The Suspender Man

The Suspender Man is the twelfth track of The Two-Cent Show, written by Isabella Bunny Bennett and released in 2012.

The song tells the story of Mr. Gormley, a banjo player that sold his soul for musical skills and a pair of suspenders.

Information
The original release of this song contained a slur used against Romani people in the line "three bat teeth and a blackened ***** eye." The band has since apologized and changed the lyrics. In the 2016 YouTube upload, the word is simply cut, with no replacement.

In 2019/2020, the band began to perform the song with modified lyrics: "three bat teeth and a single demon eye." According to David Michael Bennett, multiple words were changed to solidify the change and prevent any slip-ups.

In 2022, a new digital version was released on Patreon. This version changed the line to "three bat teeth and a blackened demon eye" as well as removed the mention of Michael Reed before the line "fracture that banjo!" This version is available for free download on their Patreon.

Performance Bit
During live shows, there is an extra verse not heard on the album release:

Oh children of ours, gather around Yes, pull up a seat and sit on the ground For I know a story and I'll tell it well About a man named Gormley and how he fell

In some performances at the San Diego Zoo the last line was "A man named Mr. McCauley and how he fell."

The Spine sings Mr. Gormley's lines. After Zero joined the band, he took over the part.

Lyrics
Rabbit One moonlight night in the bayou a silhouette The air was sweet and the fog was vi-o-let The gators were all drinking tea, in a dreamy pantsless glee I saw a suspendered man, a banjo holstered in his hands. He had biggest red suspenders I ever did see, golly gee that's what I've seen He flicked the brim of his hat, and this is what he said to me. The Spine "Mister robut ah am The Suspender Man And dis banjo 'as shown me dah promised land. Now ah play a song but in return, yoo put dat shiny coin right 'ere in mah urn. And ah play yoo sumfin fine. Mah music gonna blow yo mind!" Rabbit So I flicked my coin into his pot, I gotta admit it twasn't a lot Two cents and then his fingers wriggled, he plucked those strings and belched a giggle. He tapped his foot, howled like a hound Igniting up the unholy sound.

And I ain't never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, heard anything so great.

Call the vendors. Big Suspenders. That's what everybody wants to wear. They stretch to Nantucket. Put them in a bucket And send them to the gnome trapped down the well (Tug 'em with thumbs is ideal) (While rollin' back on your heels) (Yeah)

He played the two cent show

And just like that he stopped playing My jaw dropped to the floor. He cracked his neck and smiled at me, And said, Spine "Buddy, y'gotta pay for more!" Rabbit But by then a crowd had swarmed the swamp, tossin' coin in after coin. So he cleared his throat, and his fingers writhed, and everyone shouted for Suspender Guy.

Call the vendors Big Suspenders That's what grandma wants for her birthday They're bright red and awesome Even worn by opossums Nobody wants their pants to fall down (Ma and Pappy want 'em too) (Even the ghost of your Uncle Stu) (Yeah)

He played the two cent show


 * Rabbit
 * Fracture that banjo!

All the children sing and dance Those banjo sounds instill a trance By 4 AM the press what hot Suspender Man on the front page spot Suspenders were in and spats were out The girls all suffered from fainting bouts The banjos flew off the shelves Sprouting wings with dreams of being played by Suspender Man.

But in the middle of February the fog turned a crimson red The Suspender Man disappeared, everyone was heels over head But we found his suspenders and that old banjo sittin' right there on his log

And though he's gone, that's what he gets for selling his soul to the bog

Big Suspenders Put them in a blender Three bat teeth and a blackened demon eye Bring it to a boil Release your mortal coil Out pops a belt to wear for you and me- Nobody wants their pants to fall down- You could wear a dress and then...you'd have no need (The alligators had it right) (Wearing pants it sure does bite) (Yeah)

He played the two cent show

Trivia

 * During some performances before Isabella Bunny Bennett/Rabbit's transition, she winked during the line "you could wear a dress"