Born In Chicago
Blues Brothers and Friends Lyrics


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I was born in Chicago in 1941
I was born in Chicago in 1941
Well my father told me
Son, you had better get a gun

Well my first friend went down when I was 17 years old
Well my first friend went down when I was 17 years old
Well there's one thing I can say 'bout that boy
He got bold

Well my second friend went down when I was 21 years of age
Well my second friend went down when I was 21 years of age
Well there is one thing i can say about that boy
He got dead

Well my rules are alright if there's someone left to play the game
Well my rules are alright if there's someone left to play the game
All my friends are going




And things just don't seem the same
Oh things just don't seem the same baby

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Blues Brothers and Friends' song Born In Chicago in 1941 describe a harsh reality of living in Chicago at the time. The opening line "I was born in Chicago in 1941" sets the tone for the song and immediately establishes the singer's birthplace and time period. The following line, "Well my father told me Son, you had better get a gun" hints at the notion of violence and danger that is prevalent in the city.


The lyrics continue to tell the stories of the singer's friends who have fallen victim to the violence. The repetition of the phrase "went down" highlights the pain and loss that the singer has experienced over the years. Although the second friend "got dead," the lyrics also suggest that the first friend "got bold," which could be interpreted as a positive attribute.


Line by Line Meaning

I was born in Chicago in 1941
I entered this world in the city of Chicago during the year 1941.


Well my father told me Son, you had better get a gun
My dad advised me to arm myself, as there will be challenges ahead.


Well my first friend went down when I was 17 years old
During my time as a 17-year-old, my first friend met his downfall.


Well there's one thing I can say 'bout that boy He got bold
I can attest to the fact that my friend was brave and daring.


Well my second friend went down when I was 21 years of age
When I turned 21, I lost another companion to some unfortunate circumstances.


Well there is one thing i can say about that boy He got dead
Regarding my second friend, I can only affirm that he is no longer in this world.


Well my rules are alright if there's someone left to play the game
The regulations I live by may be acceptable, but they are only worthwhile if there are individuals who will participate.


All my friends are going And things just don't seem the same
I feel like all my peers are departing, and life no longer feels like it used to.


Oh things just don't seem the same baby
I can sense a palpable difference in how everything appears to me, and it's not for the better.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICHOLAS GEORGE GRAVENITES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Michaela Bibeňová

"My second friend went down, when he was 33 years of age." Well that's one thing we can say to Johnny: rest in peace friend... 🤜🤛

banditshadow33

I have this cd, it's kickass !

HumanBiped

Does anyone out there have the COMPLETE gig on bootleg? House of Blues streamed it on their website, it was 25 tracks where the official one is only 17

Chris Godla Productions

Hey Josh what's up! I didn't know about the other tracks. Do you know what some of the other songs were?

Rob from Portland

Hello and thank you for posting this video. It helped me learn more about the Blues Brothers 2000.

I linked to it on a Youtube playlist: @t
I linked to it on my blog: @t
I linked to it on a map I am making of the Route 66: @t
Thanks again for sharing and making the world a smaller place.

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