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 have nothing left to give
I have found the perfect end
You were made to make it hurt
Disappear into the dirt
Carry me to heaven's arms
Light the way and let me go
Take the time to take my breath
I will end where I began
And I will find the enemy within
'Cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Dear agony
Suddenly, the lights go out
Let forever drag me down
I will fight for one last breath
I will fight until the end
And I will find the enemy within
'Cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear agony
Leave me alone
God let me go
I'm blue and cold
Black sky will burn
Love pull me down
Hate lift me up
Just turn around
There's nothing left
Somewhere far beyond this world
I feel nothing anymore
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear agony
I feel nothing anymore
I have found the perfect end
You were made to make it hurt
Disappear into the dirt
Carry me to heaven's arms
Light the way and let me go
Take the time to take my breath
I will end where I began
And I will find the enemy within
'Cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Dear agony
Suddenly, the lights go out
Let forever drag me down
I will fight for one last breath
I will fight until the end
And I will find the enemy within
'Cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear agony
Leave me alone
God let me go
I'm blue and cold
Black sky will burn
Love pull me down
Hate lift me up
Just turn around
There's nothing left
Somewhere far beyond this world
I feel nothing anymore
Dear agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear agony
I feel nothing anymore
Lyrics submitted by pastachickennugget42, edited by 25Darkrose, jratchley
Dear Agony Lyrics as written by Benjamin Burnley
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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.
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.
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.
To me, if you listen to the whole album in order, the whole album is story about someone dying. There seems to be different people's points of view. Some people love the person dying, some people or at least one person does not. In this song its the person dying who is speaking. At first the person is tired of the pain and tired of all the struggle and is slowly dying. They just want it all to end. But then, as seen by the second verse, at the same time they do not want to die. The have something in this world still worth fighting for. The person questions why they are in the state they are in and at the end basically screams for the agony to let him go and by the last line of the song I seems it does. The nect song Into The Nothing also lets us assume that the person is either dead or is at the momemnt of death.
bb0911 i agree fully. The album is dedicated to Bens Grandfather who passed away earlier the year of the beginning of this album. Kudos!<br />
how does the agony seem to let him go???? he says, God, let me go<br /> I'm blue and cold<br /> Black sky will burn<br /> Love, pull me down<br /> Hate, lift me up<br /> Just turn around<br /> There's nothing left<br /> <br /> theres nothing to speculate....the "agony" took his life, God let me go , im blue and cold, are not terms associated with life in any way shape or form....and its not about cancer or his grandpa...."anthem of angels" is one that is....but this song talks says things like "love pull me down" , "hate lift me up", "i have found the perfect end" .....none of those can be about terminal illness.......i think its about his alcoholism, and a time when it was at its worst in his life....the "agony" is his addiction
@bb0911 I honestly have been listening to this album for years and I've been struggling to find all this out. It's like a big mind blown moment for me right now. Thank you!
This is a song I really relate to. It's obviously about a person suffering severe emotional or physical pain and just wants to end it all. The person is asking the pain and anguish they are feeling to 'let go of them;' basically stating that they are ready to die and to stop hurting. They would rather die than live in a world where they are slowly suffering. They 'have found the perfect end' and wish to be carried to into 'heavens arms.' Once they enter heaven; they feel nothing anymore; the agony has gone.
This song means so, so much to me. <3 So deep and raw.
By the way, I love your "name" for this site. ifeeelnothinganymore. nice.<br />
I asked one of my friends about this song, and she said it sounded like someone wanting to commit suicide. I listened to this after that, I was convinced that she was right. I'm 15 years old, and I'm going through depression. It seems so bad right now that I just want it all to end. Everyday I struggle with the urge to commit suicide, and I actually have attempted suicide. This is definitely different than typical suicides, but I'll share it anyway. I took a pair of my drumsticks (I'm a drummer), and than I held them up against my neck trying to cut of my air supply. I didn't succeed of course, but I still feel the desire to die because I just wanna die. My friends have told that they won't let that happen, and I'm counting on that. Great song!! Describes my life perfectly!!
you really love attention dont ya?
