Perry Farrell has a way of making the apocalyptic sound like a beach party. It’s that weird, wiry energy. When you first hear the bass line of Jane’s Addiction Coming Down the Mountain, it doesn’t just start; it looms. Eric Avery’s bass is basically the heartbeat of the entire Ritual de lo Habitual album, and on this specific track, it feels like a heavy, tectonic shift. This wasn't just another rock song in 1990. It was a statement of intent from a band that was already starting to fray at the edges, even as they were conquering the world.
Most people remember "Been Caught Stealing" because of the dog barking and the MTV rotation. That’s fine. It’s a fun song. But if you want to understand the DNA of Jane’s Addiction—the grit, the mysticism, and the sheer volume—you have to look at "Coming Down the Mountain." It’s the opening track of their second (and arguably best) studio album. It sets the stage for a record that is split down the middle between funk-punk chaos and sprawling, progressive epics.
Honestly, the way the song builds is a masterclass in tension. It starts with that tribal, insistent drumming from Stephen Perkins. Then Dave Navarro comes in with those screeching, feedback-heavy chords that sound like they’re being dragged across a jagged rock. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s perfect.
The Raw Energy of Jane’s Addiction Coming Down the Mountain
If you were around in the early 90s, the alternative scene was a bit of a mixed bag. You had the remnants of hair metal dying a slow death and the rise of Seattle grunge. Jane’s Addiction didn't really fit into either camp. They were from Los Angeles, but they weren't "Sunset Strip." They were art-school junkies with a penchant for Led Zeppelin and Lou Reed.
"Coming Down the Mountain" captures that specific L.A. darkness. The lyrics are classic Perry—vague, spiritual, and a little bit threatening. He’s talking about an itch he can’t scratch. He’s talking about the climb and the inevitable fall. "I split my tongue," he screams. It’s visceral.
There's this common misconception that the song is just about drugs. Sure, considering where the band was at in 1990, it's a fair guess. Heroin was the ghost in the room during the entire recording process at Track Record Studios. But the song is actually much more about the feeling of unstoppable momentum. It’s about that moment when you’ve reached the peak of whatever mountain you’re climbing—fame, ego, or a literal high—and you realize the only way left to go is down. And you're going to go down fast.
Why the Bass Line Rules Everything
Eric Avery is the unsung hero here. Period.
While Dave Navarro was getting all the guitar god accolades, Avery was holding down the fort with a four-string. The riff in Jane’s Addiction Coming Down the Mountain is repetitive, but not in a boring way. It’s hypnotic. It stays on one note for a long time, building a physical pressure in your chest. It’s a drone, basically.
Avery has mentioned in interviews over the years that he was heavily influenced by Joy Division and Peter Hook. You can hear that post-punk gloom mixed with a very California sense of space. It’s what gives the song its "mountainous" feel. It’s huge. If the bass doesn't work, the song falls apart. Thankfully, it’s one of the most iconic lines in 90s rock history.
Breaking Down the Ritual de lo Habitual Era
To understand why this song hits so hard, you have to look at the chaos surrounding the band. By the time they were recording Ritual de lo Habitual, they were barely speaking to each other. Dave and Eric were often on a different planet than Perry and Stephen. They were broke, then they were famous, and then they were falling apart.
Producer Dave Jerden, who also worked on Nothing's Shocking, had the unenviable task of corralling these four distinct, volatile personalities. He’s talked before about how the sessions were fueled by a mix of creative genius and absolute dysfunction. "Coming Down the Mountain" was the first song on the album because it was the only song that could follow the silence. It demanded attention. It was the "Check this out" moment that transitioned them from underground darlings to Lollapalooza legends.
- The song clocks in at just under four minutes, which is short for them.
- It was never a formal "single" in the way "Stop!" was, yet it's a staple of every live show.
- The "mountain" metaphor is a recurring theme in Perry's lyrics throughout his career.
People often forget that Jane's Addiction was only together for a few years in their original run. They burned out fast. But "Coming Down the Mountain" feels like it was written to last forever. It has a timeless quality because it doesn't rely on the "loud-quiet-loud" formula that Nirvana would eventually turn into a trope. Instead, it’s just loud-louder-loudest.
