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."
You were workin' as a waitress in a cocktail bar
When I met you
I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around
Turned you into someone new
Now five years later on, you've got the world at your feet
Success has been so easy for you
But don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now
And I can put you back down too
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then, I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you
The five years we have had have been such good times
I still love you
But now, I think it's time I live my life on my own
I guess it's just what I must do
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
When I met you
I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around
Turned you into someone new
Now five years later on, you've got the world at your feet
Success has been so easy for you
But don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now
And I can put you back down too
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then, I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you
The five years we have had have been such good times
I still love you
But now, I think it's time I live my life on my own
I guess it's just what I must do
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh
Don't you want me, baby?
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Is it just me, or are these lyrics really creepy? So much implicit threat:
"But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now And I can put you back down, too"
"You'd better change it back Or we will both be sorry"
I remember first hearing this song in 1982, and being taken aback by Phil Oakey's vocals. I had an older sister at the time, who was in a relationship with a possessive piss jealous boyfriend. He used to emotionally blackmail her with similar lines to the lyrics in this song. The lyrics in this song seem somewhat sinister and creepy to me as a result. But it's still a great song, and one of the quintessential 80's songs.
@david. Yes, absolutely. Creepy, threatening. The ominous, minor chord thumb of the synthysizer, the "We will both we sorry." The whole thing sounds like Star 80 to me, a nasty little portrait of sexual power play and jealousy.
enjoyable song. good rythm, nice lyrics.
I always think of the male character in the song as being someone like Andy Warhol -- not necessarily a lover, but an impresario with a lot of cultural influence and self-importance, who "discovers" people and has the power to promote them to superstardom or tell everyone they're washed up.
I don't get the "creepy" vibe that others have gotten off this, but rather more of a "desperate" vibe (as in despair, not clinging). I see it as, the guy did everything he could to build her up, and help her to be a better version of herself than the one he initially met, because he saw the potential in her. And when she awoke to this potential in herself, she thought that she wouldn't need him anymore, that she's outgrown him. He's in despair, because he's just as in love with her as he's ever been, and so he throws out this obviously idle threat about knocking her back down to where she was, hoping she'll realize that he can still help her. But she's obstinate and has grown to be full-of-herself, and stubbornly refuses to hear him out, into what will likely be a Pyrrhic victory. At which point, all he could hope for is that she encounters this same cold realization, and wakes up and comes back to him.
You might be able to infer that I can relate.
There is a really cool version of this song by James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins, and the new girl they had Melissa something. It's a neat cover because they switch roles. Melissa sings the guy part, and James Iha sings the female part. It's funny because he/she (James Iha) is so androgenous. It's a live cover, good one.
@Sleep I heard that version before but I like this one as well - its by Young Summer. Good tune. And yea, comment from 2004, IDC lol. :o)
i must check out that james iha version... this song always reminds me of the film cocktail, except tom cruise is the waitress in the cocktail bar.
Yeah these lyrics do sound creepy! I think this situation is where the girl breaks up with the guy. The guy is saying something like "You broke up with me after I did so much for you." And he plans on getting revenge. At least that's what I though when I listened to the lyrics.
"But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now And I can put you back down, too"
Doesn't that sound like revenge to you?
So a while back, I went through this really horrible relationship. I totally relate to this song. Its almost like they are both incredibly jaded, but "he" has the mindset that he made her what she is today. And "he" definitely wants credit. "She" simply cannot believe that "he" would think that who she is as a person had/has anything to do with who "she" is.
Honestly? I think this is a very very very narcissistic song from HIS outlook. He thinks he did her a great deal of positivity when it came to her meager little life as a cocktail waitress. That's what my ex was. A narcissistic sociopath. She thought she owned me and that I should THANK HER for the person I was today. She was also super abusive - she only raised her hand to me once, but those of you that have dealt with verbal and emotional abuse, know its just as bad as physical abuse.
Anyway. I always loved this song. But it took the version from Young Summer for me to really sit down and read the song lyrics.