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."
Brass Monkey, that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass, got this dance that's more than real
Drink Brass Monkey here's how you feel
You put your left leg down, your right leg up
Tilt your head back let's finish the cup
M.C.A. with the bottle (D. Rocks the can)
Adrock gets nice with Charlie Chan
We're offered Moet (we don't mind Chivas)
Wherever we go with bring the Monkey with us
Adrock drinks three (Mike D is D)
Double R. Foots the bill most definitely
I drink Brass Monkey and I rock well
I got a Castle in Brooklyn (that's where I dwell)
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Because I drink it anytime and anyplace
When it's time to get ill I pour it on my face
Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice
Come on y'all it's time to get nice
Coolin' by the lockers getting kind of funky
Me and the crew we're drinking Brass Monkey
This girl walked by she gave me the eye
I reached in the locker grabbed the Spanish Fly
I put it with the Monkey mixed it in the cup
Went over to the girl, "Yo baby, what's up?"
I offered her a sip (sip) because she gave me lip (lip)
It did begin, the stuff wore in and now she's on my tip
Brass Monkey, that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass
Step up to the bar, put the girl down
She takes a big gulp and slaps it around
Take a sip you can do it (you get right to it)
We had a case in the place and we went right through it
You got a dry Martini thinking you're cool
I'll take your place at the bar I smack you off your stool
I'll down a 40 dog in a single gulp
And if you got beef you'll get beat to a pulp
Monkey and parties and reelin' and rockin'
Def, def (girls, girls) all y'all jockin'
The song and dance keeping you in a trance
If you don't buy my record I got my advance
I drink it (I think it) I see it (I be it)
I love Brass Monkey but I won't give D It
We got the bottle, you got the cup
Come on everybody let's get fff
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass, got this dance that's more than real
Drink Brass Monkey here's how you feel
You put your left leg down, your right leg up
Tilt your head back let's finish the cup
M.C.A. with the bottle (D. Rocks the can)
Adrock gets nice with Charlie Chan
We're offered Moet (we don't mind Chivas)
Wherever we go with bring the Monkey with us
Adrock drinks three (Mike D is D)
Double R. Foots the bill most definitely
I drink Brass Monkey and I rock well
I got a Castle in Brooklyn (that's where I dwell)
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Because I drink it anytime and anyplace
When it's time to get ill I pour it on my face
Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice
Come on y'all it's time to get nice
Coolin' by the lockers getting kind of funky
Me and the crew we're drinking Brass Monkey
This girl walked by she gave me the eye
I reached in the locker grabbed the Spanish Fly
I put it with the Monkey mixed it in the cup
Went over to the girl, "Yo baby, what's up?"
I offered her a sip (sip) because she gave me lip (lip)
It did begin, the stuff wore in and now she's on my tip
Brass Monkey, that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass
Step up to the bar, put the girl down
She takes a big gulp and slaps it around
Take a sip you can do it (you get right to it)
We had a case in the place and we went right through it
You got a dry Martini thinking you're cool
I'll take your place at the bar I smack you off your stool
I'll down a 40 dog in a single gulp
And if you got beef you'll get beat to a pulp
Monkey and parties and reelin' and rockin'
Def, def (girls, girls) all y'all jockin'
The song and dance keeping you in a trance
If you don't buy my record I got my advance
I drink it (I think it) I see it (I be it)
I love Brass Monkey but I won't give D It
We got the bottle, you got the cup
Come on everybody let's get fff
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey that funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Brass Monkey Lyrics as written by Adam Keefe Horovitz Rick Rubin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Good song about booze. And another good musician gone long before s/he should die a natural death. RIP.
A brass monkey is when you drink a 40 to the top of the label and then pour it full with OJ.
Mike D set the record straight in an interview in 2014. Heublien Brass Monkey was a cheap pre-mixed cocktail back in the day that the boys used to drink and is what inspired the song.
"when I called Mike D to talk about his inspiration, he was confused: malt liquor? In a Brass Monkey? It turns out that the Brass Monkey he was singing about was a cocktail comprised of orange juice, vodka, and dark rum, which came premixed in a can. "Homeboy," Mike said, "have you ever used Google in your life?"
Six minutes in... pri.org/stories/2014-06-10/sideshow-podcast-40-ounces-trouble-mike-d-sets-record-straight
Bahahahaha i luv this song even though its a story bout getting a girl drunk its still kooooooooool.Bahahahaha!!!! Brass Monkey what a riot.
The Original lyrics to this song belong in the Fucking Smithsonian.
C0me on everybody lets get...................................
I love the record I brought it home<br /> I played the cd I loved it YO!<br /> TO Bad I bought another after license to ILL<br /> It made me so sick I took some pills<br /> I never bought another beastie boy CD<br /> They lost there mojo or give to D<br /> Why they quit singing the cool shit i never know<br /> But now the Beastie Boys just Really BLOW ..
its a cocktail
Brass Monkey's a beer? I never heard that...
damn i htought it was a liqour well i assumed it was i guess rather than thinking it, but yeah this songs the shit, specially if ur high
Brass monkey is a mixed dring more or less like Long Island iced tea, but without the tea. Yes, I know there is no tea in LIit, it's just a splash of cola for color. Brass monkey tastes about the same but is yellow-orange. I've bought bottles of it in a liquor store before, but it's pretty rare.
That said, it sure does sound like the Beasties are referring to a beer or malt liquor.
This song is SOOOO awesome, i luv it