[Verse 1]
Market lights like rows of open stars,
Okada horns, the corner vendor calls,
Cassava smoke and mango-sweet air,
Conga heartbeat 'cross the evening square.
[Pre-Chorus]
Hold, breathe, lift — feel the hush then break,
A little hush, then hands awake.
[Chorus]
We rise, we move, we glow
We rise, we move, we glow
Tonight the city moves our souls.
[Verse 2]
Skank on the six, guitar on the off-beat,
Children chase the light where the two streets meet,
Old radio hums a warm memory,
Neon dusk paints shadows into form.
[Pre-Chorus]
Slow down — then go — let the pulse expand,
Pause, breathe, and let the chorus land.
[Chorus]
We rise, we move, we glow
We rise, we move, we glow
Tonight the city moves our souls.
[Bridge — Call & Response | Step up a key]
Lead: Can you feel it lift?
Group: Lift!
Lead: Can you feel the drum?
Group: Drum!
Lead: Hands to the sky
Group: We fly!
[Bridge — Payoff]
We rise on this sound, we soar through the night,
Polished soles on hot pavement, our chests sync,
From stalls to rooftop lights,
We keep one small story tucked in every fold.
[Pre-Hook]
Tonight we own this glow
[Chorus — Big]
We rise, we move, we glow
We rise, we move, we glow
Tonight the city moves our souls.
(Backing: stacked harmonies on "We rise"; ad-libs: "Lift!" / "Drum!" / short callouts between lines)
[Outro]
Let the congas keep the secrets that we sow,
Morning comes but still we glow.
We rise, we move, we glow
We rise, we move, we glow
[Production Notes]
- Tempo: 100–108 BPM (aim ~104 BPM for pocket and lift).
- Rhythm: Prominent congas and shakers, tight kick on 1 and syncopated snare/clap on the backbeat.
- Guitars: Clean, muted skank on the off-beat; occasional melodic riffs between vocal phrases.
- Horns: Tight stabs to punctuate pre-chorus and bridge callouts; a warm horn pad under the last chorus.
- Bass: Warm, round bass that locks with the congas for a hypnotic groove.
- Arrangement: Leave space for a call-and-response breakdown after the second chorus; build layers (percussion, guitars, horns, backing vocals) into the final chorus for big payoff.
[Vocal Guidance]
- Guide vocal: record a dry take of Verse 1 and the Chorus to settle phrasing; use it to adjust small syllable placements.
- Phrasing: Keep lines tight and slightly behind the beat in verses; push the chorus forward for energy.
- Harmonies: Add stacked thirds/fifths on the last two repeats of the chorus. Add a high vocal glide / ad-lib on the final "glow."
- Callouts: Leave space for the Lead/Group responses; these should be short, punchy, and rhythmic.
- Final Chorus: add layered backing vocals, short shouted responses, and a melodic tag ("We own this glow") to lift the last chorus into an anthemic finish.
Inspiration Source: City nightlife, market scenes, community dance — an Afrobeat Pop celebration of togetherness and light.
