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."
With the skeleton frame laid out
Its shame was just to stay awake all night
Was it the last thing on your mind
Smoke travels along the thoughts
Of the old tree that could be falling down on us
So you could say you tried
But the dancer gave you no reward
You were standing on your broken toes all night
Witchy park done us wrong this time
We were talking like we knew the words
You could only guess can't you see the mess we're in
Witchy park done us wrong again
Witchy park done us wrong again
Summer is through some other arms around me
Like sheets would grow too full
Windows are fast to close
The suns gonna come down faster than the words reply
We talk and talk all night
In the morning it wont sound wrong
But the dancer gave you no reward
You were standing on your broken toes all night
Witchy park done us wrong this time
We were talking like we knew the words
You could only guess can't you see the mess we're in
Witchy park done us wrong again
Witchy park done us wrong again
Its shame was just to stay awake all night
Was it the last thing on your mind
Smoke travels along the thoughts
Of the old tree that could be falling down on us
So you could say you tried
But the dancer gave you no reward
You were standing on your broken toes all night
Witchy park done us wrong this time
We were talking like we knew the words
You could only guess can't you see the mess we're in
Witchy park done us wrong again
Witchy park done us wrong again
Summer is through some other arms around me
Like sheets would grow too full
Windows are fast to close
The suns gonna come down faster than the words reply
We talk and talk all night
In the morning it wont sound wrong
But the dancer gave you no reward
You were standing on your broken toes all night
Witchy park done us wrong this time
We were talking like we knew the words
You could only guess can't you see the mess we're in
Witchy park done us wrong again
Witchy park done us wrong again
Lyrics submitted by iangurteen
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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,
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.
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.
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.
Tricky one, the start of line 2 and 4 in the 1st verse are hard to hear, as are lines 1,2 and 6 in verse 2. See youtube.com/watch for a great version. NOW IF ANYONE CAN TELL ME THE LYRIC TO THE SECOND PART OF THS TRACK (TOMORROW WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF)!! AND IT'S ONLY GOT ONE REPEATED LINE! ...IT'S TIME TO LEARN TO COPE, LEARN THE COLD, LEARN THE COLD?!? HELP.
Thanks for posting this lyrics iangurteen! I have been waiting for someone to attempt to post these. Something small that needs changed is I believe it's "But the dancer gave you no reward when you were standing on your broken toes all night." Small fix but I am pretty sure that is it. As for the second part, I've been trying to figure out the repeated line forever. This is what I think it is, but this is a total guess too.<br /> <br /> Tomorrow will take care of them<br /> It's time to learn the cold again<br /> <br /> Tomorrow will take care of it<br /> It's time to learn to cope again<br /> <br /> Mat seems to layer lyrics like this. A perfect example is in the Somedays Are Better Than Others song by Carissa's Wierd.<br /> <br /> Somedays are better than others<br /> Some people are to<br /> Some feel alot better than others<br /> Just Look At You.<br /> <br /> Each vocalist says a different line and then they just layer them on top of each other. I think the same thing is going on with this song. Saying all that though I could be dead wrong haha.
Hi, thanks for your comments, I must get into Carissa someday! I think you're right about "standing" rather than "stepping" - confusingly there is a beautiful live version at youtube.com/watch where he clearly sings "stepping!" - I'm seeing them live next friday in London, can't wait!
Nice! I have seen them 3 times. I went to the cd release show in Seattle for the self titled album and saw them 2 other times in Cleveland. They are always a treat. I would definitely recommend Carissa's Wierd for sure though if you are a Grand Archives fan. It's definitely slower, and darker, but the combination of Mat Brooke and Jen Ghetto vocals is just amazing. If you want to check any of it out I have the whole discography. E-mail me or something and I can figure out a way to send it to you. delpchris@gmail.com
thanks for the offer, i've got everything though, I just never got round to listening to it yet!
Hi there,<br /> <br /> First thanks for the lyrics, iangurteen.<br /> And about Tomorrow will part I think the song is<br /> <br /> Tomorrow will take care of them<br /> It's time to learn to hold again<br /> <br /> The only other guess is - to hope again (at the end), but I don't think so
Hi - I'm not sure. At the end he seems to sing IT'S TIME TO LEARN THE COLD AGAIN but when Jenn is singing with him she sings ...LEARN TO COPE AGAIN. I think Mat is messing with our heads!!
i asked mat at a concert a few months ago, and he said "tomorrow will take care and then it's time to learn the cold again". (though of course there's still a chance that there are other versions lapped over that line)<br /> The title (tomorrow will take care of itself) refers to something the protagonist of the Tom Hanks film "Joe versus the Volcano" comes to realize/believe, by the way.
the last two lines of the first verse sound like this to me:
smoke travels along the thoughts of the oak tree could be falling down on us
Hello (again) well I think you're right about 'along' rather than 'or longer'. Smoke rather than small? You're probably right there too although I'm not 100% sure, but I'll change that too. As for the second line, there's definitely a "that" in there, partly covered by the backing singer saying "old tree" - I really think it is OLD, so I'll leave that line the same. Thaks for your contibutions, I was thinking I was the only listener out there!!