Ferris wheel turns in the fading light
Carousels hum through a summer night
Cotton candy clouds drift slow and sweet
Children’s laughter running down the street

I hear a trumpet from the bandstand sway
Couples dancing while the skyline plays

Carnival in Central Park at dusk
The lights blink gold, and the air smells of trust
Every step is a promise the night’s begun
We’re chasing the hours ‘til we catch the sun

Hot pretzel stand by the carousel ring
Balloons on ribbons, bright as spring
Your hand in mine through the crowd we weave
Past the jugglers and the men with sleeves

We stop for a kiss near the painted gate
The world slows down, but the music won’t wait

Carnival in Central Park at dusk
The lights blink gold, and the air smells of trust
Every step is a promise the night’s begun
We’re chasing the hours ‘til we catch the sun

Lanterns swaying in the evening breeze
Horse hooves clop down the cobblestone streets
Fireflies spark where the shadows bend
And the laughter feels like it’ll never end

Carousel horses with their painted eyes
Look like they’re keeping the city’s skies
We buy one last ticket for the Ferris wheel
And the world spins round on a painted seal

We rise above where the music plays
The whole night spread like a cabaret

Carnival in Central Park at dusk
The lights blink gold, and the air smells of trust
Every step is a promise the night’s begun
We’re chasing the hours ‘til we catch the sun

We’re chasing the hours… chasing the hours…

‘Til we catch that early morning Coney Island sun…

Velvet ropes at the corner of Lenox and 142nd
Marquee glow and the smell of gin
Taxi doors slam, heels on the floor
Feathers and sequins spill through the door

The doorman grins, tips his hat just so
Says, “Step right in, where the good times go”

Cotton Club rush on a Saturday night
Trumpets blaze under gold stage light
Every step pulls me into the sound
In the Cotton Club rush, the world spins ‘round

Bandstand jumps with a Duke Ellington swing
Clarinet laughter and the trombones sing
Tables of dreamers in a champagne haze
Every glance like a spark that stays

A waiter glides through the crowded floor
Balancing silver just like before

Cotton Club rush on a Saturday night
Trumpets blaze under gold stage light
Every step pulls me into the sound
In the Cotton Club rush, the world spins ‘round

Couples sway where the spotlight turns
Each note’s a candle, each heart still burns
A high hat shuffle and the bass walks low
And the whole room moves in a velvet glow

Singer in satin takes the midnight cue
Voice so smooth, cuts the smoke right through
You lean in close and you steal my hand
And we two-step slow while the brass band stands

Cotton Club rush on a Saturday night
Trumpets blaze under gold stage light
Every step pulls me into the sound
In the Cotton Club rush, the world spins ‘round

In the Cotton Club rush… the world spins ‘round…

Chrome door swings, and you take my hand
City lights glitter like they’ve all been planned
Champagne smile and a velvet coat
We slide inside and the engine floats

Driver tips his hat in the rearview glow
Broadway’s humming like it’s in the know

Limo to tomorrow, with the night still young
Every street’s a promise, every song’s unsung
Neon dreams in the cab’s soft light
And it’s only nine at night

Windows down, let the cool air play
Taxi horns sing in a bright ballet
You lean close, tell a secret tune
While the skyline dances with the silver moon

We pass the marquees where the crowds spill wide
This city’s a waltz and we’re along for the ride

Limo to tomorrow, with the night still young
Every street’s a promise, every song’s unsung
Neon dreams in the cab’s soft light
And it’s only nine at night

Uptown whispers, downtown calls
We’re a spark that’s running through the city walls
Tuxedo laughter and a silk glove touch
Every turn feels like too much’s not enough

We’ll chase the music where the doors swing free
From Harlem beats to the East Side sea
This ride’s a ribbon we can’t untie
Every moment’s a stairway to the sky

Limo to tomorrow, with the night still young
Every street’s a promise, every song’s unsung
Neon dreams in the cab’s soft light
And it’s only nine at night

It’s only nine at night…
And the night’s still ours to write…

We step from the elevator into the warm night air
The hum of the city’s heartbeat drifts upward from the street below
String lights sway between brick chimneys
And the first trumpet note finds us in the crowd

