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."
I knew a girl
Her name was truth
She was a horrible liar
She couldn't spend one day alone
But she couldn't be satisfied
When you have everything
You have everything to lose
She made herself
A bed of nails
And she's plannin' on puttin' it to use
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
A candle throws its light into the darkness
In a nasty world,so shines the good deed
Make sure the fortune, that you seek
Is the fortune you need
So tell me why, the first to ask, is the last to give, every time
What you say and do not mean
Follow too close behind
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
Like a soldier standing long under fire
Any change comes as a relief
Let the giver's name remain unspoken
For she is just a generous thief
But she had diamonds on the inside
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds
Oh diamonds
She had diamonds
She wore diamonds
Diamonds
Her name was truth
She was a horrible liar
She couldn't spend one day alone
But she couldn't be satisfied
When you have everything
You have everything to lose
She made herself
A bed of nails
And she's plannin' on puttin' it to use
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
A candle throws its light into the darkness
In a nasty world,so shines the good deed
Make sure the fortune, that you seek
Is the fortune you need
So tell me why, the first to ask, is the last to give, every time
What you say and do not mean
Follow too close behind
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
Like a soldier standing long under fire
Any change comes as a relief
Let the giver's name remain unspoken
For she is just a generous thief
But she had diamonds on the inside
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds
Oh diamonds
She had diamonds
She wore diamonds
Diamonds
Lyrics submitted by millertheoly
Diamonds on the Inside Lyrics as written by Ben C. Harper
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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
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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.
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.
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.
It’s about a concept more than a certain person.. It’s a storyline about a person (a female in this example) who is honest and doesn’t lie- therefore they have diamonds on the inside(they are invaluable)..
They will enter the world..shining like a light in a vastly dark and corrupted humankind existence..
They will eventually meet someone(aka a man in this storyline), that asks them to give themselves to them and portrays themselves to be worthy of the asking….
They(the man) will want that honest/valuable/rare(diamond in the rough) (woman)person.. They want that person(woman) to of course be their honest and valuable selves with them… But they(the man) themselves are not willing to withhold the same characteristics..
(-The first to ask is the last to give- aka honesty/integrity/trust/loyalty/faithfulness/trustworthiness )
(- She’s making a bed of nails - by entrusting someone that’s not worthy and entangling her life with theirs)
(Make sure that the fortune (person) That you seek is the fortune that you need… - otherwise it can destroy you)
(When you have everything you have everything to lose—)
-Aka for the woman— the wrong person will make her lose everything she has… Self worth Confidence Sanity - bc if they are narcissistic, pathological liars or abusers - that takes a huge toll on ones psyche… Your peace Harmony Health Their strong relationship with God (or others)- by causing distractions from Him and causing bitterness and hatred inside of them..(which can cause a road block from a loving God) Sometimes your house or other materialistic items are at stake-because you trusted them with your Everything and they weren’t trustworthy..
-and aka for the man in this situation- he doesn’t realize that he has “Everything” in having a loyal, honest, faithful woman and therefore he has everything to lose when he sabotages it.
Proverbs 31:10 New International Version A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
New Living Translation Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.
English Standard Version An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
Berean Standard Bible A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
King James Bible Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
New King James Version Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
New American Standard Bible An excellent wife, who can find her? For her worth is far above jewels.