hey caps fan ya wanna know why you were not successful with those diumsticks? It's cause you are needed somewhere. Most likely you will be needed by someone rthat has more pain than you have right now. Even though we all know that the pain we have, our personal pain isd so horrible, so painful that no one could ever imagine how bad it is unless we are inside your head with you. You are not alone our suffering is bad real bad and no one knows like those that are suffering ffrom that pain. Don't do anything until you find that purpose that you are destined to fill. You are here for another reason that's bigger than all of us. Here is one more thing to look at. from a different perspective. My older brother meant everything in the world to me. we were insepartable and one morning I went to his house and found him there on the floor. blood everywhere. That was 24 years ago and I still feel his pain and mine for leaving me. i hated him for leaving me. Our mother and father almost never recovered. friends that he touched were sick with grief. He left behind a trail of misery and grief that hasn't ended for some still. So whenever you get that thought and you think no one gives a shit think about what I am saying. I've had the gun in my hand a 100 times and I would look at it and then think how lonley and sad and hurt I felt when he left me don't do that to them and yourself.. I would like to chat with you and give you something that might help you to start the healing process cuz there is something waiting for you here in this life. i will tell you more if you want to talk to me. I was happy to hear you have friends that are willing to get your back and watch you in times of need. Use those friends anytime you need to talk. I will give you my email addy if you want to talk. I can help...peace!
@Capsfan26 For starters, FUCK Mitch42858, or whatever he calls himself! What kind of CRETIN says something like he did?!?!?
Moving on: YOU ARE LOVED...and I’m telling you, there are a LOT of people out there who HAVE BEEN where you are, at least in some form. And, like ME...whenever we hear of a suicide, it hits us like the absolute heartbreaking tragedy that it is. Dude...you literally have an ARMY OF SUPPORTERS in this world...you just don’t know it...that ARMY is people like me, and MANY MANY others who, if given the opportunity, would travel across the continent, to BE WITH YOU, HELPING you make it through the pain. And letting you know you are loved!
@Capsfan26 3 short yrs ago I almost every part of life in a seemingly perfect order. And then in the snap of your fingers that all changed for ever. The woman I love has pushed me away, my baby brother couldn\'t handle the things he did over seas, and ended his suffering. Devastating all of us left in his wake, including his wife and young children. I was in a debilitating accident and have been left destitute. I left all of the people I used to believe were my close friends behind, and have struggled to rebuild what I used to possess. Piece of mind, comfort and build true friendship. The pain and loneliness come back in horrific waves. At times it seems unbearable,but much like I discovered after the wreck, there are other people that make my suffering seem miniscule. Much like those people being put in my path stopped me when I was bed ridden, alone, bitter, and angry at the world, I now have a puppy that requires my love to survive and some days thats the only thing that keeps me strong enough to wake up and push forward! The previous commenter is correct, you have a much bigger purpose and you need to discover and share it with the world! You are important and far to young to steal your gifts from the rest of us!!\r\n I too play the drums, and its at times a curse to be so musically influenced. I have to change genre\'s so the lyrics can help me to fight!!! (That and Bella\'s unconditional love!!!)
Now, as many have said, this song is very sad and depressing. But I do not believe that it is about dying, as the majority believe. That is too literal. I believe the message is more encrypted than that.
The first stanza is peppered with phrases such as "I have nothing left to give", "You were made to make it hurt", and "I will end were I began" all seem to sound like a bad breakup. He has nothing left to give in a relationship, most likely one that just ended or is ending. She hurt the speaker not physically but emotionally, hence possibly making him believe that's what she was meant to do, it was his destiny to be in this situation. "I will end were I began" means he ends up single, just like before the relationship, which may be his fear or source of sorrow. He doesn't want to be single. "Disappear into the dirt" could mean he is going to be buried, but I believe since it directly follows the line "You were made... hurt", that it references that she is now like all the others that hurt him, she is becoming worthless and "normal", she isn't who he thought she was.
"And I will find the enemy within, cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin" Enemy=depression. He doesn't wish to become depressed, perhaps he has been depressed after a similar breakup and doesn't wish to feel that way again. He can feel the sadness within him wanting to express itself but wants to find the source of that sadness and terminate it before he is overwhelmed by depression.
The chorus could revolve around two things either Agony=the girl he is breaking up with OR Agony=depression Either way the chorus is asking the "agony" to leave", just go and let him be.
