The song is the opening track and lead single from his seventh studio album, Blues Funeral (2012), and was released on December 5, 2011.

Written solely by Lanegan and produced by Alain Johannes, the song diverged significantly from Lanegan's former musical and writing style as heard on his previous album, Bubblegum (2004).

The single's b-side, "Burning Jacob's Ladder" was recorded alongside the song during the recording sessions and was previously featured on the trailer for, and soundtrack of, the video game Rage in early 2011.

Daniel Kreps of Spin noted that "he trades in his one-man-growling-in-the-studio motif for a full-flavored sound" and also recognized the song's musical differences to Lanegan's previous work, commenting that "Lanegan might have changed his musical style, but his gloomy lyrics are as feel-good as ever.

"[6] Several online magazines also gave similar reviews; Stereogum described the song as "a pounding, apocalyptic thousand-yard-stare rumble; it's just the sort of mythic koan he does so well"[7] "Burning Jacob's Ladder" was also received positively with TwentyFourBit saying: "though the tune modestly opens with sparse banjo, Lanegan's gravelly voice, and droning organ, a rhythm section soon joins in for the slow-building, blissfully noisy climax, complete with the Screaming Trees frontman unleashing the full range of his rock vocal chops and a 5-second guitar-driven caterwaul.