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)
Shanty Man
Mark Lanegan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a wearisome one
Though some say it's free from care
It's the swinging of an axe
From morning 'till night
In the forest wild and drear
Transported as we are
To the banks of some lonely stream
Where the wolf, bear, and owl
Give a terrifying howl
And disturb our nightly dreams
Oh sleeping at night
In our bunks without cheer
While the cold winter winds do blow
But as soon as the morning
Star does appear
To the wild woods we must go
Had we ale, wine, or beer
Our spirits far to cheer
When we're in those woods so wild
Where a glass of whiskey shone
When we're in the woods alone
For to pass away our long exile
A shanty man's life
Is a wearisome one
Tho some say it's free from care
It's the swinging of an axe
From morning 'till night
In the forest wild and drear
Mark Lanegan's "Shanty Man's Life" is a melancholic and reflective song that explores the tiring and often lonely life of a shanty man, who spends his days working in the forest. While some people may think that such a life is free from care, the lyrics assert that it is far from it. The shanty man spends his days swinging an axe from morning until night, and he is transported far away from the company of his lady fair to the banks of a lonely stream. The howls of wolves, bears, and owls disturb his nighttime dreams, leaving him without cheer as he tries to sleep in his bunk. But as soon as the morning star appears, the shanty man must head back into the wild woods to do his work once again.
The heart of the song lies in the chorus, which repeats twice throughout the tune, emphasizing the relentlessness of the shanty man's plight. While there may be no easy solution to his wearisome life, the singer focuses on the small comforts, such as having a glass of whiskey to pass the time. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the song is the way in which Lanegan captures the shanty man's sense of displacement and isolation. The lyrics make it clear that this is not a chosen way of life, but rather a necessity. Therefore, it is hard to tell if the shanty man finds any solace in his work or if it only serves to make him more despondent.
Line by Line Meaning
A shanty man's life
The life of a shanty man, someone who chops down trees for a living, is being described.
Is a wearisome one
It is a tiring and exhausting way of life.
Though some say it's free from care
Despite some people thinking that it's a carefree life, it is actually quite difficult.
It's the swinging of an axe
Their main job is to swing an axe all day.
From morning 'til night
They do this job for the entire day without any rest.
In the forest wild and drear
This tiring job takes place in a wild and lonely forest.
Transported as we are
As workers, they are taken away or separated from their loved ones.
From a lady so fair
They are separated from their beautiful lady, indicating the emotional toll this life takes on them.
To the banks of some lonely stream
They are taken to a remote location close to a stream.
Where the wolf, bear, and owl
The forest is home to different wild animals and birds like wolves, bears, and owls.
Give a terrifying howl
These wild animals and birds create a scary and eerie environment by making loud and eerie noises like howling.
And disturb our nightly dreams
The sounds made by these animals and birds make it difficult for the workers to sleep and get a good night's rest.
Oh sleeping at night
The difficulty of sleeping is being highlighted.
In our bunks without cheer
The workers are sleeping in their bunks without happiness or joy and may be feeling demotivated.
While the cold winter winds do blow
The harsh winter weather makes it even harder for the workers to rest and be comfortable while sleeping.
But as soon as the morning
However, as soon as morning arrives,
Star does appear
It signals the beginning of a new day and time to start work again.
To the wild woods we must go
The daily routine of going to the forest for work is a must for the workers.
Had we ale, wine, or beer
If only they had access to alcoholic drinks like ale, wine, or beer,
Our spirits far to cheer
It would uplift their mood and make them happier.
When we're in those woods so wild
Their wish for alcohol is attributed to the harsh and lonely life they have in the wild forest.
Where a glass of whiskey shone
A single glass of whiskey would be like a ray of sunshine, bringing warmth and happiness into their tough lives.
When we're in the woods alone
They spend most of their time in solitude, making their wish for social lubricant even stronger.
For to pass away our long exile
It would help them to forget their hard, lonely existence and make time pass more quickly and enjoyably.
Lyrics © HAL LEONARD LLC
Written by: STEPHEN PAULUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zxbc
A shanty man's life
Is a wearisome one
Though some say it's free from care
It's the swinging of an axe
From morning 'till night
In the forest wild and drear
Transported as we are
From a lady so fair
To the banks of some lonely stream
Where the wolf, bear, and owl
Give a terrifying howl
And disturb our nightly dreams
Oh sleeping at night
In our bunks without cheer
While the cold winter winds do blow
But as soon as the morning
Star does appear
To the wild woods we must go
Had we ale, wine, or beer
Our spirits far to cheer
When we're in those woods so wild
Where a glass of whiskey shone
When we're in the woods alone
For to pass away our long exile
zxbc
A shanty man's life
Is a wearisome one
Though some say it's free from care
It's the swinging of an axe
From morning 'till night
In the forest wild and drear
Transported as we are
From a lady so fair
To the banks of some lonely stream
Where the wolf, bear, and owl
Give a terrifying howl
And disturb our nightly dreams
Oh sleeping at night
In our bunks without cheer
While the cold winter winds do blow
But as soon as the morning
Star does appear
To the wild woods we must go
Had we ale, wine, or beer
Our spirits far to cheer
When we're in those woods so wild
Where a glass of whiskey shone
When we're in the woods alone
For to pass away our long exile
Joe Clark
Dave Van Ronk adds another verse: "Shantying I'll give o'er, when I'm landed safe on shore, and I'll lead a different life. No more will I roam, but contented stay at home, with the happy little smiling wife." This is inserted as the 5th verse, and then the 6th verse is a repeat of the first verse.
Ian Fairfield
Thank you
Saul J
This song is like a haunting and old lullaby. Like something that came out of a dream, an old dream of hard and weary life.
cliff jumper
Mark Lanegan is the most underrated singer of our generation. And he's still at it 30 years later.
garrison0532082
cliff jumper.....Transformers fan?
MALARAZZA
His voice is so strong!!!
TheRafikiss
I love this singer, i love this song, i love this voice !
747Springbok
Thank you iZombie for introducing me to this masterpiece!
Jenn Goldstein-Goulet
love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!