Lanegan began his musical career in 1984 with Screaming Trees, with whom he released seven studio albums and five EPs before their disbandment in 2000. During his time with the band, he also started a solo career and released his first solo studio album, The Winding Sheet, in 1990. He subsequently released a further 10 solo albums, which received critical recognition but only moderate commercial success. Following the end of Screaming Trees, he became a frequent collaborator of Queens of the Stone Age, and was a full-time member between 2001 and 2005 during the Songs for the Deaf and Lullabies to Paralyze eras.
Lanegan collaborated with various artists throughout his career. In the 1990s, he and Kurt Cobain recorded an album of Lead Belly covers that was ultimately never released. He also joined Layne Staley and Mike McCready in the band Mad Season, and formed the alternative rock group The Gutter Twins with Greg Dulli in 2003, as well as contributing to releases by Moby, Bomb the Bass, Soulsavers, Tinariwen, The Twilight Singers, Manic Street Preachers, and Unkle, among others.
Lanegan struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol throughout his life, but had been sober for over a decade at the time of his death. Encouraged by his friend Anthony Bourdain, he released the memoir Sing Backwards and Weep in 2020. He followed this up in 2021 with the memoir Devil in a Coma, which focused on his near-death experience with COVID-19. He and his wife Shelley Brien left the U.S. in 2020 and settled in the Irish town of Killarney, where he died two years later at the age of 57. No cause of death was revealed.
Studio albums
The Winding Sheet (1990)
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost (1994)
Scraps at Midnight (1998)
I'll Take Care of You (1999)
Field Songs (2001)
Bubblegum (2004)
Blues Funeral (2012)
Imitations (2013)
Phantom Radio (2014)
Gargoyle (2017)
Somebody's Knocking (2019)
Straight Songs of Sorrow (2020)
Kingdoms of Rain
Mark Lanegan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or diamonds shining there
Without a hope, without a prayer
This rain beats down like death
You turn your eyes to better men
Before I go I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
Girl lay your shame to rest
Hope lies close to your breast
You stoop to feed the crows
Some scraps of truth already cold
Before I go, I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
'Cause I loved you somewhat
'Cause I loved you somewhat
Would you put halos in your hair
Without a hope without a prayer
With lies close to your breast
You finally lay your shame to rest
Before I go, I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
'Cause I loved you so long
'Cause I loved you so long
'Cause I loved you so long
The lyrics of "Kingdoms Of Rain" by Mark Lanegan describe a relationship that is coming to an end. The singer is looking at the woman in question, wondering if she is wearing halos in her hair or if they are diamonds. The rain, which beats down like death, contrasts sharply with the beauty of the possible halos and diamonds. The singer is aware that the woman is turning her eyes to "better men" and is presumably leaving him. Despite this, he hangs on to the relationship, saying that he will "hang in a cross on nails" and that he hung on for her. The woman is urged to lay her shame to rest and hope lies close to her breast, but she is still feeding the crows with scraps of truth that are already cold.
The imagery in the lyrics is powerful and poetic. The rain symbolizes the sadness and loss that the singer is feeling. The woman is wearing halos, which are typically associated with saints, but the singer wonders if they are diamonds, which are a symbol of wealth and materialism. The cross on nails is a symbol of sacrifice and suffering, which shows that the singer is willing to do anything for the woman he loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Are those halos in your hair
Do you have a pure and holy aura or is it the reflection of the precious gems?
Or diamonds shining there
Is your beauty natural or is it the result of material possessions?
Without a hope, without a prayer
Feeling lost and hopeless, without faith or guidance.
This rain beats down like death
The unending torrent of rain feeling like a punishment, causing misery and emptiness.
You turn your eyes to better men
Looking for something more, seeking a happier and more fulfilling life with someone else.
Before I go I'll hang in a cross on nails
I will suffer greatly for you and sacrifice myself, even if it means dying painfully.
I hung on for you in there
I endured hardship and pain for you, waiting for you to come back to me.
Girl lay your shame to rest
Stop feeling guilty and ashamed, let go of your negative emotions.
Hope lies close to your breast
There is a chance for a better future and it is within your grasp.
You stoop to feed the crows
You lower yourself to take care of those who bring you down, ignoring your own needs.
Some scraps of truth already cold
The little bit of truth you have is not enough to keep you warm or make you happy.
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
All your hopes and dreams are falling apart, leaving you empty and alone.
'Cause I loved you somewhat
My love for you was real, but it was not enough to make things right.
'Cause I loved you somewhat
My love for you was real, but it was not enough to make things right.
'Cause I loved you so long
My love for you has been enduring and unwavering for a long time.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARK LANEGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristiansanchezlopez5029
Are those halos in your hair
Or diamonds shining there
Without a hope, without a prayer
This rain beats down like death
You turn your eyes to better men
Before I go I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
Girl lay your shame to rest
Hope lies close to your breast
You stoop to feed the crows
Some scraps of truth already cold
Before I go, I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
'Cause I loved you somewhat
'Cause I loved you somewhat
Would you put halos in your hair
Without a hope without a prayer
With lies close to your breast
You finally lay your shame to rest
Before I go, I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
'Cause I loved you so long
'Cause I loved you so long
'Cause I loved you so long
@gilmayer1
RIP Mark 🎸🎼💔😢 🙏. Thank you for the music and the memories 🙏
@lianerobertson3652
RIP Mark Lanegan. Gutted. Your voice was pure magic.
@Cactaceae33
A song that transcends eras, styles, tastes, genres and life. It will be with me for eternity.
@gilmayer1
Lanegan. Cohen. Waits. We were lucky to live in their time.
@vinyldiary6664
yeah, all the class together ;) Nick Cave also...
@danielmcbride2375
Gil Refael I want Tom and Mark to do an album....that would be Amazeballs
@gilmayer1
@@danielmcbride2375 it would be truly incredible if this kind of a collaboration will ever happen. You are right my friend 🙏
@danielmcbride2375
@@gilmayer1 did you hear Tom waits and Peter Murphy's "Christmas sucks" song?
@gilmayer1
@@danielmcbride2375 I did. It sounded like the perfect soundtrack to the movie Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton 😎
@kavikwiseman6674
What a major loss. So thankful we will have his music forever! I hope you and Layne, Kurt and Chris and Andy Wood are Rocking out in the universe somewhere. ❤