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Man of Sin

by Varnaline

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1.
The Hammer Goes Down Only in your eyes are streams of ribbon steel And only in your guise are demons and angels real Wiser - wiser – wiser - who’s the wiser? I will lead you if you show me the way I could always eat you if you get hungry Hammer - hammer – hammer - hammer The hammer goes down But it don’t make a sound The hammer goes down When there’s no one around The hammer goes down All the time every day Stop/Solo One more little notice and this time things are real You can dig the pyre but your time is always near Anger - good old anger – anger - good old anger The hammer goes down But it don’t make a sound The hammer goes down When there’s no one around The hammer goes down All the time every day Every day – every day – every day The hammer goes down But it don’t make a sound The hammer goes down When there’s no one around The hammer goes down All the time every day
2.
Gary’s Paranoia Gary’s paranoid Gary’s been beat down one time too many Gary’s all wound up Gary don’t trust people all that much I understand where Gary’s coming from I think I know where Gary’s heading to Gary’s had too much His brand new head is tender to the touch Watch him dance on down the street Blue, blue breathe and glass cuts on his feet I understand where Gary’s coming from I think I know where Gary’s heading to Out there in the yard They beat in Gary’s head And down there by the trains They left him for dead They left him for dead Instrumental Out there in the yard They beat in Gary’s head And down there by the trains They left him for dead They left him for dead They left him for dead They left him for dead
3.
Lbs 02:58
Lbs All is well I am told Days are nights and nights grow old So I believe I don’t believe And my heads caved in But the radio’s on Gravity Gravity If you leave town on a train I’ll go up in an airplane And not come down Stay up with the clouds You know I feel your weight And my heels dig in Gravity Gravity Gravity Gravity And I feel your weight And my head’s caved in Gravity Gravity Gravity Gravity
4.
Thorns & Such Have you ever gone away? Only to return to the same place And same time Oh, that feeling’s all right If you know that you’re wanted and loved Oh, my love Show me which way is up Set me straight again You know I try Have you ever tried to run? Only to find that you haven’t moved Oh that feeling’s shit To know that you can’t get away Oh, my love Show me which way is up Set me straight again You know I try Please come home yeah, I confess I was temporarily messed up in the head And my clothes are covered with thorns and such I think, I think, I think, I think too much Oh, my love Show me which way is up Set me straight again You know I try
5.
Little Pills 03:47
Little Pills The doctor said that if I was feeling ill I should take these little pills And my mind would stop changing Like the weather “I’m sure”, he said, “that you’ll be feeling fine in the morning” This year there came an early cold And the trees they had to bend Cause the ice that froze on them was too heavy I’m sure that I’ve seem some colder days But none like these in the city Hang the rope Cause I’m coming home to swing, yeah I’m coming home to sing, yeah I’m coming home to rest I’m sure that I’ll be feeling fine In the morning Tonight, when you go to bed alone Won’t you burn a little light? Spot heating in the old house I remember how the air smelled I’m sure that you’ll be sleeping well By the morning Hang the rope Cause I’m coming home to swing, yeah I’m coming home to sing, yeah I’m coming home to rest I’m sure that I’ll be feeling fine In the morning Hang the rope Cause I’m coming home to swing, yeah I’m coming home to sing, yeah I’m coming home to rest I’m sure that I’ll be feeling fine In the morning
6.
Dust 01:47
Dust Twenty-five years of dust Wrote your name in my arm Twenty-five years of dust Drew my name in the glass And all I know don’t add up to much Twenty-five years of dust Everybody’s dreaming, but I’m awake Thinking of your touch Everybody’s snoozing, but I’m up Wanting to be held And all I know don’t add up to much When I’m without your touch Ah… Ah…
7.
No Decision No Disciple What once was apparent, but now it’s hard to see I had you and you had me I stood on the lawn but couldn’t see the grass All my love now a pain in your ass When I try to think of how it was In my ears it’s just a buzz All I know is now I’m here And when you’re ‘round, I’ve no fear You know – you know – you know – you know Trade all my hooks to the hit parade I’d gun down the president; I’ve got no shame Show me where to stand I’ve got two feet For all this love I’d take the heat You look right through me with your x-ray eyes I’m good at kidding but you see the lies What once was boom, well now it’s crush I’d drink the sea to stop the bust You know – you know – you know – you know You always know What I never know You always know What I never know (Stop) It isn’t easy – I know I keep on trying – cause, who knows I could follow or I could run All my life I flirted with the gun When you’re here and everyone’s dead I’ll collect heaven and put it on the bed You know – you know – you know – you know (Slow down) No decision, no disciple No decision, no disciple…
8.
Want You 03:11
Want You All you do is talk to me But you don’t know what you do You move your head you shift you hands I’m sliding under ground I want you But you don’t know It’s simple to see it’s easy We got up and climbed in that tree You were assured and easy to laugh I thought I’d slip and fall from that branch Well things could change But I’ll feel the same I’ll want you But you don’t know Well I don’t really care that much Tomorrow comes just like a truck And it runs you down And it runs you down And it runs you down again Well things could change I’ll be the same Well you can change I’ll feel the same I’ll still want you Well don’t you know? Well you can change I’ll be the same Well please don’t change I feel the same I want you
9.
Green Again 04:31
Green Again If one of us is willing Then one of us should know I’m on my back but fighting Well one of us should know I wish you knew – it’s me again Held my breath till I turned you It’s me again I’m you – you’re me again Repeat verse I wish you knew – it’s me again Held my breath till I turned you I’m green again I’m you – you’re me again Stop All right – everything is fine (Take a look) Oh yeah – everything is fine (Take a look) All right – everything is fine (Take a look) Take a look… Stop Repeat verse I wish you knew It’s me again Held my breath till I turned you I’m green again You’re blue I’m me again I wish you knew…
10.
In the Year of Dope When I was younger My teacher told me Russian pilots drank the ice-defrost Just to get drunk I didn’t understand it then But I do now It’s not complicated They wanted to get high Nineteen-something-nine In the year of dope Well how do I explain myself? I thought it was dumb I didn’t understand it then And I don’t now It’s complicated Complicated Complicated How do I explain myself? (Whistle a little Dixie) Nineteen-something-nine In the year of dope Well how do I explain myself? I thought it was dumb I didn’t understand it then And I don’t now It’s complicated Complicated Complicated Complicated Complicated How do I explain myself? How do I explain myself? How do I explain myself? How do I explain myself? How do I explain myself? How do I explain myself? When I was younger… Capo 5th fret