In the forth stanza, it describes him dying but he doesn't want to give in, perhaps the depression is so strong he would rather die but keeps fighting to keep the depression within him
The chorus is extended, "I'm so sorry" could be him apologizing to himself or the girl for screwing up (the breakup could be caused by him cheating), and then "Is this the way it's gotta be" could be his attempt at bringing the relationship back together, but he fails.
This next stanza shows a great mood shift. Originally, he still liked the girl and just wanted the depression to go away and was more angry at himself than her. "I'm blue and cold" verifies he is sad or depressed. Now the lines "love pull me down, hate lift me up" shows that the remaining love he has for his ex is what is pulling him into depression and now realizes that hatred towards her is making him feel better, so he starts to hate her instead of love her. "There's nothing left" references him feeling no love for her anymore.
The next two lines are different than the other transitions in the song, this verifies a change in the mood/tone. This references that now he is depressed because he hates who he loves?
The final chorus is just him back in depression because he has no more love for her and wants to feel love again, when is is not in love he is in agony.
@Waldo1021 Check out my comment above, hes talking to his mystery illness, hes afraid of it killing him.
Are there no other alcoholics here? Seriously. "You were made to make it hurt", "And I will find the enemy within, cause I can feel it crawl beneath my skin" If you have ever felt the pull of addiction, then you get it. Isn't this their first album since Ben quit drinking?! Agony=Alcohol!!! There's your meaning! I could sit here all night, pouring glass after glass of Jameson, just taking this song in. Beautiful. I really wish I could quit. "Faceless enemy" Cmo'n!! "Leave me alone, God let me go". And my personal favorite, "I feel nothing anymore" (When I first listened to it, I thought he said, I feel nothing in your arms. In my opinion, that would have been more fitting, but it's not my song so what do I know. Really, I see some fucking stupid, over-analyzation, of Breaking Benjamin songs here. Like "I will not bow" someone was talking about it being about an indian food restaurant!?! Well, I've been listening to it over and over the whole time I've been writing this so I'd better quit before I'm too drunk to make it to work in the morning. If there's any point. Soon Obama will just take it all in the name of Social Justice. Prick. Sure, don't mind if I do pay for your healthcare, welfare, education. "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country"
you have a very good point also. I really enjoy you thinking =)
Not much of a drinker myself, but Ben has pretty much said it is about how drinking has made him permanently sick. Imo it would work just aswell for many forms of suffering though, I personally view it more like the comment above you. It is the only album "he" wrote completely sober, yes. One of my favorite songs, actually.
you got it bro. I didn't knoiw he was an alcoholic. I was getting ready to say he has a meth addiction. Alcohol, sex, meth it's all addiction as you said and once it has a hold of you theres nothing you can do but either quit or keep feeding it but whatever you do don't give up. Never let the addiction win I'ver been trying to quit for over 15 years and every word he saiud in that song I could have writing them. NEVER GIVE UP!!!
@ld7coast I am one
I consider this song to be an account of suffering through cancer (or a similarly terminal disease) from the perspective of the afflicted.
Eventually, the speaker comes to terms with his coming end, even if the chorus has him pleading for his life to revert back to before his diagnosis. Even if the bridges of the song describe him finding the enemy beneath his skin, in the end, he knows it's futile.
Although poignant, this song is beautiful.
That really comes to mind when it says "Don't bury me faceless enemy" as to imply what he/she is battling with isn't a person but a thing such as cancer.
benjamin actually suffers from Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, which is a lot of why dear agony (album) was written
I love this song. This is definitely one of their best songs in my opinion; and probably my favorite off the new album.
god this song is so beautiful and deep.
well heres my stab at it.
hes sick of all of the agony, hoplessness, and sadness that hes going through. so hes talking to. well. the feeling of agony itself [pointingouttheobvious] agony being the "faceless enemy" asking it why it has to be so cruel. "i will fight for one last breath, i will fight until the end" he'll fight the agony even when hes dying, to the very end.
well i guess thats my take on it?
great song. i love it so much. very relateable.
I agree with TylerAHM. Many people can relate to this song. Most likely people in pain, sickness etc. Example: Someone with cancer; Dear agony Just let go of me Suffer slowly Is this the way it's got to be Don't bury me Faceless enemy I'm so sorry Is this the way it's got to be? In my case, I've been dealing with depression since i was 13. I've felt like this various times. Therefore i can most def relate.