Story Behind The Song

Inspired by the fleeting nature of youth, City Lights reflects on how quickly life passes and how the smallest moments often become the memories we treasure most.

Song Description

City Lights may be my favorite song I've written so far. It was also the second song where I intentionally applied the songwriting techniques I learned from Music Row vet, Mason Douglas. I started with the hook/chorus first, and then wrote the verses and transition from the top. That isn't my natural writing style. Most songs arrive as if they're already in motion, and I instinctively write from beginning to end, following the story as it unfolds. The chorus came to me late one night while I was sitting on the porch swing on my balcony, quietly taking in the night sky and reflecting. That peaceful moment became the emotional center of the song.

Lyrics

Verse:
Nineteen, sitting around
With high school friends
Laughing as we sung off key
Rocking out to whatever was in

Top of our lungs, we were having fun
Chasing love, chasing the ones who'd run
Cruising in cars, radio up
Talking bout nothing, living it up

Transition:
But youth turned to old memories
And small towns turned to city streets
And sometimes I think about where they are
This Texas sky doesn't make it feel so far

Chorus:
I'm out here beneath these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon

I'm out here with these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon

Verse:
On my brother's room floor playing his CDs
Talking bout our goals and our biggest dreams
To leave this town to look for more
California was on his small town heart

We joked about the trivial things
In his old blue truck sipping Sonic drinks
Broke, but richer than we ever knew
Now, I'm Austin bound ...
... And he's gone too soon

Transition:
Our youth turned to old memories
And small towns turned to city streets
And sometimes when I see the stars
The sky connects me to where you are

Chorus:
I'm out here beneath these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon

I'm out here with these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon

Bridge:
The days move fast, years become
Stories shared about our loved ones
The dreams we've chased, things we've done
The kids we've raised, now out there having fun

Like we did once

Transition:
Cause youth turns to old memories
And small towns turn to city streets
And sometimes a long look at the stars
Connects us back to who we are

Chorus:
I'm out here beneath these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon

I'm out here with these city lights
I could stay out here all night
Tossing wishes to the moon
For time not to end so soon