The Winding Sheet
Encyclopedia
The Winding Sheet is an album by American musician Mark Lanegan
that was released in 1990. It was Lanegan's first solo work, and is notable in its departure from the characteristic sound of Screaming Trees
, the band he fronted from 1985 until 2000. While the work done in that group was much more energetic and fit into the burgeoning grunge genre of the late 80s/early 90s, The Winding Sheet has a much more stripped down sound, defining Lanegan's solo work largely for the rest of the decade. The album was a modest success. The term "winding sheet" is a synonym of shroud
. "The Winding Sheet" is also the title of a traditional sea chanty that was the basis of the well known "Streets of Larado".
The album showcases Lanegan's adept skills as a lyricist and his deep, soulful voice. Highlights include "Mockingbirds," "Ugly Sunday" ("I'm drunk, half blind and it's an ugly Sunday morning") and the haunting "Wild Flowers." On "Down in the Dark" good friend Kurt Cobain
sings while on the Leadbelly
classic Cobain contributes guitar and vocals and Krist Novoselic
plays bass. Nirvana
would later cover "Where Did you Sleep Last Night" on their Unplugged album.
The album is produced by Mike Johnson, who also co-wrote many of the songs.
Mark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...
that was released in 1990. It was Lanegan's first solo work, and is notable in its departure from the characteristic sound of Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees
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 Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period...
, the band he fronted from 1985 until 2000. While the work done in that group was much more energetic and fit into the burgeoning grunge genre of the late 80s/early 90s, The Winding Sheet has a much more stripped down sound, defining Lanegan's solo work largely for the rest of the decade. The album was a modest success. The term "winding sheet" is a synonym of shroud
Shroud
Shroud usually refers to an item, such as a cloth, that covers or protects some other object. The term is most often used in reference to burial sheets, winding-cloths or winding-sheets, such as the famous Shroud of Turin or Tachrichim that Jews are dressed in for burial...
. "The Winding Sheet" is also the title of a traditional sea chanty that was the basis of the well known "Streets of Larado".
The album showcases Lanegan's adept skills as a lyricist and his deep, soulful voice. Highlights include "Mockingbirds," "Ugly Sunday" ("I'm drunk, half blind and it's an ugly Sunday morning") and the haunting "Wild Flowers." On "Down in the Dark" good friend Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
sings while on the Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
classic Cobain contributes guitar and vocals and Krist Novoselic
Krist Novoselic
Krist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
plays bass. Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
would later cover "Where Did you Sleep Last Night" on their Unplugged album.
The album is produced by Mike Johnson, who also co-wrote many of the songs.
Legacy
Foo Fighters' frontman and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl has called The Winding Sheet "one of the best albums of all time" and has said that it was a huge influence on Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged concert.Track listing
All songs written by Mark Lanegan and Mike Johnson except as noted.- "Mockingbirds" – 2:29
- "Museum" – 2:50
- "Undertow" – 2:52
- "Ugly Sunday" – 3:56
- "Down In The Dark" – 3:21
- "Wild Flowers" (Lanegan) – 2:59
- "Eyes Of A Child" – 4:00
- "The Winding Sheet" – 5:30
- "Woe" (Lanegan) – 2:04
- "Ten Feet Tall" – 2:49
- "Where Did You Sleep Last NightWhere Did You Sleep Last Night"In the Pines", also known as "Black Girl" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", is a traditional American folk song which dates back to at least the 1870s, and is believed to be Southern Appalachian in origin. The identity of the song's author is unknown, but it has been recorded by many artists...
" (Traditional) – 3:59 - "Juarez" (Lanegan/Fisk) – 1:21
- "I Love You Little Girl" (Lanegan) – 2:02
Performers
- Jack EndinoJack EndinoJack Endino is a producer and musician based in Seattle. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands such as Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and Nirvana...
- bass (1, 3 - 5, 10) / second electric guitar (5) - Steve FiskSteve FiskSteve Fisk is a Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician.Fisk joined the instrumental rock band Pell Mell in 1982. With vocalist Shawn Smith, he formed Pigeonhed, which released its first album in 1993....
- organ (8, 12) / piano (1, 4) - Mike JohnsonMike Johnson (bassist)Mike Johnson is an American songwriter and bass guitarist. He was born in Grants Pass, Oregon and played in Eugene, Oregon punk band Snakepit from 1984-1989. He replaced Lou Barlow in Dinosaur Jr in 1991 and played with the band live and on its recordings from 1991 to 1998. Concurrently he...
- acoustic guitar (1 - 4, 7 - 8, 10) / electric guitar (1, 3 - 5, 8, 10) - Kurt CobainKurt CobainKurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
- background vocal (5, 11) / electric guitar (11) - Mark LaneganMark LaneganMark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...
- acoustic guitar (6, 9, 13) / vocal (1 - 13) - Chris NovoselicKrist NovoselicKrist Anthony Novoselic II is a Croatian-American rock musician, best known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana ended, Novoselic formed Sweet 75 and then Eyes Adrift, releasing one album with each band...
- bass (11) - Mark PickerelMark PickerelMark Pickerel is best known as the original drummer for the Screaming Trees, a rock group from Ellensburg, WA, that formed in 1985. Other members of the band included the versatile singer Mark Lanegan and the Conner brothers...
- drums (1, 3 - 5, 11) - Justin Williams - violin (3, 7)