Screaming Trees Songs Ranked

Screaming Trees were 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 Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period.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. The band released seven studio albums, five EPs, and three compilations. Screaming Trees is known as one of the pioneers of grunge along with the Melvins, Mudhoney, U-Men, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, 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. Here are all Screaming Trees songs ranked.

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16. No One Knows (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“It’s about being being forced to be alone because of an addiction. You eventually become so isolated that you can’t have anything and no one else truly knows what it’s like. Trying to have a relationship with someone else or with anything is always ruined, but there’s still a person alive inside suffering. Alone. That part that still wants all those good things, but knows they can never have them.”

15. Silver Tongue (Dust, 1996)

“Screaming Trees were a different sort of grunge band (sorry I’ve made several people wince from using that term but I feel it’s appropriate), at this stage they weren’t fierce and energetic, they were more laid back and thoughtful.”

14. Julie Paradise (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“Julie Paradise” has a psychedelic air fused with a grand, even cathartic sense of drama. The Trees were clearly pressing forward with their art.”

13. More or Less (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“They’re so friggin amazing.. If you’ve heard this song, you know what I’m saying too,
From the trippy intro to how everything slows down with the lyrics, the way Lanegan sings in his tired voice, .. these guys truly are amazing, I’ve always compared them to Nirvana meets the Grateful Dead..”

See more; Screaming Trees Albums Ranked

12. Winter Song (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“The highlight of this record is easy “Winter Song”, in which Mark Lanegan puts on a clinic with his deep, breathy crooning.”

11. Witness (Dust, 1996)

“I think there is a religious aspect but I think it’s about either questioning it, or it’s about losing faith because a lot of bad things are happening, that’s why he refers to death and pain, I think the lonely light refers to the cartoon light thing that represents god, saying that if someone would just give a sign it would make it easier to believe”

10. Lay Down Your Head (Uncle Anesthesia, 1991)

“My thoughts about this song are that the person in this song is thinking about his current problem, and it appears that he has grown frustrated. He is concerned about his significant other who he loves but does not want to hurt because of his past or current problem. He wants the significant other to stay, to remain by his side. I think that’s what it is about from my point of view. It is a lovely song, Screaming Trees rock!”

9. Dying Days (Dust, 1996)

“I do enjoy this band very much mostly because of the rather mellow but still grungy music. I was first introduced when I looked for more bands similar to Blind Melon. Although there may not be many similarities I don’t regret it for one second. This song seems to reference some drugged-up past. Now he feels empty inside and doesn’t have anything to believe in.”

8. Bed of Roses (Uncle Anesthesia, 1991)

“I take it as a someone who’s relationship just fell apart and they’re wondering if how the other person feels. do you feel on the bottom of the earth like i do? or do you lie in a bed of roses and not even care.”

7. Shadow of the Season (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“I think the “she” referred to in the final verse is heroin and how he is in the grip of addiction by this point “She calls me onward to her side, and feels her song deep inside.” The character is then troubled with the need to keep up his addiction. “To find a reason, to carry on.” This line is very similar to “Without a reason to carry on” but has a distinct meaning in that he has discovered the thing he needs to carry on but he needs to find it instead of being without it. Lastly, I think this song is really great I especially like Mark Lanegan’s vocals sung in an almost whispered scream that purveys a sense of intensity and desperation.”

6. Dollar Bill (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“It seems this song is about him being torn between his girlfriend or staying with his mom. he chooses moving away with his girl and he hurts his mom. “goodbye mama, we’ve taken this too far” “I don’t want to hurt ya” lead me to believe it’s about that. this song holds precious memories for me, not dealing with the lyrics, but just memories of what was going on in my life when I first heard this song.”

See more: Queens of the Stone Age Albums Ranked

5. Sworn and Broken (Dust, 1996)

“All that’s gone before you’ve changed” Definitely about a relationship…a relationship that could have flourished…but promises were broken, people changed and things didn’t work out. But there’s always hope for the future…hope for getting over the loss. “Something good has gone and left you, It’s another tear one can’t deny” That’s beautifully true.”

4. Look at You (Dust, 1996)

“This is for sure about someone who has either been rejected by a girl or keeps watching a girl he knows he has zero chance with and hoping that one day the courage will find him to do something about his feelings… We’ve all been there”

3. Halo of Ashes (Dust, 1996)

“I know the Screaming Trees were more psychedelic than grunge, but I have no idea their history of drug use… I always pictured this song as being about dropping acid with a girl or something xD either way I love this song, it’s the song that got my into them and still remains my favorite Screaming Trees song.”

2. All I Know (Dust, 1996)

“This song brilliantly recalls the ticking down of the clock. His dilemma is to run or stay, and if he stays he’ll get everything but he’ll be nailed down; and if he runs he’ll be free, but he’ll lose everything.”

1. Nearly Lost You (Sweet Oblivion, 1992)

“Straight from the band: “It’s basically about being on acid and how you can lose control of your mind. I stopped using drugs a long time ago, but there’s this place you get if you do the right kind or the wrong kind or too much, where you really feel like you know what an insane person feels like — where you see demons and hell and just fucking crazy shit. Basically, I was referring to that point where you’ve gone too far and then you make it back somehow.”