[Intro — night ambience only: crickets, distant frogs, soft water against canoe, willow leaves moving in the breeze] [Verse 1 — acoustic guitar enters quietly] Willow hang low where di dark water run Cricket keep time now di daylight done Frog dem answer from di bank somewhere Paddle drip slow through di warm night air Yuh sit one end, mi sit di next Both behaving like we got some sense Then yuh knee touch mine, canoe dip low We both hold still like nobody know [Pre-Chorus — bass enters, percussion begins to sway] Water calm We not so One inch closer And over we go [Chorus — full warm reggae groove] Rock di boat, easy now Want yuh close, but we gotta know how One more inch and we both might swim Still yuh leaning and mi leaning in Rock di boat, hold it straight How much trouble can one kiss make? Willow low and di water slow Tell mi, baby—should we rock di boat? [Instrumental Turn — guitar answer, frogs/crickets remain faint underneath] [Verse 2] Yuh look at mi, then yuh look away Like di moon got something better fi say Breeze move soft through di willow tree Then yuh hand rest close enough to me Canoe rock once when yuh shift yuh side Mi catch di edge, yuh laugh and hide Could move apart, give di boat some room But neither one seem ready fi move [Pre-Chorus] Frog dem call Cricket sing Boat say steady Heart say lean [Chorus] Rock di boat, easy now Want yuh close, but we gotta know how One more inch and we both might swim Still yuh leaning and mi leaning in Rock di boat, hold it straight How much trouble can one kiss make? Willow low and di water slow Tell mi, baby—should we rock di boat? [Bridge — drums drop out; only bass pulse, soft guitar, water and night sounds] Night get quiet Paddle stop One little ripple Tap di boat Yuh move closer Mi don’t move back Canoe tilt soft Then settle flat Could play safe Till we reach dry land Or take one chance And see where we land [Build — hand percussion returns, then full band] [Final Chorus] Rock di boat, easy now Want yuh close and we both know how One more inch and we both might swim Still yuh leaning and mi leaning in Rock di boat, hold it straight How much trouble can one kiss make? Cricket sing and di frogs dem know Willow low and di water slow [Tag — backing voices answer Kade] Kade: Should we rock di boat? Backings: Rock di boat Kade: Should we rock di boat? Backings: Easy now [Outro — instruments fade, leaving water, frogs, crickets, and willow leaves] One little move… And over we go.
