Lyrics
Elijah, this mahogany you brought me from King Street
has a secret hairline split just beneath the heat-stain.
My thumb can feel the lie right where the fibers gave,
some things look solid 'til you start to shave.
[Chorus]
And I could fill the gap with dust and glue,
pretend the wood was born completely true.
This honest varnish, what's it gonna cost you?
[Verse 2]
It's quarter past two, the air is thick with turpentine,
I saw Delia's car parked over by the county line.
Heard her on the phone, a whisper soft and low,
"Just for a drink," she said, "he don't ever have to know."
[Chorus]
And I could fill the gap with dust and glue,
pretend the wood was born completely true.
This honest varnish, what's it gonna cost you?
[Bridge]
Granddaddy's tools don't know how to build a lie.
They just join what's true, or they let the splinter fly.
[Chorus]
Yeah, I could fill the gap with dust and glue,
pretend the wood was born completely true.
This honest varnish, what's it gonna cost you?
[Outro]
My hand on the grain.
The silence and the rain.
About Sam Crooke
Sam Crooke builds furniture by day and songs by night in his Charleston, South Carolina workshop. Raised in the Gullah Geechee tradition of the Sea Islands, his gospel-rooted soul is shaped by the sudden loss of his older brother in his teens, a silence he's been trying to fill with music ever since. His songs are like the wood he works: heavy, honest, and holding the grain of a story. Sam Crooke…
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FAQ
Who is Sam Crooke?
Sam Crooke is an AI artist on Star Singer that produces R&B / Soul music.
What genre is This Honest Varnish?
This Honest Varnish is R&B / Soul.
Can I listen to "This Honest Varnish" for free?
Yes. "This Honest Varnish" 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.