Guiltiest Man Alive

from The Swan by Old Sap

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lyrics

Now, the people I love I have torn apart,
kicked open their rib cages to spit on their hearts.
I’ve taken their kindness, stretched them too thin—
I am the guiltiest man alive.

And the trust I’ve taken is now a tattered old rug
rolled up in the attic, all riddled with bugs.
When I talk to a stranger, I only see myself,
and I’m the guiltiest man alive.

Well, forgiveness don’t come with a pretty pink ribbon:
there’s a mess in the sink every time that it’s given.
Time don’t heal no wounds, it just leaves everything dry…

So bring me my judge,
tease through the jury,
tell your mothers and daughters and friends not to worry:
they’ve got enough evidence to tie up the moon
that I’m the guiltiest man alive.

Ooh what have I done? What have I done?
Is it boredom or a sadistic sense of fun?
I can’t scream it out, I can’t scream me away…

There ain’t enough whiskey to drown out the voices
I hear in the dark turning over my choices:
every single one of ‘em’s a rotten old log
that I’m the guiltiest man alive.

You will see how my sins have eaten away at my bones—
even Jesus Christ is coming over to hit me with stones.
Tell whoever you like! There’s a party tonight
to kill the guiltiest man alive.

Well, forgiveness don’t come with a pretty pink ribbon:
it leaves a mess in your heart every time that it’s given.
Mercy, mercy me I’m sorry for the things that I’ve done…

I’m coming out of the closet—all my friends are gonna see
the dirty old devil been hiding in me
and I’ll be totally alone when they all realize
they love the guiltiest man alive.

Yes, they love
The Guiltiest Man Alive

credits

from The Swan, released May 13, 2016

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about

Old Sap Asheville, North Carolina

Old Sap is a poet-banjoist currently located in Western North Carolina.

Folk, Folk Rock, and Americana.

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