Friday Night
Gilbert Brantley Lyrics

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This city's looking like a ghost town
All the stores downtown they've been closing down
Yeah, the only lights that shine for miles
Are lighting up the sky above memorial drive

And if you want a seat you better come on down
'Cause when the band fires up that old glory sound
This is the moment we've all been waiting for

Lining them up, and the whistle blows

This ain't no game around here
It's more like religion
We've bet this thing right here
A football tradition
So everybody get up
And feast your eyes
On the highlight of small town life
It's Friday night

And winning state would be a miracle
Man, we did it back in '54
And if the baptist church prayed Sunday morning
We might just stand a chance with the help of the Lord

This is ain't no game around here
It's more like religion
We've bet this thing right here
A football tradition
So, everybody get up
And feast your eyes
On the highlight of small town life
It's Friday night

And now the stadium's quiet
Standing here alone on this old 50 yard line
If I listen close I can hear battle cries
Of all the heroes come and gone before I was alive
The memories of fourth and three
Now that rival game is coming back to me
It meant more than a big state ring
If we could do it again it'd never be the same
Remember the lights and the butterflies
Giving it all just one last time
Because heroes are remembered but dragons never die

This is ain't no game around here
It's more like religion
We've bet this thing right here
A football tradition
So, everybody get up
And feast your eyes
On the highlight of small town life
It's Friday night

Come on

Overall Meaning

The song "Friday Night" by Gilbert Brantley is a heartfelt tribute to small town life, where High School football is much more than just a game. The lyrics vividly describe the atmosphere on a typical Friday evening in a small American town, where all the stores downtown have been closed down, and the only lights that shine for miles are those lighting up the sky above Memorial Drive. However, despite the apparent emptiness of the streets, things are far from quiet.

The singer of the song invites us to come down to the stadium, where the band is firing up that old glory sound, and the crowd is lining up, waiting for the game to start. To them, football is more than just a game, it's a religion, a tradition, and a way of life. Winning state would be a miracle, but they've done it before in 1954. And with the help of the Lord, and some fervent prayers from the local Baptist church, they might just do it again.

As the game progresses, memories of past victories come flooding back, and the stadium reverberates with the cheers and battle cries of all the heroes who have come and gone over the years. For the inhabitants of this small town, football is much more than a sport, it's a way to immortalize their community, to keep the memories of their heroes alive, and to feel like they're a part of something bigger than themselves. In this sense, the game itself becomes a metaphor for life: a hard-fought battle filled with triumphs and defeats, where heroes are remembered, but dragons never die.

Overall, "Friday Night" is a touching tribute to the resilience, camaraderie, and spirit of small town America, and a reminder of the importance of tradition, community, and faith.

Line by Line Meaning

This city's looking like a ghost town
The city is almost abandoned and empty, as most shops in the downtown area have closed.

Yeah, the only lights that shine for miles Are lighting up the sky above memorial drive
There are no other noteworthy lights visible, except for the ones illuminating the Memorial Drive area.

And if you want a seat you better come on down 'Cause when the band fires up that old glory sound This is the moment we've all been waiting for Lining them up, and the whistle blows
If you want to attend the game, you better hurry up and get here. The game is about to begin and we are excited to hear the national anthem followed by the start of the game.

This ain't no game around here It's more like religion We've bet this thing right here A football tradition So everybody get up And feast your eyes On the highlight of small town life It's Friday night
The people in this small town take football very seriously. It isn't just a game; it's more like a religious experience and a deeply rooted tradition for the whole community. Everyone should come and enjoy this special highlight of small town life on a Friday night.

And winning state would be a miracle Man, we did it back in '54 And if the baptist church prayed Sunday morning We might just stand a chance with the help of the Lord
Winning the state championship would be an amazing feat, almost like a miracle. The town has won before, in 1954, and if everyone in the church prays for their success, they might have a good chance of winning again with the help of the Lord.

And now the stadium's quiet Standing here alone on this old 50 yard line If I listen close I can hear battle cries Of all the heroes come and gone before I was alive
The stadium is now silent as everyone has gone home. The singer is standing alone on the field, and if he listens closely, he can almost hear the cheers and shouts of all the former players who have given their all for the team before he was even born.

The memories of fourth and three Now that rival game is coming back to me It meant more than a big state ring If we could do it again it'd never be the same Remember the lights and the butterflies Giving it all just one last time Because heroes are remembered but dragons never die
The singer recalls a particularly exciting play from a previous game, and how the upcoming rival game is bringing all those memories back. Winning that game meant more than winning the state championship. If they could go back and do it again, it would never be the same. The singer remembers the excitement of playing under the lights and the nervous anticipation of giving everything they had for one last time. Even though heroes may be remembered, the legacy of the team lives on forever.

Come on
The singer is urging everyone to come and experience the excitement of a small town football game on a Friday night.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brantley Keith Gilbert

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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