undrgrndman is a singer-songwriter / pianist / storyteller in the bay area, whose songs show influences from old school funk, r&b, rock, hip hop, electronic, and classical music. rather than align to a specific musical genre, he strives to tell a story with each song. the result is a raw, aggressive, unapologetic sound with hints of artists such as sly stone, the beatles, prince, trent reznor, st. vincent, and james blake.

©2015 Man Underground Music
under license from NPG Music Publishing

official website / link to buy: www.undrgrndman.com
youtube videos: www.youtube.com/undrgrndman
facebook: www.facebook.com/undrgrndman
twitter: www.twitter.com/undrgrndman

Girls and Boys

it's a small town thing. and the blood's so old. 
it runs through the veins. and it's oh so cold. 
it's the type of thing that won't let you go. 
you can run away but they'll always know.

©2016 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Small Town Thing

it really turns me on.

©2016 Man Underground Music
under license from Warner-Tamerlane Pub. O/B/O Mijac Music

The Way You Make Me Feel

from the first moment I saw you 
I knew that I could never be enough for you.

©2016 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Best in Show

Download for free on The Artist Union: https://theartistunion.com/tracks/d2cacb

lyric excerpts:
are you ever going to help us, father? 
can’t you hear your sons, your daughters? 
it’s getting harder every single day. it’s a struggle just to keep the faith. 
will you lead your lambs to slaughter?


the story:  

the walls have finally come crashing down on our main character. confronted with real suffering and a feeling of utter helplessness, the emptiness of our most deeply rooted institutions suddenly becomes apparent. they offer no support, no solution. in many ways, “father” is a plea to these longstanding institutions—a cry for help from our main character. but, it is a cry made in vain, for at this point, our hero is well aware that no help is coming.

the word “father” is broadly used. it represents all forms of paternalism—any source to which we look for guidance and assistance. it is biological, sociopolitical, and spiritual paternalism. but our main character finally recognizes this for what it actually is—an absentee father…a golden calf which demands obedience, but offers little in return.

musically, the constant driving beat creates a sense of moving forward, a feeling of no return. the quiet space of each verse acts as the calm before the storm, culminating with the frustrated exclamations—or realizations—of our main character. “do we really have to drink that water?” “will you lead your lambs to slaughter?” each one more severe. these realizations give way to the chaos and confusion of the chorus, though it lacks the traditions and comforts of a typical chorus—there are no repeated phrases, no lyrical pleasantries cycled ad nauseum…just a single question from our main character. 

of course, the journey doesn’t end with the final beat. home is in sight when Father demands: “i want more.” ever demanding and never satisfied, Father’s tantrum provides an opportunity to really let loose musically. the temple truly comes down at this point. the winds are blowing. but our hero has seen and heard enough. free from all pretense, he will complete the last leg of the journey alone. 


http://undrgrndman.com

©2016 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Father

lyric excerpts:
it's the end of the moment. it's the only way home. 
I don't know where I'm going. I keep on walking.

the story:  
“trail of tears / put the gun down” is two stories: one of horrific suffering at a mass scale, and another of individual, intensely personal pain.

US listeners will be familiar with the first story: in 1838-1839, the Cherokee nation was forced to walk thousands of miles to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy. the Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects – over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokees died. it’s hard to comprehend an atrocity of such scale (unless, of course, it impacts you personally)...

the second story is a deeply personal experience of pain, brought on by a loved one taking his own life. 

...

©2016 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Trail of Tears / Put the Gun Down

thou shalt learn to love. shalt love to live. shalt live to die. 
you've heard no but I say. 
thou shalt far exceed mediocrity. shalt plant new seeds. 
you've heard no but I say. 
thou shalt overcome. shalt go beyond long lost gardens. 
you've heard no but I say thou shalt.

