Chicago Lyrics
So your brother's bound and gagged
And they've chained him to a chair
Won't you please come to Chicago just to sing?
In a land that's known as freedom
How can such a thing be fair?
Won't you please come to Chicago for the help that we can bring?
[Chorus]
We can change the world
Rearrange the world
It's dying
To get better
[Verse 2]
Politicians, sit yourselves down
There's nothing for you here
Won't you please come to Chicago for a ride?
Don't ask Jack to help you
'Cause he'll turn the other ear
Won't you please come to Chicago or else join the other side?
[Chorus]
(We can change) Yes, we can change the world
(Rearrange) Rearrange the world (It's dying)
If you believe in justice (It's dying)
And if you believe in freedom (It's dying)
Let a man live his own life (It's dying)
Rules and regulations, who needs them?
Open up the door
Somehow people must be free
I hope the day comes soon
Won't you please come to Chicago? Show your face
From the bottom of the ocean
To the mountains of the moon
Won't you please come to Chicago? No one else can take your place
[Chorus]
(We can change) Yes, we can change the world
(Rearrange) Rearrange the world (It's dying)
If you believe in justice (It's dying)
And if you believe in freedom (It's dying)
Let a man live his own life, yeah (It's dying)
Rules and regulations, who needs them?
Open up the door
About
Stemming from an incident following the Democratic Convention in 1968 where “The Chicago Eight” were busted for disrupting the event and desperately needed money for their defense.
“Chicago” is Nash’s highest charting single, peaking at No. 35 on Billboard.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
From Nash’s autobiography, “Wild Tales”:
Hugh Romney, the beat poet and alter ego of Wavy Gravy and my hero, called to ask if CSNY would come to Chicago to raise the funds. David and I wanted to go; Stephen and Neil also wanted to, but had other commitments. As a response, I wrote the song to them, asking ‘Won’t you please come to Chicago just to sing?’ Later when I learned that Bobby Seale had been bound and gagged and chained to a chair in the courtroom, once again I was deeply affected. It didn’t matter to me whether he was guilty or not. In my book, you don’t get to call that a fair trial. So I finished that song with a renewed intensity.
- 2.Better Days
- 3.Wounded Bird
- 5.Be Yourself
- 6.Simple Man
- 9.Sleep Song
- 10.Chicago
