Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Chicago Institute lyrics

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 yes it's how they made it, how they made it seem so clean 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't tell what you're feelin' And they can't see how you're torn When your name's just a number - just a number you will die 'Cause 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 livin' I thought life was a high time I thought life was a fire I thought life was a symbol