Heatherdale's Heartbeat

[Intro – bright ukulele riff, soft shaker] Sunlight spills on Heatherdale's brick A laugh drifts through the hallway thick [Verse 1 – acoustic guitar, gentle bass line] Keys jangled loose on a worn leather loop A grin that turned every gray day to fruit He'd stop to ask 'bout your kid's soccer game Fix your leaky faucet, no need for fame [Chorus – layered group vocals, tambourine shake] John was the heartbeat of Heatherdale Turned four walls into a fairy tale His smile stuck to you like summer glue Made strangers feel like family, me and you [Verse 2 – ukulele and guitar harmony, light drum beat] He hung holiday lights on every door Brought soup when you could take no more Set up a picnic in the parking lot Said "Neighbors ain't just names, they're what you got" [Chorus – more energetic, handclaps added] John was the heartbeat of Heatherdale Turned cold hallways into a cozy veil His laugh was a song we all knew by heart Turned our little buildings into art [Bridge] He didn't own the land or the roof overhead But he owned every heart in the beds we lay in No title could ever define all he gave Just a man who loved, every single day [Interlude – upbeat acoustic guitar solo, playful ukulele trill] (Instrumental Solo) [Chorus – full band, crowd sing-along vibe] John was the heartbeat of Heatherdale Turned our small world into a big, warm tale His smile still hangs in the morning air Heatherdale's heart will always be there [Outro – fading ukulele, soft group hum] Sunlight still spills on Heatherdale's brick His laugh still drifts through the hallway thick