Sinner Man, also known as Oppressor Man and Downpressor Man, is a traditional African American spiritual song. It has been recorded by Les Baxter, the Swan Silvertones, the Weavers, Nina Simone and, most recently, as ska and reggae versions by Peter Tosh and The Wailers.
Run to the Rock | Peter Kun Frary
Sinner Man Musings
The lyrics of Sinner Man describe a sinner attempting to hide from God's wrath during the tribulation and coming divine judgment. Here's the first verse:
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? Sinner man where you gonna run to? Where you gonna run to? All on that day.
Study Tips
Like prior ensembles, the guitar 1 part of Sinner Man uses notes in the fifth position. If you're unfamiliar with the fifth position, review the New Notes section several pages back.
Sinner Man should be performed with a moderate or faster reggae (Jamaican) tempo and feel. In the track below, I play the repeated section three times (rather than two) and add embellishments to the melody during the second and third repeats. The guitar 3 part is recorded on a bass guitar and thus sounds an octave lower than written.
Listen to the Track
Before practicing, study the audio track and absorb the feel of the piece.
Sinner Man Musings
Study Tips
Listen to the Track
