Tempo: 140 BPM, Key: A minor (can lift to D major for final chorus)
Meter: 7/8 feel (short–long–short phrasing; think 2+3+2)
[Intro]
(Instrumental: tapan roll, gaida drone, accordion vamp)
Lan-terns sway — cob-ble-stone glow,
Market stalls hum — brass hits low.
[Verse 1]
Lan-terns sway — cob-ble-stone glow, (stomp-clap)
Vendors call — sweet peppers on show. (step-step)
Clar-i-net cries — zurla sings high, (stomp-clap)
Ga-i-da hum — under night sky. (step-step)
[Pre-Chorus — Call & Response]
Leader: Hear the tapan? — (Roll the beat, roll the beat!)
Group: Roll the beat, roll the beat!
Leader: Feet to floor now — (Turn the light, turn the light!)
Group: Turn the light, turn the light!
[Chorus — Hook]
Kolo calls — we answer loud, (spin!)
Spin the kolo, burn the night. (živeli!)
Hands up high — lanterns proud,
Kolo calls — we answer loud. (živeli!)
[Verse 2]
Cob-ble stones — old father's song, (stomp-clap)
Grand-ma's braid — a rhythm strong. (step-step)
Brass hits bright — a gold parade, (stomp-clap)
Children laugh — in the square they wade. (step-step)
[Pre-Chorus — Call & Response]
Leader: Who will lead? — (We will lead, we will lead!)
Group: We will lead, we will lead!
Leader: Who will hold? — (Raise the hand, raise the hand!)
Group: Raise the hand, raise the hand!
[Chorus — Hook]
Kolo calls — we answer loud, (spin!)
Spin the kolo, burn the night. (živeli!)
Hands up high — lanterns proud,
Kolo calls — we answer loud. (živeli!)
[Bridge — Story & Image]
Market stalls close — figs and wine, (short-long-short)
Old shoes scuff — a silver sign. (short-long-short)
Lantern smoke curls — honeyed air, (short-long-short)
Cob-ble echo — lovers there. (short-long-short)
[Instrumental Break — Accordion / Clarinet Duet]
(Accordion solo: bright runs, ornamented, then clarinet answers — call and reply)
Tapan roll drives — gaida drone holds,
Zurla wails — brass punctuation bold.
(Arrange: 16 bars accordion climb, 8 bars clarinet reply, then a combined run into chorus)
[Chorus — Hook (Variation for Payoff)]
Kolo calls — we answer loud, (spin!)
Spin the kolo — set the night on fire. (živeli!)
Lanterns spin — the crowd unbowed,
Kolo calls — our hearts run higher. (živeli!)
[Breakdown — Call & Response / Climb]
Leader: Oro, hora, kolo! — (Oro! Hora! Kolo!)
Group: Oro, hora, kolo!
Leader: One more turn! — (One more turn!)
Group: One more turn!
[Final Chorus — Big Finish]
Kolo calls — we answer loud, (spin!)
Spin the kolo — burn the night. (živeli!)
Brass and zurla — voices proud,
Kolo calls — we answer loud. (živeli!)
[Outro — Warm Landing]
Accordion hum — last lantern low,
Tapan whispers — embers slow.
Feet still warm on cob-ble ground,
Živeli, friends — keep this sound.
(End on an accordion flourish, choir “živeli” fade)
