Chicago Institute - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Way back there an explosion of hope

Hit out hard in a furnace of steel

I thought life was a fire

I thought life was a high time

(I thought life was a fire)

I thought life was a symbol

(I thought life was for livin)

I thought life was for livin

(I thought life was a symbol)

I thought life was a fire

There’s an institute in Chicago

With a room full of machines

And they live this side of the sunrise

And burn away your dreams

Once you fly to Chicago — in Chicago you will die

When that institute in Chicago has recorded you and I There’s an empty house in California

But they’ll always let you in And they’ll make you feel oh so easy

Like you never learned to sin

Oh yeah that’s how they made it how they made it seem so clear

Yes that empty house in California is our brave new world’s machine

At the institute in Chicago from the first day you were born

Oh they just can tell what your feelin

And they can’t see how you’re torn

When your name’s just a number — just a number you will die

Cos that institute in Chicago never knew you were alive

Way back there a reflection of me Turned my head in a circle of time

I thought life was for living (living)

I thought life was a high time (high time)

I thought life was a fire (fire)

I thought life was a symbol (symbol)