[Intro - Spoken, gravelly campfire tone, intimate, ominous] [Shamisen solo - lone, distant waves, temple bell, p] If you're travelin' down to Minamikai, Where the tide turns black and the pine trees sigh... You best keep your bachi close to your side. 'Cause the Blue Oni hears every note you cry. Well now, let me tell you the story... [Verse 1 - Spoken-sung, low chest voice, gritty, conversational] [Driving walking bass, snare on backbeat, p-mf] The Ao-oni prowled the Minamikai coast, He was lookin' for a soul to roast. He was in a bind, 'cause he'd fallen way behind, And he was willin' to find a way. When he came across this young man, Strummin' his shamisen all across the sand, And the Oni jumped up on a torii gate, And said, "Boy, let me tell you straight." [Verse 2 - Sung, sneering baritone, building intensity] [Heavy taiko drums roll in, crescendo, mf-f] "I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a shami player too, And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you. Now you play a pretty good shami, son, But give the Oni his due. I'll bet a golden shami against your soul, 'Cause I know I'm better than you." [Bridge - Dramatic pause, tension peaks] [Music drops to lone shamisen drone, taiko roll builds, p-mp] The boy just smiled and slowly raised his hand, And said, "Old demon, I hope you understand..." [Verse 2 Continued - Kenji responds, calm, resolute, building] [Single shamisen note rings out, then full band kicks in, mf-f] "My name is Kenji, and might be my karma, But I'll take your bet, don't you forget, 'Cause I'm the best that's ever been!" [Chorus - Sung, soaring tenor, anthem, full belt] [Full band kicks in, bright koto, big taiko crash, f-ff] Kenji, strike your bachi down and make that shami scream! The Oni's come to Minami Bay to steal your fleeting dream! And if you win, you claim his golden shami for your own, But if you fall, your spirit's overthrown! [Verse 3 - Sung, dark timbre, whispered menace to guttural snarl] [Low-end drone, bass drum, trembling koto, p-mp] The Oni opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show," And fire flew from his fingertips as he tightened up his bow, Then he dragged the bachi cross the strings and it made an evil hiss, And a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this: [Oni's Prelude - The Damned Souls Rise] [Ghostly whispers, multi-layered chanting, p, rising tension] [Chorus of souls the Oni has taken, deep guttural chanting, building] "KENJI... KENJI... KENJI... JOIN US... JOIN US... JOIN US..." [Oni's Shamisen Solo - 25 seconds] [Chaotic, distorted, aggressive, glitch FX, demonic wails, 7/8 time, fff] [The souls chant in counterpoint, growing more desperate, then silence] [Verse 4 - Spoken, calm, stoic, dry, resolute] [Music stops dead. Single pure shamisen note rings out, p] When the Oni finished, Kenji said, "Well, you're pretty good, old son, Just sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done." [Kenji's Prelude - The Ancestors Rise] [Soft, warm shamisen drone, ancestral whispers, p, building hope] [Generations of Kenji's family join in, softly, building] "KENJI... KENJI... KENJI... PLAY WITH US... PLAY WITH US... PLAY WITH US..." [Kenji's Shamisen Solo - 35 seconds] [Clean, impossibly fast, triumphant, percussive bachi strikes] [Joyful ascending runs, full 4/4 driving train-beat, crescendo to fff] [The ancestors play in perfect harmony with Kenji, layered shami ensemble, triumphant] [Verse 5 - Sung, relaxed but powerful, cocky, explosive final line] [Music softens to pulsing bass line, light cymbals, mf, then fff on final line] The Oni bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat, And he laid that golden shami on the ground at Kenji's feet. Kenji said, "Oni, just come on back if you ever wanna try again, I've told you once, you yokai from the deep, NOW HEAR ME SING!" [Final Chorus - Sung, explosive, celebratory, full throttle, soaring tenor] [All instruments in unison, fff, ancestral ensemble joins and plays with Kenji] Kenji, strike your bachi down and make that shami wail! The Oni's crawlin' back to Hell, his wicked scheme has failed! You took his golden prize tonight, you faced the dark and won, So play it down in Minamikai, you yokai son of a gun! [Outro - Instrumental, ritardando] [Lone triumphant shamisen melody fades] [Ancestral ensemble softly echoes the melody, playing with Kenji, then fades] [Distant waves, single temple bell ring, ppp]
