[Intro: soft piano, shakers, log drum] Eight o'clock on Friday and the app says stage four Whole building counting down from the second floor [Verse 1: male lead] Pot on the stove and I'm racing the time Every charger in the flat on a single line Mrs. Moyo's ironing her church dress fast Pressing every pleat while the power still lasts Ten, nine, eight, the whole block yells it out Seven, six, the taxi rank joins in with a shout Five, four, somebody's still on the stairs Three, two, one, and the city disappears [Chorus: call and response] Load shedding (lights out) Whole block stepping (lights out) Power's gone but the party's on Phone torches up, everybody sing along Load shedding (lights out) Ain't nobody resting (lights out) Give us two hours of dark and we'll dance until it's gone [Verse 2: female lead] Thabo backs his car in, pops the boot, turns it up Auntie Grace says she's only watching with her tea in a cup Two songs later she's the one who's leading the line Shoulders going, hips going, sixty and fine Fifty phone torches like a stadium at night And the stars came out to see us 'cause there isn't any light Sipho from security is dancing on the clock Nobody's ever stood this close on this block [Chorus: call and response] Load shedding (lights out) Whole block stepping (lights out) Power's gone but the party's on Phone torches up, everybody sing along Load shedding (lights out) Ain't nobody resting (lights out) Give us two hours of dark and we'll dance until it's gone [Dance Break: log drum and shakers, group chant] Lights out, step in Lights out, step out Lights out, step in Lights out, now shout [Bridge: half time, piano] All week we pass on the staircase, eyes on the floor Same faces in the lift and we never knock on a door It took the whole grid going down for me to learn your name Two hours in the dark and this building's not the same [Verse 3: male and female trading] Ten o'clock the fridge kicks on and every window glows The street lamps buzz awake and the party nearly slows Somebody yells it's back and the whole lot starts to boo Sipho drops his torch and grins and says I know what to do He walks into the lobby with the neighbors at his back The man who keeps the lights on flicks the whole block black This time the dark is ours and nobody's going back Thabo turns the boot up and the log drum hits the track [Final Chorus: call and response, full] Load shedding (lights out) Whole block stepping (lights out) Power's back but the party's on Lights off, everybody, sing along Load shedding (lights out) Ain't nobody resting (lights out) Keep the lights off, neighbor, we'll dance until the dawn [Outro: piano and log drum fade] Stage four, Friday night Leave it off, we're alright
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