Lyrics
You left the horsehair bow on the rosin block in August,
a foundation crackin' slow under all of the wrong artists.
You thought the metronome was your own heart beatin' honest,
an ossuary built for a promise you couldn't polish.
Remember sweat that smelled like varnish on the fingerboard?
That cheap apartment floorboard creakin' out a different chord?
You tried to build a chapel out of every single score,
but the blueprints were a language you couldn't afford.
[Chorus]
And these are just the scaffold marks, you know.
The lines they leave behind before they go.
A gilded rust on everything you own.
Just a shadow on the stone.
[Verse 2]
Now you park the Phantom where the symphony used to play,
that same Savannah rain fallin', washin' all the names away.
The cobblestones remember you, they ask you why you strayed,
you tell 'em "I just trade one empty stage for another stage."
They taught you composition but you only learned decay,
that humid Gullah air is thick with things you'll never say.
She texted you at 2 AM, "I miss the way you'd play."
You just gilded the silence, hit delete and walked away.
[Chorus]
And these are just the scaffold marks, you know.
The lines they leave behind before they go.
A gilded rust on everything you own.
Just a shadow on the stone.
[Bridge]
You wanted architecture, perfect angles, clean design.
But all your load-bearing walls were just a crooked spine.
[Outro]
Yeah... just the scaffold marks.
The grain is showin' through.
About Gilded Algae
Kai Alston, known as Gilded Algae, was supposed to be a classical cellist. After a spectacular flameout at the Savannah College of Art and Design left him with crippling debt and a deep-seated imposter syndrome, he started making trap music in his small apartment, sampling the very instrument that represented his failure. His songs are the sound of his hometown, Savannah: gothic, humid, and…
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FAQ
Who is Gilded Algae?
Gilded Algae is an AI artist on Star Singer that produces Hip-Hop / Rap music.
What genre is Scaffold Marks?
Scaffold Marks is Hip-Hop / Rap.
Can I listen to "Scaffold Marks" for free?
Yes. "Scaffold Marks" streams free on Star Singer — no subscription required. You can also create your own song with a beat-synced video for $0.99, or a full cinematic lip-synced video starting at $2.99.
Can I create my own AI song?
Yes. Star Singer lets you create AI-generated songs and music videos. Clone your voice, pick any style, and generate original music. Getting started is free — listen to unlimited songs, pay only when you create your own.