So I managed to incorporate your great suggestions into something that almost sounds like music.
Albeit in a different key to better fit the vocal range of the singer...

The progression I finally settled on to return to the original key has the great advantage of making it sound like each chorus is a tone higher than the last (which it isn't), which is often used to build up the song at the end.

Warning: this is a blatantly banal Punk-Pop love song.
So if you come from a jazz or even classical background, your head might explode or your ears might bleed, or both.

You have been warned: Eleanor Lennox: Raccoon in a Dumpster

(and, yes, there is a story behind that strange song title).

Making bits and bytes sound good...

Goldmania Bella - A One-Man Girlband with no fans
Listen on Spotify
Watch on YouTube