Chicago

Some will say it's too late
So don't change your story
There's too much at stake to grow
Yesterday was so great
Just bask in the glory
Don't let your feelings show

And I say, oh yeah
Like a man with condition
I wait for my heart to stop
And they say, "Stay down
Got a plan, hold that position
You can't afford a flop"

Pack my suitcase
With my game face
Take the same place
And put away the dreams I had
Let my hair grow
Find some old clothes
Let the world know
That my glory days were plaid

I'm not asking for permission
Are you ready for me to be me?
Just pass the ammunition
This prisoner's about to bust free from the chains

For so long you told me to keep it familiar
Just play what they all would buy
I can wear this blindfold, stick to your story
But I gotta ask myself "Why?"
And I play those songs
For so many seasons
'Til I'm sure I'm losing my mind
And I say, "Oh no
Gotta have a much better reason
To leave all my dreams behind"

Others change it
Rearrange it
Stay the same thing
And become your favorite fad
With the see-through
I gotta be true
I can't be you
Polyester comes in plaid

I'm not asking for permission
Are you ready for me to be me?
Lord, pass some ammunition
This prisoner's about to bust free from your chains

I'm more than just excited
Like a hundred pounds of monkey off my back
I've got to find myself out
Now everybody's invited
To ride this train 'til we run clean out of track
Clean out of track

With the see-through
I gotta be true
I can't be you
Polyester comes in plaid

I'm not asking for permission
Are you ready for me to be me?
Pass some ammunition
This prisoner's about to bust free from the chains

I'm more than just excited
Like a hundred pounds of monkey off my back
I've got to find myself out
Now everyone's invited
To ride this train 'til we run clean out of track

With the see-through
I gotta be true
I can't be you
Polyester comes in plaid

I'm not asking for permission
Are you ready for me to be me?
Better pass some ammunition
This prisoner's about to bust free from the chains

I'm more than just excited
Like a hundred pounds of monkey off my back
I've got to find myself out
Now everyone's invited
To ride this train 'til we run clean out of track

I'm not asking for permission
Are you ready for me to be me?
Just pass some ammunition
This prisoner's about to bust free from your chains

I'm more than just excited
Like a hundred pounds of monkey off my back

Chicago is a rock band hailing from the Illinois city of the same name. With its multitude of certified gold and platinum hits, the band has had enough longevity to last for over fifty years.

Chicago was formed on February 15, 1967, between keyboardist/singer Robert Lamm, trumpeter Lee Loughnane, saxophonist Walter Parazaider, drummer Danny Seraphine, guitarist Terry Kath, and trombonist James Pankow. The group called themselves “The Big Thing,” and played Top 40 hits in nightclubs in Chicago. In 1968, the band relocated to Los Angles, and changed their name to Chicago Transit Authority. They gained massive amounts of exposure to famous musicians of the time by regularly playing at the Whiskey A Go Go nightclub. In 1969, they released a self-titled album which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The next year, the band shortened their name to “Chicago” to avoid a lawsuit from the actual company of the same name.

The band has released a plethora of albums, most of them titled Chicago enumerated with Roman numerals. The band changed its sound in the late 70s and 80s following the death of Terry Kath. Since then, the band has still carried on a legacy for the decades following, but has slowed the release of original music to a trickle.

more tracks from the album

Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus

From the album

Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus (2008)

Chicago popular songs

PlaidChicago

Chicago

Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus