Hot Night

© 2014  J Oscar Bittinger

High Summer
Too warm in the kitchen
To sit and listen to the radio
Night comin’
Wipe the sweat from your neck
That you get
Even when you’re moving slow

On a hot night
A hot night
A hot night like this

In the sticky humid air
Can’t afford any more than an old fan on the floor
By the window
Lights out everywhere
Even lovers don’t lay
Near on the pillow

On a hot night
A hot night
A hot night like this

Ooh, ooh – Try to sleep
Ooh, ooh – Escape the heat
Ooh, ooh –  Toss and turn
Ooh, ooh – While the dreaming city burns!

On a hot night like this
Arguments and cries
All get magnified
From the street below
You wanna cool drink to be fixed
Splash your face at the sink
Try to think where you gonna go

And you wish that it would rain
Cool the streets that feel like flame
Clouds crowd the sky
But things don’t seem to change
On a hot night
A hot night
A hot night like this

EDITS: 1982: Summer | 1999: Summer | 2001: Aug 6, 10 | 2004 | 2012: June 23; July 4, 13,16-18, 27 | 2013: Feb, 23; June 22 | 2014:  Jun 10, 28