What You Give We Keep

Tommy Mac

Tommy Mac

swamp-folk, soul, voodoo blues

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[Verse 1 – Invitation]  
[Naira – mf→f, snapping offbeat]  
Ash on de table, salt on de floor,  
light through de smoke shows what you came for.  
[Kojo – interrupt on beat:] Say it once — don’t again!  
[Naira – laugh into next bar:] Mm-hmm … you fast.  
[bass slide, flute echo]

[Pre-Chant – The Tease]  
[Naira – sing-speak, hips in voice:] Give me truth or give me sweet,  
either way de circle eat.  
[Kojo – spoken growl:] Every feast need price.  
[Naira – whisper grin:] Then let’s slice.  
[one-bar pause → bass growl]

[Bridge 1 – The Transaction]  
[music drops to heartbeat + flute]  
[Naira – low, steady:] Show me what you’re givin’.  
[Kojo – explosive:] GOOD. Keep still.  
[Naira – sing-speak rising:] Say ya name ’till it tremble sweet.  
[Kojo – chant f:] WHAT YOU GIVE — WE KEEP!  
[Naira – echo with soft laugh:] What you give … we keep.  
[drums return with ghost snare; energy builds]

[drums erupt • tempo +4 BPM • full choir hum builds]  
[Naira – belting:] Smoke rise higher! River sing loud!  
[Kojo – booming counter:] CIRCLE TAKE WHAT’S VOWED!  
[Naira – runs phrase over his line:] Hear it beat in de belly o’ de drum!  
[Kojo – roar:] KEEP WHAT COME! KEEP WHAT COME!  
[choir joins in layered chant “ahh—ahh—ahh—ahh!”]  
[Naira – full cry:] WHAT YOU GIVE —!  
[Kojo – over her:] WE KEEP!  
[drums slam; moment of chaos; flute flare → half-time pulse]

[Verse 2 – Temptation (after Threshold)]  
[hand-claps 2 & 5; percussion busier]  
[Naira – belt-through-smile:] Love ain’t clean but it shine like wine,  
sweet on de tongue and burn down fine.  
[Kojo – half-bar early, grinning:] Pour a drop for de ones behind!  
[Naira – laugh in beat:] Oh listen how he mind!  
[band rides pocket; flute riff answers]

[Ritual – Climax]  
[f→ff; hand-drums tight; voices front]  
[Naira – command tone:] Circle turn! Burn de fear!  
[Kojo – counterbeat roar:] Beat de drum! Draw dem near!  
[Naira – belt with rasp:] What you give — we keep!  
[Kojo – half-bar late, growl:] WE KEEP!  
[Naira – breathy laugh mid-beat:] You feel that? Mmm yeah you do.  
[flute spiral • drum drop 1 bar → silence beat]

[Collapse / Echo]  
[tempo returns to 96 BPM • only bass pulse and breathing]  
[Naira – gasped whisper:] What you give …  
[Kojo – low echo:] we keep.  
[choir hum returns like walls breathing]  
[flute descends slowly into silence]

[Outro – The Warning]  
[pp; fire crackle • bass drone • wind through reeds]  
[Naira – whisper smile:] Go on now … if ya can find the door.  
[Kojo – low murmur behind her:] Door move when it hear ya name.  
[Naira – soft laugh, then hush:] Careful what ya whisper, hm? Sound travel far in de dark.  
[choir hum returns faintly; flute echoes her last note backward]  
[both voices distant, overlapping:] We keep … we keep …  
[everything fades, leaving only a single breath sound]

3169/7500

[Intro – Naira hum / Kojo shadow] [flute breath • fire crackle • slow drum heartbeat] [Naira – 3-bar hum, rising then cut by breath:] hmm … mm-mm … hmm. [Kojo – half-beat early, low:] River never lie. [Naira – speak-sing, smiling:] Then come on in, child — bring ya heartbeat with ya. [drums tighten → shuffle locks] [Verse 1 – Invitation] [Naira – mf→f, snapping offbeat] Ash on de table, salt on de floor, light through de smoke shows what you came for. [Kojo – interrupt on beat:] Say it once — don’t again! [Naira – laugh into next bar:] Mm-hmm … you fast. [bass slide, flute echo] [Pre-Chant – The Tease] [Naira – sing-speak, hips in voice:] Give me truth or give me sweet, either way de circle eat. [Kojo – spoken growl:] Every feast need price. [Naira – whisper grin:] Then let’s slice. [one-bar pause → bass growl] [Bridge 1 – The Transaction] [music drops to heartbeat + flute] [Naira – low, steady:] Show me what you’re givin’. [Kojo – explosive:] GOOD. Keep still. [Naira – sing-speak rising:] Say ya name ’till it tremble sweet. [Kojo – chant f:] WHAT YOU GIVE — WE KEEP! [Naira – echo with soft laugh:] What you give … we keep. [drums return with ghost snare; energy builds] [drums erupt • tempo +4 BPM • full choir hum builds] [Naira – belting:] Smoke rise higher! River sing loud! [Kojo – booming counter:] CIRCLE TAKE WHAT’S VOWED! [Naira – runs phrase over his line:] Hear it beat in de belly o’ de drum! [Kojo – roar:] KEEP WHAT COME! KEEP WHAT COME! [choir joins in layered chant “ahh—ahh—ahh—ahh!”] [Naira – full cry:] WHAT YOU GIVE —! [Kojo – over her:] WE KEEP! [drums slam; moment of chaos; flute flare → half-time pulse] [Verse 2 – Temptation (after Threshold)] [hand-claps 2 & 5; percussion busier] [Naira – belt-through-smile:] Love ain’t clean but it shine like wine, sweet on de tongue and burn down fine. [Kojo – half-bar early, grinning:] Pour a drop for de ones behind! [Naira – laugh in beat:] Oh listen how he mind! [band rides pocket; flute riff answers] [Ritual – Climax] [f→ff; hand-drums tight; voices front] [Naira – command tone:] Circle turn! Burn de fear! [Kojo – counterbeat roar:] Beat de drum! Draw dem near! [Naira – belt with rasp:] What you give — we keep! [Kojo – half-bar late, growl:] WE KEEP! [Naira – breathy laugh mid-beat:] You feel that? Mmm yeah you do. [flute spiral • drum drop 1 bar → silence beat] [Collapse / Echo] [tempo returns to 96 BPM • only bass pulse and breathing] [Naira – gasped whisper:] What you give … [Kojo – low echo:] we keep. [choir hum returns like walls breathing] [flute descends slowly into silence] [Outro – The Warning] [pp; fire crackle • bass drone • wind through reeds] [Naira – whisper smile:] Go on now … if ya can find the door. [Kojo – low murmur behind her:] Door move when it hear ya name. [Naira – soft laugh, then hush:] Careful what ya whisper, hm? Sound travel far in de dark. [choir hum returns faintly; flute echoes her last note backward] [both voices distant, overlapping:] We keep … we keep … [everything fades, leaving only a single breath sound]

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