City Lights, Island Nights

Intro

Build

Instrumental

Verse 1 — 8 bars

Sun gone down, now the town start glow,

Neon reflections pon the wet cobblestone,

Sisters in colour, brothers in style,

Bassline rolling for a country mile.

DJ spin the vinyl, let the riddim climb,

We leave the worry and the weight behind,

From rooftop laughter to the midnight tide,

One love, one vibe, everybody ride.

Pre-chorus — bass builds

When the moon get bright and the rhythm call,

No division, no border, just love for all—

Chorus — 4 bars

City lights, island nights, we dancing till the morning light,

Feel the bass, feel the grace, everything is feeling right,

One more tune, one more move, let the good vibes ignite,

City lights, island nights—tonight we shine so bright.

Verse 2 — 8 bars

Street food smoke and a sweet cold drink,

Strangers become family quicker than you think,

Old man skank with a knowing smile,

Younger generation learning the style.

From Kingston corner to the London scene,

The same heartbeat running through the machine,

No rush, no stress, just the moment we own,

A little piece of heaven on the late-night road.

Bridge — tempo shifts, bass drops

Ease up now... let the bassline breathe,

Every generation got a story to leave,

Drop it low... let the whole place move,

When the riddim talk, the people improve.

Final chorus — 4 bars

City lights, island nights, we dancing till the morning light,

Feel the bass, feel the grace, everything is feeling right,

One more tune, one more move, let the good vibes ignite,

City lights, island nights—tonight we shine so bright.

Outro — bass fades

When the sun come back and the streets go still,

We carry the rhythm, and we always will

Verse 3 — horns answer every line

Morning come creeping but we no go home,

Horn section call and the people dem know,

Riddim still running like a river through town,

We nah stop move till the sun burn down.

Patois pon the mic, every word hit strong,

Whole a wi singing the same sweet song,

From the elders dem wisdom to the youth dem flame,

Every soul present a call out mi name.

Pre-chorus — strings rise

So when the trumpet sound and the drum dem roll,

Every heart in the yard find a common soul—

Chorus — 4 bars

Rise up now, island sound, we a lift the whole place off the ground,

Blow the horn, beat the drum, tell the world we overcome,

One more chant, one more stand, victory is in our hand,

Rise up now, island sound—we a wear the crown we found.

Post-Chorus

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise (we a rise),

Oh-oh-oh, touch the skies (touch the skies),

Oh-oh-oh, no disguise (no disguise),

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise.

Verse 4 — ragga flow, patois heavy

Mi say watch how the youth dem a hold up the torch,

From the hills to the harbour, from the church to the porch,

Nuh badda with the fussing, nuh badda with the fight,

Riddim a the medicine, healing through the night.

Selecta pull it up, make the whole crowd bawl,

Every hand in the air, every heart stand tall,

Grandmother a wine with a smile pon her face,

Generations in a circle, no one out of place.

Bridge — dub section, bass and horns spar

Drop it in dub… let the echo dem talk,

Horn man a answer while the bassline walk,

Slow it down low… let the strings dem cry,

Then we lift it back up to the sky—

Lift it up! Lift it up! Let the people dem fly!

Final Chorus — triumphant, full horns and strings

Rise up now, island sound, we a lift the whole place off the ground,

Blow the horn, beat the drum, tell the world we overcome,

One more chant, one more stand, victory is in our hand,

Rise up now, island sound—we a wear the crown we found.

Post-Chorus

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise (we a rise),

Oh-oh-oh, touch the skies (touch the skies),

Oh-oh-oh, no disguise (no disguise),

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise.

Verse 5 — reflective, roots reggae, strings swell

Now the morning sun settle pon the quiet street,

Feet still a tingle from the riddim and the heat,

Every face we pass carry something we gave,

A little bit of freedom that the music save.

So when them ask we where the joy come from,

Tell them 'bout the night when the whole town sung,

Bout the horn, bout the drum, bout the love we spread,

Bout the song that keep living long after we dead.

Outro — horns fade, strings hold, bass walks away

One love… one heart… one sound…

Rise up now… we a rise…

(We a rise)

Rise up now… we a rise…

(We a rise)

When the trumpet call again, you know where

Verse 6 — deejay style, horns punctuate

Wheel it back one time, make the speaker dem sweat,

Whole a di village dem nuh ready fi forget,

Pickney pon shoulder wid a flag inna hand,

Elder dem a smile cause dem finally understand.

Sound boy a juggle and the crowd a respond,

Love a di currency and unity di bond,

Nuh care 'bout di border, nuh care 'bout di sea,

Every tribe, every tongue is a family to mi.

Pre-Chorus — strings climb

When di horn dem blow and di drum dem beat,

Every soul inna di street find a common heat—

Chorus — anthemic, full horns

Stand up tall, island call, we a never let the fire fall,

Blow the horn, beat the drum, tell di world we overcome,

One more chant, one more stand, victory is in our hand,

Stand up tall, island call—we a wear the crown fi all.

Post-Chorus

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise (we a rise),

Oh-oh-oh, touch the skies (touch the skies),

Oh-oh-oh, no disguise (no disguise),

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise.

Verse 7 — dancehall bounce, call and response

(Watch it now) Step to di left, step to di right,

(Dance again) Whole a di yard a move inna di light,

(Tell dem) From di east to di west, everybody confess,

(Sing it) Riddim a di reason why wi heart feel blessed.

Young gyal a skank wid a joy inna she eye,

Ol' school a hold up a fist to di sky,

Nuh badda wid di quarrel, nuh badda wid di grudge,

Music a di judge and di music nuh budge.

Bridge — dub section, bass walks, horns spar

Drop it inna dub… mek di echo dem roll,

Horn man a cry while di bassline console,

Slow it down low… mek di string dem a moan,

Then we lift it back up to di throne—

Lift it up! Lift it up! Mek di people dem own!

Instrumental — horn solo, strings swell

Verse 8 — roots reggae, reflective and triumphant

Now di sun pon di rooftop a paint everything gold,

Every story we carry a story worth told,

From di market a morning to di dance in di night,

Same riddim a hold us, same fire, same light.

So we nuh go quiet, we nuh go hide,

We a carry di message wid pride pon wi side,

When di trumpet call again in a hundred year time,

You wi hear we a sing from di top a di climb.

Pre-Chorus — strings and horns together

So when di drum dem roll and di horn dem sing,

Every heart inna di world feel di very same thing—

Chorus — triumphant, full ensemble

Stand up tall, island call, we a never let the fire fall,

Blow the horn, beat the drum, tell di world we overcome,

One more chant, one more stand, victory is in our hand,

Stand up tall, island call—we a wear the crown fi all.

Post-Chorus

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise (we a rise),

Oh-oh-oh, touch the skies (touch the skies),

Oh-oh-oh, no disguise (no disguise),

Oh-oh-oh, we a rise.

Verse 9 — ragga flow, patois heavy, horns answer

Mi say listen to di bass weh a talk to yuh chest,

Every wound inna yuh heart find a place fi rest,

Nuh badda with di envy, nuh badda with di hate,

Love a di only thing weh wi celebrate.

Selecta pull it up and di whole place a bawl,

Every hand inna di air, every back 'gainst di wall,

Grandaddy a dance wid a tear inna eye,

Generations in a circle and nobody shy.

Outro — horns fade, strings hold, bass walks away

One love… one heart… one sound…

Stand up tall… we a rise…

(We a rise)

Stand up tall… we a rise…

(We a rise)

When di trumpet call again, you know where we will be,

Under one sky, one island, one family.

One island… one family…

(One family)