Afterglow

The story

Everyone on that rooftop ended up on the record. The gang vocal at the end is nine half-asleep friends singing the chorus into one microphone while the sun came up — first take, slightly out of tune, perfect. The band re-recorded their parts around it later and never managed to improve on the feeling.

It is the traditional set closer. When the last chord fades, the house lights stay down for a full ten seconds — a small ritual the crew guards fiercely.

“Afterglow on the rooftop tiles,
we stayed up talking miles and miles.
The city dims, the sky goes pale —
love's the only lasting tale.”

Chorus · words & music by Vera Ellis