Your hand rests at the small of my back
Guiding me toward the dance floor made of tar and starlight
A waiter in white gloves glides past with a tray of champagne
The glasses clink like little bursts of applause

The piano rolls out a playful run
And the bass walks steady, keeping our steps in line
You lean close, whispering something half-lost to the music
But your smile tells me it’s worth agreeing to

A breeze curls through, lifting the hem of my dress
You spin me into the amber glow of the bulbs
Someone laughs behind us — the sound becomes part of the rhythm
The night smells faintly of lilac and cigarette smoke

The skyline leans in as if it wants to watch
Windows blinking gold, a thousand secret lives at once
Your shoes scuff in time with mine
Each turn tighter, each step more certain than the last

We drift near the edge, where the city stretches forever
Yellow cabs sliding below like fireflies in slow motion
You rest your forehead to mine for just a breath
And the world seems to hush, waiting for the next beat

A clarinet solo flirts with the dark
Notes climbing and dipping like rooftop swallows
You laugh low, pulling me back into motion
And my heels tap out a story the bass already knows

The song winds down but we don’t stop moving
The pianist nods, starting again just for us
Above, the moon takes its place in the spotlight
And we dance until the city forgets the hour

The street is sleeping, the moon leans low  
Your hand finds mine, we’re in no rush to go  
One horn playing in the silver shade  
And our hearts keep time in a serenade  

No one’s watching, no one near  
Only the night and the song we hear  
Side street serenade… just me and you  
Beneath the lamplight’s golden hue

Arcadia martinis in a silver glow
Where the band plays soft and the evenings slow
Crystal catching every laugh we make
In the Arcadia, hearts are ours to take

Velvet drapes frame the mirrored wall
Gold sconces shimmer like they’ve seen it all
Waiters glide with a practiced grace
And every table’s a little private place

You slide a glass across to me
Olive shimmering like a secret key
The gin is crisp, the vermouth a sigh
And your gaze feels warmer than the candlelight nearby

A couple waltzes past our chairs
Their shoes whispering across the marble stairs
The piano trills like a sly remark
And the bass hums low, rich, and dark

I taste the drink, smooth and cold
The rim kissed faint with a ring of gold
We speak in half-thoughts, knowing smiles
The kind that stretch these nights for miles

Your fingers tap to the drummer’s brush
In the quiet between notes, I feel the rush
We’re a toast unspoken, a spark in disguise
The night’s reflected in your steady eyes

Arcadia martinis in a silver glow
Where the band plays soft and the evenings slow
Crystal catching every laugh we make
In the Arcadia, hearts are ours to take

One last sip, and the band leans in
The next dance waits where the lights grow thin
And somewhere past midnight, I’ll know it’s true—
Every song in the Arcadia feels like you

The clock strikes twelve, and the doors swing wide
Mambo drums pull us inside
Sequins shimmer, heels tap the beat
The floor is alive with a hundred dancing feet

Palladium waltz under midnight light
Every turn pulls you into sight
We sway to the rhythm, hearts in time
In the Palladium waltz, your hand’s in mine

Brass horns flare like a sudden flame
Calling out lovers by their first name
The congas answer with a steady call
And the night feels endless for us all

Palladium waltz under midnight light
Every turn pulls you into sight
We sway to the rhythm, hearts in time
In the Palladium waltz, your hand’s in mine

Your shoulder brushes mine, and we fall in sync
Past the tables lined with champagne and ink
The air is warm with the scent of wine
And the band plays on like the world’s divine

Palladium waltz under midnight light
Every turn pulls you into sight
We sway to the rhythm, hearts in time
In the Palladium waltz, your hand’s in mine

We spin through the shadows and into the glow
The room tilts soft, and the tempo slows
Eyes meet eyes as the brass dies down
The moment lingers while the crowd spins ‘round

Palladium waltz under midnight light
Every turn pulls you into sight
We sway to the rhythm, hearts in time
In the Palladium waltz, your hand’s in mine

In the Palladium waltz… your hand’s in mine…

The Palladium Waltz...

