Chicago
Ben Ottewell Lyrics

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I'm stuck here in Chicago
The only wind that blows is from back home
It fills the sails of this morning
Even though I'm rising here alone
Chicago, Chicago

I'm waiting on the race back
And all the horses scare before the gate

The bar lights flicker with the nights warm swell
Sirens call the promise of escape

I put myself in an osprey's breast
[Incomprehensible] looking down on me
Winter smile says it's only a test
And the world explodes like the [Incomprehensible]

Call me into the lake
Drag my body 'cross Michigan State
Take me east from these
Dark hollowed valleys outback

Call me up to your face
Hold my body but not so I wake
Keep the dream like a
Figurine threatening to break

I'm stuck here in Chicago
The ticket in my pockets sounds a truce
The wind last night seemed to soothe my mind

Even though I'm not yet home with you
Chicago, Chicago

Overall Meaning

The song "Chicago" by Ben Ottewell is a melancholic song that explores the feeling of being trapped and longing for home. The lyrics start with the line "I'm stuck here in Chicago" which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer talks about feeling homesick and how the wind from back home is the only thing that brings some comfort to him. He talks about waiting for the race back but feels scared and uncertain, with the bar lights flickering in the night. The sirens represent the promise of escape, which adds a sense of urgency to the song.

The singer then talks about putting himself in an osprey's breast, imagining the bird looking down on him. He mentions the winter smile, which could represent the coldness and harshness of the world that he needs to face. The line "And the world explodes like the [Incomprehensible]" could mean that the singer feels overwhelmed by the challenges he faces. The second verse talks about being called into the lake, which could represent a desire to escape the city and go back to the tranquility of home. The dream is like a figurine that threatens to break, which means that the singer doesn't want to let go of the hope of going back home.

Overall, the song "Chicago" is about feeling trapped in a city and longing for a sense of belonging. The singer captures the sense of homesickness perfectly through the lyrics, and the melody adds to the melancholic feel of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm stuck here in Chicago
Ben Ottewell is not able to leave Chicago and he feels trapped there.

The only wind that blows is from back home
The only familiar thing in Chicago to Ben Ottewell is the wind blowing from his hometown.

It fills the sails of this morning
The wind from his hometown gives Ben Ottewell a sense of comfort in a strange place.

Even though I'm rising here alone
Despite being alone in an unfamiliar place, Ben Ottewell tries to keep his spirits up.

I'm waiting on the race back
Ben Ottewell is waiting for a means of transportation to leave Chicago.

And all the horses scare before the gate
Ben Ottewell compares himself to a horse that is scared to leave the gate, just like he's scared to leave Chicago.

The bar lights flicker with the nights warm swell
The warm atmosphere of the bar is reflected in its flickering lights.

Sirens call the promise of escape
The sound of sirens gives Ben Ottewell the idea that he can escape from Chicago.

I put myself in an osprey's breast
Ben Ottewell puts himself in the place of an osprey and views the world from its perspective.

[Incomprehensible] looking down on me
A sense of power and strength watches over Ben Ottewell.

Winter smile says it's only a test
The bleakness of winter reminds Ben Ottewell that his time in Chicago is a test that he must endure.

And the world explodes like the [Incomprehensible]
The world around Ben Ottewell seems chaotic and unpredictable.

Call me into the lake
Ben Ottewell wants to be called into the lake, which represents a fresh start or purifying experience.

Drag my body 'cross Michigan State
Ben Ottewell wants to be taken away from Chicago and across the state to somewhere new.

Take me east from these
Ben Ottewell wants to head east from Chicago, towards his destination.

Dark hollowed valleys outback
The song references remote and isolated regions, which represents Ben Ottewell's current emotional state.

Call me up to your face
This line is a plea or request to be reunited with someone - probably someone Ben Ottewell loves - who could help him escape.

Hold my body but not so I wake
Ben Ottewell is asking to be held by someone he trusts, but he prefers to keep dreaming rather than waking up to face reality.

Keep the dream like a
Ben Ottewell wants to keep the illusion of escape and happiness alive.

Figurine threatening to break
The dream is fragile and could be shattered at any moment.

The ticket in my pockets sounds a truce
The ticket that should allow Ben Ottewell to leave has become irrelevant, because he has given up a fight or a quest.

The wind last night seemed to soothe my mind
The wind blowing from his hometown gives Ben Ottewell a sense of comfort and calmness.

Even though I'm not yet home with you
Ben Ottewell hopes to return home to someone he loves.

Chicago, Chicago
The song finishes by restating the central theme of the lyrics: Ben Ottewell is stuck in Chicago and cannot leave until he finds the courage to escape.

Writer(s): Benjamin Ottewell Copyright: Kobalt Music Services America Inc. Kmsa

Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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