Officer Tom Hanson strolled down the dark streets of Metropolitan, Washington. Amber streetlights and neon signs were the only light. The full moon helped, even if the undercover officer with Jump Street couldn’t see it with all the city lights. A light breeze ruffled his already messy brown hair and sent his black trench coat flapping open.

In the heat of the night
When you know it ain’t right
But you do what you wanna do
You do what you feel
‘Cause no one can feel like you
Out in the summertime city, ain’t it a pity
There’s so much to tie you down
You’re leaving tonight to somewhere you can’t be found

He knew it wasn’t right, but he did what he wanted to—which right now was along the lines of hoping to run into Judy Hoffs—of course, what were the odds of that? But since no one could feel like him, he did what he felt.

Out in the summertime city, walking down the streets, wasn’t it a pity that there was so much to tie him down? Hanson was leaving tonight to somewhere he couldn’t be found.

While down at the edge of town
At a pool hall where they all hang around
You hear them talking about the girls they knew
And talk about what they’re gonna do
Then you ask yourself, is this where you belong
Is it right, or is it wrong
Does it matter what’s right, in the heat of the night

At the edge of town, he slipped into a pool hall where a bunch of high school kids like to hang out—students from his latest case. Tom nonchalantly wandered over to a nearby game to watch, all the while eavesdropping and hoping he could pick up some vital information to his case. So far, all the guys were talking about the girls they knew and what they were gonna do at school tomorrow. Hanson asked himself, Is this where I belong? Is it right, or is it wrong? But did it matter what was right, in the heat of the night?

Out in the streets tonight, under the neon lights
You’re searchin’ for something new
But nothin’ is real, and no one can feel like you
They say that eagles fly in this red hot sky
But were they just passin’ through
Or did they look down, and see what you found was true