1) Screaming Trees was… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists with this name, including:
1) Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985.
2) Screaming Trees was a gothic/ebm band from the UK active in the 1980s.
1) Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period. Although widely associated with grunge, the band's sound incorporated hard rock and psychedelic elements. During Screaming Trees' existence the band released seven studio albums, five EPs, and three compilations.
Screaming Trees is known as one of the pioneers of proto-grunge along with the Melvins, Mudhoney, U-Men, Skin Yard, Green River, and Malfunkshun. Screaming Trees rose to fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with bands such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden and was one of the most successful underground music acts of the 1990s. The band achieved one top ten single on the Modern Rock Tracks charts. Screaming Trees were plagued by extended inactivity due to their problems with making a follow up to Dust. This led to their official breakup in 2000.
Discography:
Albums
1986: Clairvoyance
1987: Even If and Especially When
1988: Invisible Lantern
1989: Buzz Factory
1991: Uncle Anesthesia
1992: Sweet Oblivion
1996: Dust
2011: Last Words: The Final Recordings
EPs
Beat Happening - Screaming Trees (collaboration with Beat Happening)
Other Worlds
Change Has Come
Something About Today
Winter Songs Tour Tracks
Compilations
Anthology: SST Years 1985-1989
Nearly Lost You
Ocean of Confusion - Songs of Screaming Trees 1990-1996
2) Screaming Trees was a gothic/ebm band from the UK, who released one full length LP in 1987, and several 12''s on Native Records. Mark Swancott and Sean Maloney comprised the band.
Discography:
Albums
1987 Fracture In Time
12''s
1986 Release
1986 Beaten By the Ugly Stick
1987 Iron Guru
1987 Asylum
1988 Tangiers
Lay Your Head Down
Screaming Trees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I've lost my way
Nowhere is the place I've been
Promise not to stay
How it was and always is
Sometimes it never will begin
And it won't take very long (too long)
If it all goes wrong
You can lay your head down
Nothing is inside the hollow shell I left behind
Nothing left of innocence
It's drifting with the tide
How it was and always is
May be it never will begin
And it won't take very long (too long)
If you come around
If it all goes wrong
You can lay your head down
In "Lay Your Head Down," Screaming Trees explores the themes of loneliness, loss, and the search for a place to belong. The first stanza describes a feeling of being lost, both physically and emotionally. The singer cannot find the "soul" they once felt and is unable to find a place to call home ("Nowhere is the place I've been / Promise not to stay"). The repetition of "how it was and always is / sometimes it never will begin" suggests a sense of hopelessness and a feeling that the singer's situation will not improve.
In the second stanza, the singer reflects on the emptiness they feel ("Nothing is inside the hollow shell I left behind / Nothing left of innocence"). The use of the sea metaphor ("It's drifting with the tide") highlights the transience of life and the fleeting nature of happiness. The repetition of "how it was and always is / may be it never will begin" reinforces the message that the singer feels stuck and unable to move forward.
However, the chorus offers a glimmer of hope. It suggests that even in the darkest moments, there is always someone who will offer comfort ("If you come around / If it all goes wrong / You can lay your head down"). The repetition of "it won't take very long (too long)" further emphasizes the idea that the singer's suffering is temporary and that things will eventually get better.
Line by Line Meaning
Nowhere is the soul I felt
I feel lost and empty since I cannot find the passion and soul that once drove me.
Now I've lost my way
I am directionless and lost in life, unsure of where to go or turn.
Nowhere is the place I've been
I cannot locate the place where I once belonged or felt at peace with myself.
Promise not to stay
I vow to keep moving and searching for a better place, refusing to stay stuck in the past.
How it was and always is
Life has a way of staying the same, with patterns and cycles that repeat themselves over time.
Sometimes it never will begin
Certain things refuse to take off or start, no matter how much one tries or wants them to.
And it won't take very long (too long)
Situations can worsen and go sour quickly, without much warning or preparation.
If you come around
If someone offers me support and guidance, I am open to their help and presence.
If it all goes wrong
When everything falls apart or goes awry, there are few options left but to persevere and endure the hardship.
You can lay your head down
Despite the struggles and difficulties, there is always a place to rest and recharge, to put one's burdens aside and find some peace.
Nothing is inside the hollow shell I left behind
I am an empty and hollow version of my former self, having lost my inner light and vitality.
Nothing left of innocence
I have been exposed to the harsh realities of the world and have lost the purity and naivety of my youth.
It's drifting with the tide
The innocence and purity that I once held dear is now gone forever, washed away by the passing of time and experiences.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CONNER, LANEGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind