When the Street Lights Come On

Mama said, “Go on, get outside now”

We were gone before half past nine

A little change down in my pocket

And that old bicycle of mine

We never knew where we'd be going

We just followed where the day led on

There was only one rule we lived by

Be home when the street lights come on

We ran barefoot through the sprinklers

Climbed every tree that we could find

Played hide-and-seek through all the backyards

Never thinking about the time

We drank cold water from the garden hose

Sat laughing on somebody's lawn

We had all day to find an adventure

Till the street lights came on

When the street lights come on

You better start heading home

You got ten good minutes if you're lucky

So you better not be too far gone

Till then every road was waiting

Every neighborhood was ours to roam

We could go anywhere with anyone

Just be home

When the street lights come on

Some days we'd end up at the corner store

Counting nickels in our hands

Buy a Coke and pass it all around

Like we were rich as any man

We'd catch lightning bugs in Mason jars

Trade stories sitting on the curb

And somehow every kid for blocks around

Knew every other kid

Then that summer sky would start changing

And the shadows would grow long

Somebody'd see that first light flicker

And yell, “Hey, they're coming on!”

Ten kids took off ten directions

Bicycle wheels started flying

You had ten minutes of forgiveness

But eleven was pushing your time

When the street lights come on

You better start heading home

You got ten good minutes if you're lucky

So you better not be too far gone

Till then every road was waiting

Every neighborhood was ours to roam

We could go anywhere with anyone

Just be home

When the street lights come on

Funny, we thought we were just playing

We never knew what we had then

We didn't know those summer evenings

Would someday live inside us again

We didn't know our moms were still young

Or those houses wouldn't always be home

We just knew somebody loved us enough

To want us back when the street lights came on

When the street lights come on

I'd give anything to go home

To hear the screen door swinging

And Mama asking where I'd gone

I'd find every kid from the neighborhood

And ride every street we rode upon

We'd have one more summer adventure

Before the daylight's gone

And when that first light started glowing

I'd know exactly where I belonged

I'd hear my mama call my name

When the street lights come on

Back then they meant the day was over

Now they remind me

Where home was.