[Intro - 8-bit arpeggios / arcade attract mode voices] “Insert coin…” “Player one ready…” “Round one…” “Level up…” [Verse 1] Friday night at the shopping mall Neon lights and the echoing call Paper route money in my blue jeans pocket Quarter stacks ready like a rocket Sticky floors and the pizza smell Synth bass thumping like a wishing well Walked through smoke and fluorescent haze Straight into those golden days Pac-Man chasin’ ghosts again Galaga bugs descending in Space Invaders marching low Tempest spinning overload [Pre-Chorus] High score flashing on the screen Felt like king at thirteen Every beep and every tone That arcade felt more like home [Chorus] Insert coin, don’t let go CRT electric glow Player one, hearts alive Back in 1985 Level up beneath the lights Living in those pixel nights Joystick dreams and laser sounds Lost and never wanna be found [Verse 2] Donkey Kong barrels rolling fast Frogger trying not to crash Spy Hunter on a midnight run TRON light cycles burning sun Star Wars vectors in the dark Digitized explosions sparked Token clatter, bonus life Living for those neon nights Cabinet art and chrome-lined trim Every screen pulled us in One more quarter, one more game Everybody knew your name [Pre-Chorus - keep same structure from previous pre-chorus] Crowds around the Dragon’s Lair Cheering like the county fair If your initials hit that board You became the arcade Lord! [Chorus] Insert coin, don’t let go CRT electric glow Player one, hearts alive Back in 1985 Level up beneath the lights Living in those pixel nights Joystick dreams and laser sounds Lost and never wanna be found [Vocoded Bridge - Filtered robotic vocals over pulsing synth bass] We were kings beneath the neon glow Quarter hearts in an 8-bit world Every extra life felt infinite Every Friday night rewrote the code Digital dreams in fluorescent haze Ghosts inside the arcade maze If I close my eyes, I still can hear “Player one is waiting…” [Final Chorus] Insert coin, one more time Freeze this moment in my mind Quarter moons and colored lights Summer arcade nights Continue? Yeah, I still do Those memories never faded through High score hearts still beating strong Inside every old-school song [Outro - Fading chiptune melody / arcade ambience] “INSERT COIN” “LEVEL UP” “EXTRA LIFE” “FINAL ROUND” “YOU WIN!” “GAME OVER” “CONTINUE?” “TRY AGAIN”