The Dave Navarro Factor
Let's talk about the solo. Dave Navarro in 1990 was a beast. He hadn't yet become the TV personality or the "Red Hot Chili Peppers guy." He was just a kid with a gold PRS and a lot of wah-wah pedals.
In Jane’s Addiction Coming Down the Mountain, his guitar work is jagged. It isn't bluesy in the traditional sense, and it isn't shreddy like the 80s guys. It’s textural. He uses the guitar to create wind, sirens, and screams. When the bridge hits and the song shifts gears, Navarro’s playing becomes frantic. It mimics the feeling of losing control as you head down that slope.
The Legacy of a Riff
Does the song still hold up? Honestly, yes. Better than a lot of their peers.
If you put on a pair of good headphones and crank it, the production still sounds massive. It hasn't aged into that thin, tinny sound that a lot of early 90s digital recordings have. It’s warm and thick. It’s also a reminder of what rock music used to be before everything became so polished and pitch-corrected. There are mistakes in there. There’s grit. You can hear the room.
When the band reunited (multiple times, with various bassists), this was always the song that got the biggest roar. There’s something primal about it. It taps into a very basic human feeling of being "on" and being "ready."
What You Might Have Missed
Many fans don't realize that the opening line, "Dogs need a hole to hide in," sets the tone for the entire lyrical journey of the album. It’s about survival. It’s about the animalistic side of human nature. Perry has always been obsessed with the idea of humans as "mountain" dwellers or "island" people. He sees us as part of the landscape.
When he sings about coming down the mountain, he’s not just talking about a descent. He’s talking about returning to the "real" world after a spiritual experience. It’s the shaman coming back to the village. Or, more likely, the rock star coming down from the stage to find his life is still a mess.
How to Truly Appreciate the Track Today
To get the full effect of Jane’s Addiction Coming Down the Mountain, you can't listen to it at a low volume. It’s a physical experience. You need to feel Avery's bass rattling your windows.
If you're a guitar player, try to learn that riff. It seems simple—it’s mostly just an E chord—but the timing is everything. It’s about the swing. Stephen Perkins plays behind the beat just enough to make it feel heavy, like the drums are trying to hold back a flood.
- Listen for the vocal layering: Perry’s voice is doubled and tripled in some sections, creating a "crowd" effect.
- Watch the live versions: Look up the 1991 Lollapalooza footage. The energy is terrifying.
- Compare it to "Three Days": While "Three Days" is their prog masterpiece, "Coming Down the Mountain" is their punk-rock soul.
Jane’s Addiction was a lightning strike. You can’t recreate it. You can’t bottle it. But you can put on the record and hear that first bass note and feel exactly what they felt in that sweaty L.A. rehearsal space. They were the kings of the mountain, even if they knew they were about to fall off the side of it.
Actionable Insights for the Fan and the Musician
If you want to dive deeper into the Jane's Addiction lore, start with the Ritual de lo Habitual liner notes. They’re a journey in themselves. For musicians, study the interplay between the bass and drums. Most modern rock bands have the bass follow the guitar, but Jane’s Addiction had the guitar follow the bass. That’s the secret sauce.
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Next time you’re stuck in a creative rut, put this track on. It’s a reminder that you don't need fifty chords to write a masterpiece. You just need one good idea, a lot of volume, and the guts to let it scream.
Go back and listen to the original 1990 vinyl pressing if you can find it. The dynamics are much broader than the compressed digital remasters. You'll hear the "mountain" exactly as it was meant to be heard: tall, dangerous, and absolutely inevitable.
Next Steps for Your Music Journey:
Explore the early demo versions of Ritual de lo Habitual to see how the song evolved from a loose jam into a structured anthem. Compare the studio version of "Coming Down the Mountain" with the version found on their self-titled live album to understand how the band used improvisation to extend the song's tension. Finally, look into the influence of Jane’s Addiction on the mid-90s post-hardcore scene to see how this specific track’s DNA showed up in bands like Deftones or Porno for Pyros.