City Lights by Bill Anderson "'City Lights' was the first song I ever wrote that was a commercial success. I was living in a little three-storey apartment building in the town of Commerce, Georgia, at the time. I was only 19 years old, and I was going to school at the University of Georgia, working part-time as a disc jockey in Commerce. I went out on top of the hotel one night, and I was looking down at the lights of the town. It was a very clear night and as I looked up at the stars, I started with the second verse, 'The world was dark and God made stars to brighten up the night; did the God who put those stars above make those city lights?' I wrote it as a question. Ray Price changed it later but I was asking could that same God who made the stars that were so beautiful and clean make the lights of the town which sometimes tended to be dirty?" —Bill Anderson City Lights The bright array of city lights as far as I can see The Great White Way shines through the night for lonely guys like me The cabarets and honky tonks, their flashing signs invite A broken heart to lose itself in the glow of city lights. Lights that say "Forget her in a glass of sherry wine" Lights that offer other girls for empty hearts like mine They paint a pretty picture of a world that's gay and bright But it's just a mask for loneliness behind those city lights. The world was dark, and God made stars to brighten up the night Did the God who put those stars above make those city lights? Did he make a place for men to cry when things don't turn out right? Are we just supposed to run and hide behind those city lights? Lights that say "Forget her love in a different atmosphere" Lights that lure are nothing but a masquerade for tears They paint a pretty picture, but my arms can't hold them tight And I just can't say "I love you" to a street of city lights. Buy the song City Lights