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Spoken version
A recorded reading of “River Market”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
Baskets ride the air; colours rush like sugar. Paper notes flutter; music hides in every pocket. Come taste, come try; the sky is a ladder of voices. Buy here, sing near; good cheer, no fear. Copper coins, mango skin, feet tapping the band awake. Spice spins circles in warm hands; the whole street stands to clap. Horns reply, then feet fly; left side, ay-yo! right side, let’s go! Buy here, sing near; good cheer, no fear; the whistle ties a bow on the afternoon and lets it drift.
Instructional lyrics
[Intro: pennywhistle hook + market foley] (Cha-cha-cha) baskets sway. [Verse 1] Baskets high, colours fly, sugar on the air. Paper notes flutter; music everywhere. [Pre-Chorus] Come taste! Come try! Voices climb the sky. [Chorus] Buy here, sing near Good cheer, no fear Buy here, sing near Good cheer, no fear [Verse 2] Copper coins, mango skins, shoes tap to the band. Spices spin circles in every hand. [Pre-Chorus] Clap back, talk back—rhythm in our hands. (Clap—clap) the whole street stands. [Instrumental: whistle calls, brass answers] (Dee-dee-doo) horns reply. (Dee-dee-doo) feet fly. [Bridge: drum/handclap breakdown] [Leader:] Left side! [Crowd:] (Ay-yo!) [Leader:] Right side! [Crowd:] (Let’s go!) [Chorus] Buy here, sing near Good cheer, no fear Buy here, sing near Good cheer, no fear [Outro: whistle tag with horn fall] (Doo—doo—doo)
Song info
Kwela/Marabi party, 106 BPM, D major; pennywhistle lead, marabi piano triplets, offbeat guitar syncopated rhythms, log-drum thump, congas, bright horn stabs; plate 1.2 s; slapback lead. Arr: V1 → Pre (vendor calls) → chorus ≤0:36 → V2 → Pre → Chorus → Chorus → Instrumental kwela loop → Bridge (chant over drums) → Final Chorus → Final Chorus.
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