©2016 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Thou Shalt

lyric excerpts:
grey skies above me again.
has it ever been different than it is right now?
and the wind is not a friend.
does it ever end?  will it ever slow down?

the story:  
our main character is stuck in a mundane existence, and enveloped in a cloud of oppressive pessimism (expressed musically as much as lyrically).  yet he’s struggling with a vague remembrance of better days (of blue skies)... politically, the song is a critique of tactics used to obscure the past (to cloud our remembrance of better times) — to limit expectations, and diminish hope. “1984” simultaneously references the better days of past, and the dystopia described in Orwell’s “1984”, which suddenly feels all too familiar... 


http://undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Riot

Long Way Away (1984)

lyric excerpts:
they don’t like it when we think too long about it
they give us just enough to keep us all from shouting

we’re just waiting for the day to come
no more working for the worthless ones
we only put in for the weekend so we can begin to be... 
what we’ve been dreaming that we would be

they don’t like it when we’re acting like we doubt them
so they give us just enough
they get nervous when we’re looking like we’re crowding
so they take just enough

we’re just waiting for the day to come
gonna take the floor and raise it some
we only put in for the weekend so we can begin to be... 
what we’ve been dreaming that we would be

...

the story:  

on its face, this is a carefree, feel-good song (inspired by many great feel-good songs from the 70s and 80s).
but it’s also an examination of this particular genre of song... 
there’s a reason we love feel-good songs – especially in bad times. they offer an escape… a diversion. they free our minds from mundane, tedious, or serious concerns...
and that’s a beautiful thing.
but in many ways, diversions are the ultimate control mechanism. 

on the album, this song immediately precedes “long way away (1984)”.  the songs are two sides of the same coin.

...

www.undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

(Put In) For the Weekend

the story: 
this song was written on November 9, 2016...

lyric excerpts:
you will feel this when it’s too late to regret
you gon’ feel this, though you haven’t felt it yet
you will feel this, but there may be nothing left
one thing’s certain: you will feel this

undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

You Will Feel This

maybe they’ll learn when we riot.

......... 
undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Prologue: Riot

the story:  
A Kubrickian interpretation of the New Yorker article: “Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich”, about the absurdity of survivalism as practiced by America’s wealthiest.  Rest assured, hedge-fund managers and Silicon Valley execs will be safe when doomsday comes (the rest of civilization be damned)... funny, right?
 
 
lyric excerpts:
I’ma build-a-bunker deep in the jungle
Nobody’ll know where I’m at
I’ma take asylum on a desert island
That I bought with all my cash
Now I’ma need a pilot, so maybe I’ll let his family come and stay
You know now we gon’ need some guns to keep out everyone who wants to live another day
 
undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Build-a-Bunker

the story:  
there’s a point when the bad guy has to accept that he’s the bad guy…
then insecurity meets ego... nowhere left to go but all in.
“I’ll show you,” he says, “you’ll see,” he says. 
it’s not art, but it’s his art.  (art is in the eye of the beholder, right?)

…

lyric excerpts:
so it turns out I’m the bad guy in this picture
casted by the whims of life
so it turns out I’m the evil in this feature
but that’s all right, it’s quite all right
I will play my part
I will make you believe in me
you will feel my art
long before you appreciate me

so it turns out I’m I not the one I wanted to be
but no regrets 
it hurts much
so it turns out you can block the shame you’re feeling
and soon forget… you’ll soon forget

you will play the part
you will make them believe in you
they will feel your art
long before they appreciate you

so it turns out I’m the asshole here

…

undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

the story:  
there’s a line in Hamlet that has always stuck with me:
“... do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? 
call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, 
yet you cannot play upon me.”

there’s a hustle going on… by the media, by the politicians, by the corporations... 
if you’re not aware of the hustle, it’s you.

…

lyric excerpts:
things they told you don’t make no sense
what game they playin, this ain’t no chess
who they foolin? now who’s the fool?
watch out mama it might be you

all that you want in this world
you gon’ have it
all that you need in this world
you can bet
all that you fear in the world
they gon’ stop it
you’re not alone in this world
not alone

things that they told you

…………………....
undrgrndman.com

©2017 Man Underground Music
all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

Things That They Told You

all undone. the war begun. we become none at last. unknown why, we Defined, must defy this—your glass palace. 

www.undrgrndman.com

undrgrndman is a genre-bending storyteller & multi-instrumentalist musician based in Los Angeles, whose songs show influences from old school funk, r&b, rock, hip hop, electronic, and classical music. 

rather than align to a specific musical genre, he strives to tell a story with each song. 

all songs are written, arranged, composed, produced, and performed by undrgrndman.

undrgrndman

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