Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Chicago
Flow & Zeo Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was about 6.15 in the morning.
I'm drunk, and I'm high, and I'm in Chicago.
Now, I had just stumbled out of some club, somewhere,
I can't even remember.
And I walked to the corner to hail a cab.
And after 5 empty cabs just passed me by,
One finally stopped.
He was this white, mid-western, working-class kinda guy,
You know the type.
So anyway, I jumped in and I said "Hyatt Regency, please."



And he looked at me like I was crazy,
And said "Where? Downtown?"
And I said "Yeah!"

Now, the whole way down to the Hyatt,
He kept looking at me through the rear-view mirror
With this real suspicious stare.
I ain't pay him no mind though,
Cos a brother like me was just interested in the beautiful Chicago skyline.
The way it looked from Lake Shore Drive.
All sparkly and clean in the sunrise.
As we pulled up to the luxurious hotel,
And I paid my fare,
The cabby turned around with a curious grin and asked me:
"Where you going? To work?"
And I looked back at him and I said:
"Work? Brother, I'm going to sleep!"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Flow & Zeo's song, "Chicago," tell the story of a man who finds himself in the city of Chicago, drunk and high, early in the morning after leaving a club. As he tries to hail a cab to take him to his hotel, he encounters a skeptical, working-class driver who questions him about his destination. Despite the driver's suspicions, the man is only interested in enjoying the view of the Chicago skyline and getting some rest after a long night.


The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the city as the man describes the way the skyline looked from Lake Shore Drive, mentioning the clean and sparkly view in the sunrise. The driver's skepticism reflects a common cultural stereotype about African-American men like the singer in the song, who may be judged as unreliable or untrustworthy by others on the basis of their appearance and behavior.


The song can be seen as a commentary on the experience of being black in America, and the difficulties that can arise as a result of cultural misunderstandings and prejudices. It also captures the mood of being out late at night, seeking escape and release from the pressures of everyday life.


Line by Line Meaning

It was about 6.15 in the morning.
The singer sets the scene with the time of day.


I'm drunk, and I'm high, and I'm in Chicago.
The singer reveals their state of being in the city.


Now, I had just stumbled out of some club, somewhere, I can't even remember.
The singer recalls a fuzzy memory of their night out.


And I walked to the corner to hail a cab.
The artist tries to flag down a taxi.


And after 5 empty cabs just passed me by, one finally stopped.
The artist struggles to find a ride, but eventually gets one.


He was this white, mid-western, working-class kinda guy, You know the type.
The singer describes the cab driver using racial and class stereotypes.


So anyway, I jumped in and I said 'Hyatt Regency, please.'
The singer gives the driver their destination.


And he looked at me like I was crazy, And said 'Where? Downtown?'
The driver questions the destination and gives a follow-up question.


And I said 'Yeah!'
The artist confirms their destination again.


Now, the whole way down to the Hyatt, He kept looking at me through the rear-view mirror With this real suspicious stare.
The artist notices the driver's odd behavior during the ride.


I ain't pay him no mind though, Cos a brother like me was just interested in the beautiful Chicago skyline.
The singer ignores the driver's behavior and admires the city view.


The way it looked from Lake Shore Drive. All sparkly and clean in the sunrise.
The artist describes the scenic view from Lake Shore Drive.


As we pulled up to the luxurious hotel, And I paid my fare, The cabby turned around with a curious grin and asked me:
The singer arrives at their destination and pays the driver.


'Where you going? To work?'
The driver asks the singer if they're headed to work.


And I looked back at him and I said: 'Work? Brother, I'm going to sleep!'
The singer clarifies that they're not headed to work, but rather to rest.




Contributed by Nicholas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

More Versions