Screaming Trees

Released: October 10, 1995

Songwriter: John Lennon

[Verse 1]
As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
/Till the pain is so big, you feel nothing at all

[Refrain]
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

[Verse 2]
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
'Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules

[Refrain]
And a working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

[Verse 3]
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function, you're so full of fear

[Refrain]
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

[Verse 4]
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see

[Refrain]
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

[Verse 5]
There's room at the top they're telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

[Refrain]
And a working class hero is something to be
And a working class hero is something to be

[Outro]
If you want to be a hero, well, just follow me
If you want to be a hero, well, just follow me

Screaming Trees was a unique voice in the Pacific Northwest “grunge” scene. Their sound was more psychedelic, garage-rock, and ‘70s hard rock influenced which made them stand out amongst their peers.

After a couple independent releases on local Velvetone Records (2), they were signed to SST Records where they released 3 albums (from 1987 to 1989) before making the jump to Epic Records in 1990. Their Epic debut “Uncle Anesthesia” was released around the same time as major label debuts from Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains hit the stores… but Screaming Trees didn’t have their first hit until their second Epic album “Sweet Oblivion” came out and their first single from that album appeared on the soundtrack for the movie “Singles”.

The band broke up in 2000, and Mark Lanegan continued his solo projects from there.

more tracks from the album

Working Class Hero

From the album

Working Class Hero (1995)

Screaming Trees popular songs

Working Class Hero

Working Class HeroScreaming Trees

Screaming Trees

Working Class Hero