces every believer question what they've been told about God and to remember that God isn't neccessarily a bully and a control freak. That is a message that some Christians have forced on society. God allows our lives to be what we make them. In fact, he is the oposite of a control freak...Just a thought that doesn't force us to throw out everything when it gets complicated.
When I hear a Christian say god is just a thought, I have hope for this world :)
@scarlettrose07 I have less hope for this world when we are gleefully trashing God and his followers. But then again, atheists have a tendency towards hypocritical self-righteousness.
The usage of "evil home stereo" means exactly this= the house you grew up in= The parents on the radio. What else has that much audio effect on ones life, ANYONE life. Your parents are your main "home" stereo (for how many years). He use stereo to mean a sort of indoctrination of sorts because that s your main feed. One could take this line further to mean one of two things; one the Main Street Radio all day everyday bullshit ((when ("one") good ones repeats it self over (the "ten") and over))is the means of a source of indoctrination it self; two switch radio into religion.
Also the line that says "when you get to that point make sure I'm still awake, OK?" He is speaking of the afterlife saying that "that point" bears no point down here because you cannot communicate with someone who is dead(( that is why he says ok? in the question form to signal he got no reply=meaning no one is awake in the proverbial sky.
one of the best modest mouse songs i have ever heard.
there's a difference between not believing in organized religion & not believing in God. great song nonetheless
Even though i fully believe in God, i really love this is song, and many others on the new album that really question Christian beliefs. So many christians these days are just along for the ride and dont truely know or believe what they claim to. Just like christians will call you a hypocrite from being democrat, even though it is much closer to the bible than the damn alternative. Anyway, the song really is interesting, but through my thinking the only justification of God being a control freak is that we are his creations and just like your own arts you strive to work at them and sometimes are very close to other opinions, however we do have freewill and God never changes, but you are all believers and probibly dont give a shit.
Great song, the banjo is really a nice addition and for those who have no reference to bukowski he also wrote barfly. (the movie)
attn: chaswick l tronkman Figuring out ways to pay the rent isn't really a tough decision. Around the time we did the beer commercial and the shoe commercial, I thought, "Am I compromising my music by doing this?" And I think not. I like keeping the lights on in my house. People who don't have to make their living playing music can bitch about my principles while they spend their parents' money or wash dishes for some asshole. Principles are something that people are a lot better at checking in other people than keeping their own. My rationale behind the beer commercial was, "I like drinking MGD! I like beer probably more than I should, probably more than is healthy." I was hoping I could get a lifetime supply out of the deal, but I guess I'll have to buy it with that big ol' check. [Laughs.] -Isaac Brock-
Yea so suck it Chaswick_L_Tronknam<br /> <br /> Modest Mouse is kick ass
Yea so suck it Chaswick_L_Tronknam<br /> <br /> Modest Mouse is kick ass
it could just be me, but does anyone think this sounds like the pink elephants song from Dumbo
@MJHogie yes it does