[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