The curtain falls, but the band still plays
A softer tune for the lingering stays
We’re swaying slow, shoes light on the floor
Caught in the glow of the after encore

You take my hand, we leave the crowd’s hum
Toward a small table where the shadows come
Candlelight flickers on linen white
And the city feels far from sight

After the encore, the night breathes low
Every word’s a song only we could know
In the hush between the clink of glass
We’re holding the hours we can’t let pass

A waiter appears with a friendly smile
We order champagne, maybe stay awhile
The cork pops soft, and the bubbles rise
Like little lanterns in your eyes

Plates arrive with a silver gleam
Steak for you, dessert for me
The scent of coffee drifts through the air
And time forgets we’re even there

Your laughter leans close, warm and light
I watch the candle catch your face just right
And every toast is a quiet rhyme
To the way you’ve kept my heart in time

After the encore, the night breathes low
Every word’s a song only we could know
In the hush between the clink of glass
We’re holding the hours we can’t let pass

We speak of nights that came before
Of friends and songs and open doors
The band’s last notes drift through the haze
Like the echo of our younger days

Around us, the tables empty slow
But we’re not ready yet to go
We linger on in the candle’s glow
Letting the last of the champagne flow

After the encore, the night breathes low
Every word’s a song only we could know
In the hush between the clink of glass
We’re holding the hours we can’t let pass

The stage lights fade, but our story stays
After the encore, our song still plays

The stage lights fade... after the encore...

We step from the cab into the hush of the old street
The stones beneath our shoes slick from a late summer rain
Lanterns lean from brick facades, casting gold in the puddles
And somewhere far off, a saxophone sighs

You take my arm, leading me past shuttered cafes
Their chalkboard menus ghosted in the lamplight
A baker’s window still warm with the smell of bread
While the city sleeps just beyond the corner

Two men in fedoras share a quiet laugh
Outside a door marked only by a painted star
The hum of their voices joins the night air
Like another layer of the serenade

We pause near the square where ivy climbs the walls
A guitarist sits on a stoop, playing low and sweet
The notes tumble between us like polished stones
And I feel them settle deep into the folds of memory

[Instrumental – warm jazz guitar solo, slow and romantic, echoing through the empty street, 8 bars]

You drop a coin in his case and tip your hat
He nods without breaking the song
And we move on, past the shadows
Where a cat slips silent through an alley arch

A church bell marks the hour, soft but sure
It echoes along the narrow lanes
And I wonder if these stones remember
Every footstep that’s ever passed this way

We find a bench under a tree in the small square
The branches above us tangled like the night itself
You lean back, close your eyes, and smile
While I listen to the last bars of the street’s lullaby

The rain begins again, gentle and warm
Dotting the cobbles like silver notes
We rise without speaking, and start toward the water
Letting the serenade follow us down the curve of the street

It’s 3 AM, and the last streetcar waits
A gentle hum through the iron gates
We step aboard, just you and me
Windows fogged from the midnight sea

Wooden seats creak as the wheels start slow
Through the quiet streets where the lamplights glow

The last streetcar of the night
Rolling soft through the silver light
Past the porches and the empty squares
To a place where the ocean’s air still cares

Curtains drawn in the houses we pass
Only a flicker through the frosted glass
A lone streetlight in a narrow lane
Shines on the cobbles still wet from rain

The rails hum low like a lullaby
While the city fades behind our eyes

The last streetcar of the night
Rolling soft through the silver light
Past the porches and the empty squares
To a place where the ocean’s air still cares

The tracks bend east where the sky grows pale
And the boardwalk sighs with a salted tale
Coney Island waits in a gentle hush
The sand still warm from the midnight’s brush

No voices here, just the sea’s soft moan
And the feeling that we’re finally alone

The last streetcar of the night
Rolling soft through the silver light
Past the porches and the empty squares
To a place where the ocean’s air still cares

We step to the shore where the rain’s just gone
And the night hands over to the coming dawn

Coffee steam curls into sleepy air  
Your laugh’s the only thing I hear in there  
City yawns on the other side of glass  
But in this little booth, time can’t pass  

