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."
Well since she put me down I've been out doin' in my head
Come in late at night and in the mornin' I just lay in bed
Well, rhonda you look so fine (look so fine)
And I know it wouldn't take much time
For you to help me rhonda
Help me get her out of my heart
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda (bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda(bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
She was gonna be my wife (bou, bou, bou)
And I was gonna be her man
But she let another guy come between us
And it ruined our plan
Well, rhonda you caught my eye (caught my eye)
And I can give you lotsa reasons why
You gotta help me rhonda
Help me get her out of my heart (bou, bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda (bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
Come in late at night and in the mornin' I just lay in bed
Well, rhonda you look so fine (look so fine)
And I know it wouldn't take much time
For you to help me rhonda
Help me get her out of my heart
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda (bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda(bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
She was gonna be my wife (bou, bou, bou)
And I was gonna be her man
But she let another guy come between us
And it ruined our plan
Well, rhonda you caught my eye (caught my eye)
And I can give you lotsa reasons why
You gotta help me rhonda
Help me get her out of my heart (bou, bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda (bou, bou, bou)
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda
Help, help me rhonda
Help me rhonda yeah
Get her out of my heart
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No... read the words you dumbass... :)
He's in love with some girl, sees Rhonda and thinks she can help him forget the first girl.
"You gotta help me Rhonda Help me get her out of my heart"
Now that wasn't so tough, was it?
@funfunfun I agree with your interpretation. \r\n\r\n And by the way fellas...this is the wrong argument to use with a girl you want to date: "Go out with me so I can forget my last girlfriend." Keep that last part to yourself.
Such a great song, definitely an all-time classic. So yeah, some girl decides that she'd rather try out some other guy and leaves this guy just standing there. He hasn't been able to cope with the shock until finally one day he sees Rhonda (who could technically be a beautiful car, but I think it's supposed to be a real girl, tho cars are far safer). He's now hoping that Rhonda and him will hit it off and he'll be even happier. Like I said, this song is awesome... but there are 2 versions so be careful. The not-so-good one has too much echo chamber and the sound purposely goes up and down during the chorus.
pretty simple: his old girl cheated on him, he has been depressed and what not, is hoping that this new girl (or car) will help him rebound and forget about that other skank
I was always told Rhonda was the name of his car.
When I was living in Southern California in the late 90s - early 2000s, I met a woman through some friends in Laguna Beach that claimed she was the Rhonda in Help me Rhonda. I never pressed the issue but I talked with the woman who was the right age at the time and was devastatingly beautiful So much so that I had no trouble believing she could have been the einspiration of any song writer. I wish I could remember more about the conversation but based upon the integrity of the people I know, and my discussion with Rhonda, I have reason to doubt the claim. There's my 2 cents for what its worth.
Sorry, make that NO reason to doubt the claim. Doesn't this app have a Spelling and Brain Checker?
"I was always told Rhonda was the name of his car"
That would explain why this song is on the Beach Boys Greatest Car Songs album.
There are at least a couple of versions of this song. Instead of "But she let another guy come between us/And it ruined our plan" it goes, "And it shattered our plans".
One version has the "fade in/fade out" towards the end, the other does not. One ends after the final "Get her out of my heart", the other has a guitar fade-out.
This guy gets dumped by a cheating woman, then hopes another woman he's attracted to can help him feel better. He sounds pitiful, and like he's not really ready for another relationship.
Definitively, from another era, when love was some kind of romantic thing and there was some kind innocence and purity in girls, so near, so far away…
Since she put me down there've been owls pukin' in my bed! Go Dave Barry!
that was stupid