chicago institute peter thomas mann flett

Manfred Mann / 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 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 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 (livin)
I thought life was a (high time)
I thought life was a (fire)