Brave

[Intro: John Darnielle, spoken]

Chris Knox, this is John Darnielle, out here in North Carolina, sending you all the power -- any reserves of power I might have that will help you up the hill. But I know you can go there, because I used to watch you every night in 1995, when we were in the back of a van together, and think, "That guy's got some power." So I know you have it and I know that you will climb up on your two magnificent feet

[Verse 1]

Color me red, color me coal

Wrap me in black or a snide acid green

Tell me I'm bad, tell me I'm sick

Scream out your hate, be obsessed and obscene

Bind me with love, tie me with wire

Wrap me in gauze and then watch as I bleed

Poison your kiss, kill my desire

Deliver me pain and ignore all my needs

I will not change, I will not alter

[Verse 2]

Staple my eyes, thrill to my shins

Gag me with lead and tear out all my nails

Razor my tongue, sew up my mouth

Feed me disease so my functioning fails

I will not change, I will not alter

For I am man and I am strong

[Verse 3]

Do all this to me, I just don't care

Blood is my wine and fear is my friend

But please do not say I am not hard

Don't say I can yield, don't say I can bend

I will not change, I will not alter

For I am man and I am strong

I cannot sway, I cannot falter

I must be Man, I can't be wrong

[Outro]

It's your fucking fault

You and your doubts

Made me like this

Colored me man, color me man