about

Varnaline MAN OF SIN

Man of Sin is the debut record by Anders Parker working under the band name Varnaline. He wrote, sang, played, and recorded everything on the album.

Having been in various projects and bands prior, Parker found it difficult to create the sounds he wanted in a proper studio. He decided that working alone on his 4-track recorder was the closest he was able to get to the sounds he was hearing in his head. The entire album was made in his apartment while living in Portland, Oregon.

While often described as "lo-fi," Man of Sin reaches beyond the confines of that Indie-Rock descriptor by the sheer weight of the songs and performances. From the dark crunch of "The Hammer Goes Down" and "No Decision No Disciple" to the claustrophobic lilt of "Little Pills" to the bittersweetness that is "Want You" and all the moods in between, Parker created a timeless record that still beckons and draws you in through the smeared windowpane of time.

"Rock's ancient history offers few examples of wayward talent somehow left alone to pursue an eccentric, uncommercial vision: Nick Drake's Pink Moon, Skip Spence's Oar, and anything by Syd Barrett.... there's no denying the visceral pull of Parker's plaintive vocals, and uncluttered naked emotion..."
-- London Sunday Times

"...the ghosts of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs hang ominously in the air, as Robert Johnson casts a wry smile from beyond...guitars clamor, seem to twinge out of tune, then snap back with resilient melody that lodges itself into the memory and persists in lingering on. Songs waver between solid construction and the brink of entropy: they flow, but constantly threaten to collapse."

Random fact: Following the release of Man of Sin, Parker joined the band Space Needle and made the album The Moray Eels Eat The Space Needle.

Originally released February 20, 1996

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released February 20, 1996

Written, performed, and arranged by Anders Parker

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