Every sip, every smile, feels like home to me  
In the hush of the Before the Dawn Café  
Where the night still lingers, but the day peeks through  
And the world feels new… with you

The boardwalk’s quiet under faded lights
Only the tide moves in the edge of night
We find a bench where the sea can’t see
And you pull out postcards you’ve kept for me

Pictures of Paris in the morning haze
Cafés and bridges and rain-washed days

Postcards from Paris, sent from our start
Every line written straight from the heart
We read them again in the salt-kissed air
And it’s almost like we’re still there

You hand me one with the Louvre in gold
Another shows streets where the chestnuts sold
I laugh at the smudge where the ink had run
The night we danced past the river’s hum

We rise from the bench, take a slow promenade
Through an empty pier where the arcades fade

Postcards from Paris, sent from our start
Every line written straight from the heart
We read them again in the salt-kissed air
And it’s almost like we’re still there

We pretend we’re back on the Champs-Élysées
With a saxophone playing a twilight sway
I twirl in your arms in the streetlamp glow
Like the first time we let the whole world know

The memory’s warm as the first June light
And it dances with us through the Brooklyn night

Postcards from Paris, sent from our start
Every line written straight from the heart
We read them again in the salt-kissed air
And it’s almost like we’re still there

Back on the bench where the postcards lie
The sea keeps our secrets, the night drifts by
And I still hear that saxophone’s refrain
Calling us back to Paris again

A silver cart hums by the old arcade
Steam curling up where the coffee’s made
We take two sandwiches, warm in our hands
And wander the boardwalk’s quiet sands

Silk and shadows, the night still near
But the promise of morning is drawing clear
We dance in the hush where the tide’s low call
Wraps the whole world in nothing at all

We eat as we walk past the shuttered rides
Laughing at nothing, hearts open wide
A carousel horse leans into the dark
Like it’s waiting to join our midnight spark

Silk and shadows, the night still near
But the promise of morning is drawing clear
We dance in the hush where the tide’s low call
Wraps the whole world in nothing at all

Your song drifts soft through the ocean breeze
A tune from Paris with notes that tease
We spin once more on the empty pier
Till the first gold light says the day is here

Silk and shadows, the night still near
But the promise of morning is drawing clear
We dance in the hush where the tide’s low call
Wraps the whole world in nothing at all

And the sun breaks over the city’s spine
Marking the end of a night that was mine

The boardwalk glows in the first day’s light
Shadows stretching, soft and white
We check the clock by the old café
It’s six a.m., and the night slips away

The ocean sighs as the gulls take flight
And the sky blooms gold over fading night

Coney Island sunrise, the world wakes slow
Every step home through the warm sea glow
Our night’s still singing in the quiet air
But the city calls, and we know it’s there

Men in suits with their papers in hand
Stride toward trains as the day’s begun
Women in dresses, their coffee steam
Walking their dogs through the morning gleam

We linger behind, our pace still free
While the streets fill up with reality

Coney Island sunrise, the world wakes slow
Every step home through the warm sea glow
Our night’s still singing in the quiet air
But the city calls, and we know it’s there

We turn the last corner to our own front door
Shoes in our hands on the quiet floor
The rooms are dim, but the dawn spills through
And the night we’ve lived belongs to you

Coney Island sunrise, the world wakes slow
Every step home through the warm sea glow
Our night’s still singing in the quiet air
But the city calls, and we know it’s there

And we close our eyes while the day begins
Dreaming of where the next night spins

Sunlight’s spilling on an empty street
Your coat draped warm over me
Shadows long where the lamplight slept
Every promise we meant still kept

And the night is gone, but it stays in our bones
In the laughter and whispers the daylight won’t know
One more kiss in the golden glow
Before the morning lets us go

Storefront glass catching silver sky
We walk slow, no need to try
The city yawns, the world moves on
But I’m still dancing to our song

And the night is gone, but it stays in our bones
In the laughter and whispers the daylight won’t know
One more kiss in the golden glow
Before the morning lets us go

Before the morning lets us… go