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."
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
You better make your face up with your favorite disguise
With your button down lips and your roller blind eyes
With your empty smile and your hungry heart
Feel the bile rising from your guilty past
With your nerves in tatters as the cockleshell shatters
And the hammers batter down your door
You better run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
You better run all day and run all night
Keep your dirty feelings deep inside
And if you're taking your girlfriend out tonight
You'd better park the car well out of sight
'Cause if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks
They're gonna send you back to mother in a cardboard box
You better run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
You better make your face up with your favorite disguise
With your button down lips and your roller blind eyes
With your empty smile and your hungry heart
Feel the bile rising from your guilty past
With your nerves in tatters as the cockleshell shatters
And the hammers batter down your door
You better run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run
You better run all day and run all night
Keep your dirty feelings deep inside
And if you're taking your girlfriend out tonight
You'd better park the car well out of sight
'Cause if they catch you in the back seat trying to pick her locks
They're gonna send you back to mother in a cardboard box
You better run
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Run Like Hell Lyrics as written by George Roger Waters David Jon Gilmour
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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.
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.
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.
Just another PF song about oppression. This song reminds me of 1984 where the guy had to sneak around just to have a girlfriend. Hide your feelings from Big Brother!
ok...simple. watch the wall the song's about pink's crazy fascist regime going around town and just screwing with minorities...breaking down their shops, raping their girlfriends, killing them. its alot like nazis because its fascism...why the whole fascist part in the wall? well they actually talk about it in the wall documentary, saying its more of a joke than anything but it shows what power can do to a person. but i can see how they are trying to show the relationship between the crowd's loyalty for the band at a show, and the people's loyalty in fascism. but then again more of a joke...plus it was the best part of the movie.
This song is about being paranoid that the government will find something wrong with your everyday life and hunt you down because of it.
In the few live versions I've seen of this, Roger Waters dedicates it to all the "paranoids" and "weaklings" in the audience
Their producer or manager or somebody wanted them to jump on the disco band-wagon, probably to sell more records. They made this song as sort of a joke.
Looking at the sales of Darsk Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall. I don't think they needed to change their music one bit to sell records. Probably the best selling band of all time, at least in the top 5.
Craigus I just think you are trying to sound cool and hip, now go home and put on "The Wall" and listen to it like you probably do every night.
I don't think it's one of the best selling albums in history because it 'sounded like shit'
What in your previous posts was meant to be sarcastic? Are you being sarcastic now?
Don't call me a moron, if you're going to be sarcastic, especially over the internet you have to find some way of letting people know you are being sarcastic. Other wise it's not going to be taken in a sarcastic manner and people are just going to flame you. Obviously IMJM didn't see your sarcasm either.
I gave my reasons why I did not like this album is that not enough? You were quick to patronise me before I even said anything to you. I don't like the wall but I love run like hell if you read my previous post correctly you would know this little nugget of information. I do however apologise for calling you a moron that was a little harsh and indeed even in a joking way a little out of order.
Now seriously I am yet to find anyone who has said what this song is about it's a simple concept yes but it has meaning so please do elaborate my friend enlighten us with your benevolent wisdom and never ending spiel of knowledge
Its sad that Floyd fans sit here and the computer argue over opinion. Anyone who comes here to say something " awwhh this song sucks" is wasting their own time. That is an opinion not an interpretation of the lyrics. Its kind of the disease of the times, its too easy to just run your mouth and not see the people you're running your mouth too. You guys hear the music, but you are not listening. Do you not see the message that you so praise? Stop being so simplistic with your personality and mindset, break free of the chains with that you hold yourself down.
I'm sorry I don't understand, you said you were being sarcastic now you're saying you really don't like the wall.
Hrm anyways, you're right no one is talking about the meaning of the song.
I'm guessing maybe it's about how the Nazi's went through towns looking for Jews and other races. In the movie this song is played, it show's 'Pink' ravaging through a village with some racist skin-heads, symbolic of Nazis I would guess.
I like your thinking.......... Could it be about racists and fascists? Could it be using the nazis as a metaphor/example of totalitarianism like in 1984 say?
Ah as for the sarcasm thing I was been sarcastic about how good it was cus it isn't but at the end of the day that is my opinion so not everyone need subscribe. I recently saw the flaming lips cover a Floyd song exactly as it was played on The Piper At The Gates Of The Dawn LP. It was incredible and my fave Floyd song - Lucifer Sam
I guess for me there are four Floyd’s
The first been Syd's experimental/improv/psych/avant garde 60's Floyd. Secondly you have post Syd which was where they really pushed some boundaries even further - like Meddle, Obscured by clouds, wish you were hear, Dark Side Of The moon.
Then you have the pretty dire Floyd which was where Roger took over big time this was around about the time of The Wall where Rick left and then the follow up - The Final Cut - well that just plain sucked.
The final incarnation of Floyd is the 90's reunion where Rick, Gilmore and Nick all decided to go on. This Floyd is pretty impressive but doesn't cus it next to things like Dark Side, Meddle and the debut incarnation.
Like I say though that is Floyd for me, my fave era been Syd's {60's} you have to admit the impact he had on Floyd as a whole never went away. On Floyd’s last record there are still signs of songs about Syd and the music is still echoes of what Syd began in the 60's before he lost his mind and way
the wall sucks so bad that it went platinum 24 times, it sucks so bad that it drew the largest single crowd in concert history, and it sucks so bad that it contains some of the greatest songs inside the best concept album ever, so yea i agree with you CRAIGUS, it's soo damn awesome to the point that it sucks. AND YOU YOU SHOULD BE SHOT.