[Intro — Whispered Choir / Doo‑wop vamp]
(Ooh, sha‑na‑na)
[Mmm, mmm, mmm] (Handclap on 2 & 4)
[Lead Vocal — intimate, front of mic]
Say now! Tell me true, tell me plain,
What do they crave when they call your name?
Is it a suit, a ring, a ribboned train?
Or quiet nights when it stops the rain?
[Choir Response — soft harmonies in 3rds]
Ooh, what they want, baby—yeah!
[Verse 1 — Lead, with soft choir echoes]
A dinner table lit by candle flame,
A steady hand when the grown things change,
A jacket he hands over when winter's near,
A laugh that says, "I'm always here."
[Short Pre‑Chorus — lead slides up, choir answers]
Lead: Not just talk of money or a flashy car
Choir (echo): Not just talk of money or a flashy car
Lead: But little things that show you see her scars
Choir (echo, close harmony): You see her scars
[Chorus — Full Choir lifts, tight hook; repeatable]
Choir: What they want, baby — yeah, what they need
Lead (over chords): A heart that keeps the steady beat
Choir: What they want, baby — oh, what they need
All: Love that comes and stays, love that really believes
[Verse 2 — Lead with doo‑wop punctuation]
Late‑night talks on the kitchen floor,
Sweaters held close from the thrift‑store drawer,
A hand that waits when the day runs late,
Someone who knows the name of your favorite plate.
[Bridge of Details — call & response, choir strong]
Lead: Do they want flowers that wilt in a day?
Choir (call back, rising): No — they want steady ways
Lead: Do they want promises that slip and stray?
Choir (answer): No — they want the kind that stay
[Short Doo‑Wop Vamp — choir interlude]
(Sha‑na‑na, doo‑wop, sha‑la‑la) (Clap, clap)
[Reinforced Chorus — tighter, repeat hook, add gospel lift]
Choir: What they want, baby — yeah, what they need
Lead: A shoulder when the world won't heed
Choir: What they want, baby — oh, what they need
All (gospel lift, higher harmony): A love that mends, a love that frees
[Bridge — full call‑and‑response; choir power]
Lead (solitary): Say now, is it a laugh or a lullaby?
Choir (response, building): A laugh, a lullaby — a soft reply
Lead: Is it a promise kept through low and high?
Choir (resounding): Promise kept through low and high
[Breakdown — lead intimate, choir in hushed 5ths]
Lead: Picture a coat, worn at the elbow,
Choir (soft): Worn at the elbow
Lead: Two coffees shared, a late train home,
Choir (soft): A late train home
Lead: A voice that listens when words fall flat,
Choir (soft): A voice that listens
[Doo‑Wop Vamp into Final Chorus — tempo lifts]
(Sha‑na‑na — ooh baby — clap, clap)
[Final Chorus — full choir, gospel harmonies, higher register]
Choir: What they want, baby — yeah, what they need
Lead (soaring): A heart that dances, a heart that keeps the beat
Choir (three‑part harmony, lift to major): What they want, baby — oh, what they need
All (full gospel lift): Hands that hold, promises that never leave
[Tag — Lead & Choir in close, gentle cadence]
Lead: Not diamonds only, not the mi
