Track 5 of the album Sunday Clothes, Saturday Night · 2016
Sunday Hymn for the Night Shift
by Nina Vale
“This is the song that tells you where I come from. The choir comes in late, the way it does at the end of a long service.”
soul · gospel soul · choir soul · 3:21
Lyrics
While the whole town sleeps in Sunday blue Somebody's keeping watch The woman at the laundromat The man behind the botch Of the bus that runs till morning The lights that never fade Somebody's keeping on, keeping on So the rest of us can fade Oh, I hear it in the humming Of the engines and the floors Sing it for the night shift Sing it soft and strong Sing it for the ones who stay awake So the world can sleep along Hallelujah to the lamplight Hallelujah to the broom Sing it for the night shift Till the morning fills the room There's a nurse who knows my mother's name A guard who knows the stars A cook who sends a plate of eggs Out to the parking cars Nobody gives them medals Nobody sings their song So I'll sing it with my whole heart And I'll sing it good and long Oh, I hear it in the humming Of the engines and the floors Sing it for the night shift Sing it soft and strong Sing it for the ones who stay awake So the world can sleep along Hallelujah to the lamplight Hallelujah to the broom Sing it for the night shift Till the morning fills the room When the sun comes up all golden And the shift bell finally rings They walk home slow and thankful Carrying quiet things A thermos and a tired smile A tune they didn't choose And the dawn says, here's your thank-you For the sleep you helped us use Sing it for the night shift Sing it soft and strong Sing it for the ones who stay awake So the world can sleep along Hallelujah to the lamplight Hallelujah to the broom Sing it for the night shift Till the morning fills the room Sing it for the night shift Amen, amen, amen