In the big apple, scars embedded like tattoos
Ghetto love, protection from what's coming at you
Keeping our heads up, maintaining self esteem
And reminiscing on the Harlem Nights scene
We used to party all night
We used to hang out all night like it was all right
Hoping we all might make it through
Doin' what it takes to do to keep it true
I like to reminisce about that night we kissed
It was somewhere in Harlem
The nights were hot and bright, you could treat your honey right
'Coz Sylvia's would burn all night, yeah
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Big sister had a group and they'd sit out on the stoop
And Lordy could they harmonize
My cousin Joe could blow just like the radio
And he used to drove them 'B' girls wild
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Hey yeah
Oh yeah
Hey, yo, the blocks are hot, uptown, you know the spots
Night life where this playa's game is quite tight
One two five where my name's inscribed
Sparkin' trees, avoiding felonies, keepin' it love
Headed for them riches, straight to stardom
Can't forget the struggle, all Brooklyn to Harlem
Dapper Dan's, shows at the Apollo
Harlem days, summertime is my rhyme ya follow
And through the pain, we held on
With more to obtain, more to gain
Ya can't dwell on bad vibes and sad lives we encountered
Take care of self and family, that's what it amounts to
Inhale so you could feel this realness
In New York sound, down with more cats than Felix
Steal this? Yeah, some they may wanna
You can't duplicate the great, I make it warmer
Just like the Harlem world streets we all knew
We coming up this time, we all flow, we all glow
Each one's gotta shing, a better life
That's what each one's gotta find
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times when we would dance all night long
Remember the nights in Harlem
Remember the times we struggled and still held on
Remember the times when we would dance all night long