Tulsa, Oklahoma sits in a prehistoric lake bed, so there are high hills around the perimeter of the city. When I attended the University of Tulsa, my college friends and I would drive to the Southern Hills part of Tulsa and look at the mansions and "mini-mansions" that had been built with oil money. Each spectacular home had a beautiful view of the entire city below along with the huge Oklahoma sky, full of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. I wondered if the people who lived there had the kind of lives where they could really appreciate the vista of the Pretty City Lights.

 

I decided that the real treasure for anyone's life is the time to watch a sunset or see the outstretched lights of a city, just like the age-old wise saying, "the best things in life are free." I honestly felt sorry for the wealthy people in the mansions who might never have the time to look at the sky or the city.

 

I wrote the song using a little-known Bb tuning on my guitar that I learned from studying Joni Mitchell's guitar tunings. The recording is of a LIVE performance from "The Lighthouse," a short-lived coffeehouse held at The Church of the Apostles in Fairfax, VA in 1987. Accompanying me with guitar and voice is one of my oldest friends, Wade Moroughan — we met when we participated in a folk-guitar music group in high school. Occasionally, I'd phone Wade and ask, "Hey, can we get together and play guitar?" Wade would respond, "Hold on — let me ask my mother."

 

The quality of the live recording of "Pretty City Lights" was so good, I decided to add it to my CD, "Time's Up—Your Move" (pictured above) with the theme of Time and it's value.

Wade Moroughan provides lead guitar (acoustic) and vocal harmonies for this song, recorded live at a coffeehouse.

Pretty City Lights

words and music by Paige Powell      ©2007 Paige E. Powell

1. That cloud over there is beginning to glow

We are the richest people you know

We have the time to watch the skies

We have the hours to fill our eyes

2. Every night the orange sun descends

And you can taste the salt-flavored winds

The clock will tell you to open your eyes

And beg you, please, to see the sunrise

Chorus:  But those people living on top of the hill

No, they never even look at the pretty city lights

Those people living on top of the hill

No, they never even look at the pretty city lights

Those people, those people

They never even look at the pretty city lights

Those pretty city lights

3. When you can hold the hand of the earth

And really know what time is worth

You’ll know that the best things are free

And lift your eyes more frequently (Chorus)

4. Someday you’ll see that the gift is for us all

And you don’t need the money at all

The wealthiest man will never see

The riches of deep tranquility

And he’s one of...   (chorus)