I walk out on my terrace high up in the trees
Take a look at the sunrise take in the sweet breeze
Gazing at the mountains in the morning mist
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of waking up to this
I take a walk on the promenade Shabbat afternoon
The sunlight on the skyline calls to mind an old tune
Night falls and you radiate a halo in the sky
There are always tears in my eyes when I have to say goodbye
I say hey!
I say heey-ey!
The streets of the city come alive tonight
The Old City walls shine golden tonight.
People try to say you belong to someone else
But no matter what they say I’m gonna keep you for myself
People try to hurt you from without and from within
Well let them try but they ain’t ever gonna win
When I was a kid I said I’d be with you next year
But since I saw your face I wanna be with you right here
You are my iron gate and I am your key
You’re the only one with who I wanna be
I say hey!
I say heey-ey!
City of gold, and copper, and light
When I first met you it was love at first sight.
Don’t ever let me forget you no matter how much time goes by
If I ever do let my right hand wither and die
Let my tongue stick in my mouth if I don’t come back to you
I’m at the top of my joy whenever I’m with you
Sing a song Jerusalem, sing a new song
Sing a song about freedom from all who done you wrong
Sing a song Jerusalem, city of gold
Sing a song Jerusalem, the heart of my soul.
©2023 The Hesh Inc.
This is the "short version" of a much longer opus, a paean to the holy city, capital of Israel and the Jewish nation, which I first began writing when I was attending high school there. The original opus, one of the first "epics" I composed, was never recorded, but this shorter version was, by myself and my musical partner Izzy Kieffer, and it was released on Izzy's second album. We also made a video of the song, and performed the song on several occasions at the Israel Day Concert in New York City throughout the 2000s and 2010s.