Snake in the Grass (The Judgement Version)

[TITLE: SNAKE IN THE GRASS] [ARTIST: BLACKTOP GOSPEL] [VERSION: THE JUDGMENT VERSION] [PERFORMANCE: AUTHENTIC 1960 SOUTHERN GOSPEL-BLUES] [FOUR DISTINCT BLACK MALE VOCALISTS] [LEAD: DEEP GRAVELLY SOUTHERN BARITONE, STREETWISE CONVERSATIONAL PHRASING] [TENOR 1: HIGH, PIERCING, OLD-SCHOOL GOSPEL HARMONIES] [TENOR 2: ROUGH, NASAL MIDRANGE, SHORT RESPONSES] [BASS: VERY DEEP MALE VOICE, RHYTHMIC QUARTET RESPONSES] [NATURAL SOUTHERN AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGLISH CADENCE] [LOOSE HUMAN TIMING, NO POLISHED POP SINGING] [INTRO — INSTRUMENTAL ONLY — 8 BARS] [Old upright church piano plays a greasy blues shuffle] [Upright bass walks beneath sparse Hammond B3 chords] [Clean electric guitar adds short bent-note fills] [Brush snare and foot stomps enter] [Narrow mono, audible tape hiss and room ambience] [ABSOLUTELY NO VOCALS, HUMMING, SPEECH, CHANTS OR VOCAL SAMPLES] [VERSE 1 — LEAD BARITONE, LOW, RHYTHMIC AND BITTER] You shook my hand with a loaded smile Said you'd walk beside me every mile Had my back, that's what you said While you counted every step ahead [SHORT GUITAR RESPONSE] You knew the names, you knew the game Knew just where to place the blame Never raised your voice or showed your teeth Just kept your knife where I couldn't see [PRE-CHORUS — LEAD WITH RESTRAINED MALE QUARTET] You don't need a gun to take a shot Don't need a match to burn the lot Some folks lie, some folks steal Some shake your hand while they turn the wheel [PIANO TURNAROUND — SHORT DRUM FILL] [CHORUS — GRITTY LEAD, THREE MALE HARMONY VOICES] SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I HEAR YOU MOVING! SMILE IN MY FACE! WHILE THE KNIFE GOES THROUGH ME! SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I KNOW YOUR KIND! SAY YOU GOT MY BACK WHILE YOU'RE WORKING BEHIND! [QUARTET ANSWERS WITH TIGHT LOW HARMONY] [DEEP BASS VOICE PUNCTUATES THE LAST PHRASE] [NO MODERN POP BELTING] [INSTRUMENTAL TURNAROUND — 4 BARS] [Church piano and tremolo blues guitar] [NO VOCALS] [POST-CHORUS — LEAD, SPOKEN-SUNG BLUES PHRASING] Keep your friends close Keep your enemies in sight It's the ones that call you brother That'll cut you in the night [VERSE 2 — LEAD BARITONE, MORE CONFRONTATIONAL] You played the part, you wore the face Took your seat and knew your place Passed the word when I wasn't there Then acted shocked when it filled the air [PIANO FILL, BASS WALKS] Every favor came with strings Every promise had hidden things You didn't stab me in the street You pulled the ground from under my feet [PRE-CHORUS — LEAD WITH LOW QUARTET HARMONIES] You don't need a gun to take a shot Don't need a match to burn the lot Some folks lie, some folks steal Some shake your hand while they turn the wheel [CHORUS — ALL FOUR MALE VOICES, OLD-SCHOOL QUARTET] SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I HEAR YOU MOVING! SMILE IN MY FACE! WHILE THE KNIFE GOES THROUGH ME! SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I KNOW YOUR KIND! SAY YOU GOT MY BACK WHILE YOU'RE WORKING BEHIND! [HIGH TENOR HOLDS A BLUESY HARMONY] [LOW BASS SINGER ANSWERS THE FINAL LINE] [INSTRUMENTAL BREAK — 12 BARS] [Raw early electric blues guitar solo] [Loose gospel piano triplets] [Hammond organ holds warm sustained chords] [Upright bass and brushed drums maintain 12/8 shuffle] [Foot stomps, natural room bleed] [NO VOCALS] [BRIDGE — LEAD ALONE, QUIET STREET-CORNER TESTIMONY] Funny how the truth comes out When the room gets quiet Funny how the loudest loyalty Never seems to buy it [PIANO AND BASS ONLY] I don't need revenge I don't need a scene I just know exactly What your friendship means [BREAKDOWN — SPARSE BLUES, HEAVY FOOT STOMPS] [LEAD — LOW, COLD, NEAR-SPOKEN] I saw the tracks I heard the sound I watched you smile While you dragged me down [SECOND TENOR AND BASS SINGER JOIN IN LOW HARMONY] No more favors No more trust I know what crawls Beneath the dust [INSTRUMENTAL BUILD — 4 BARS] [Piano rolls through a descending blues turnaround] [Organ rises, drummer returns to shuffle] [NO VOCALS] [FINAL CHORUS — FOUR MALE SINGERS, RAW AND FORCEFUL] SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I HEAR YOU MOVING! SMILE IN MY FACE! WHILE THE KNIFE GOES THROUGH ME! SNAKE IN THE GRASS! I KNOW YOUR KIND! SAY YOU GOT MY BACK WHILE YOU'RE WORKING BEHIND! [FINAL REFRAIN — OLD-FASHIONED MALE CALL-AND-RESPONSE] [LEAD] Snake in the grass... [QUARTET] I know your kind... [LEAD] Snake in the grass... [QUARTET] You were never on my side... [OUTRO — LEAD BARITONE ALONE, DRY AND MATTER-OF-FACT] You can keep the handshake You can keep the smile I know what you are I just didn't know it for a while [FINAL INSTRUMENTAL — 4 BARS] [Old upright piano plays a slow blues turnaround] [Clean electric guitar answers with one bent note] [Hammond B3 holds a dark final chord] [NO VOCALS] [NATURAL MONO ROOM DECAY] [END]