Let the Whole Hill Sing

[INTRO — THE HOLLER WAKES, 16 BARS] [Screen door creak, distant birds, coffee cup set down] [Kalimba plays three bright notes; jaw harp finds a pulse] [Hohner Comet harmonica answers] [Wooden flute and ocarina weave around the melody] [Singing musical saw rises like a breeze through the pines] [Slap bass drops into a slow, irresistible funk groove] [VERSE 1 — BUBBA, SUNG] A screen door squeaked at a quarter past nine, Wind made a whistle in the Georgia pines. Three little notes fell out of my hand, Next thing I knew, I had a one-porch band. [INSTRUMENTAL — 8 BARS] [Kalimba repeats the three-note hook] [Banjo rolls underneath; Comet plays the answer] [VERSE 2 — DARLENE, SUNG] Well, I heard that music come around the bend, Like a long-lost cousin and a brand-new friend. A little bit of mountain, a little bit of soul, I picked up my sax and I let it roll! [INSTRUMENTAL — 12 BARS] [Darlene's tenor sax takes four bars] [Frankenstein electric guitar answers for four] [Singing saw glides up; silver flute resolves the phrase] [CHORUS — BUBBA AND DARLENE, SUNG] Hollerphonic, let the whole hill sing! Little bit of thunder, little silver-string ring. One foot in the mountain, one foot in the soul, Slap that bass and let the good times roll. Play a little, sing a little, pass that tune around, There's a brand-new kind of joy in this old red-clay ground. Oh, hear that porch come alive tonight— Hollerphonic, and it feels just right! [INSTRUMENTAL — 16 BARS] [Four bars: boogie-gospel piano] [Four bars: jaw harp and slap bass] [Four bars: ukulele and five-string banjo] [Four bars: ocarina and Comet harmonica] [VERSE 3 — BUBBA, COUNTRY RAP / TALK-SING] Five-shot coffee, boots on wood, Little bit of crazy sounding mighty good. Jaw harp twang, and the bass goes pop, Otis hits the keys and he just won't stop. Luther rolls five strings, Cletus growls low, Darlene blows a horn that can steal the show. I ain't here to tell you what music should be— I'm just letting all these sounds get along with me! [INSTRUMENTAL — 16 BARS] [Slap bass solo over handclaps] [Piano answers with gospel runs] [Frankenstein guitar trades a riff with the sax] [Kalimba plays the original three-note theme] [VERSE 4 — DARLENE, SUNG] Some folks hear a racket, some folks hear a prayer, I hear room for everybody in the morning air. Let the little voices rise and the big ones bend, There's a place for every sound when we listen again. [BREAKDOWN — SUDDEN QUIET] [All instruments stop] [One breath] [Hohner Comet plays a tender, unaccompanied phrase] [Hammond B3 enters softly] [Wooden flute joins, then the ocarina] [BRIDGE — BUBBA, SPOKEN] Darlene, what in the world do you call that? [DARLENE, SPOKEN, SMILING] Sounds like the holler learned a new language. [BUBBA, SPOKEN] Well, dadgummit. I think I speak it! [FINAL CHORUS — FULL DUET, LIGHT GOSPEL HARMONIES] Hollerphonic, let the whole hill sing! Little bit of thunder, little silver-string ring. One foot in the mountain, one foot in the soul, Slap that bass and let the good times roll. Play a little, sing a little, lift that melody high, Let the sax and the flute put a smile in the sky. Thank You, Lord, for another morning light— Hollerphonic, and it feels just right! [OUTRO — 16 BARS, INSTRUMENTAL] [Banjo, ukulele and piano trade short phrases] [Sax, silver flute and singing saw answer] [The full band hits one warm gospel chord] [Instruments drop out one by one] [Hohner Comet plays the opening melody] [Kalimba ends with three bright notes]