According to Billboard, Chicago was the leading US singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 38 million units in the US, with 22 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have had five number-one albums and 21 top-ten singles.
There are at least two artists with this name:
1. A popular American rock band
2. A psytrance artist
(If you are scrobbling tracks here from Chicago - Music From The Miramax Motion Picture, please fix your tags.)
3. A Japanese vocalist named CHICACO but weirdly gets redirected here. She's been active in LYDIA GRAVE and the touhou arrangement circle ESQUARIA.
The second Chicago is a psytrance artist, the pseudonym of David Potter Christman. He is a member of 1200 Micrograms
Free At Last
Chicago Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The fulfillment of a dream I always had
I tried to make the party last all night
Working like a dog, looking for a fight
I was like a prisoner with some empty heart blues
Yeah, but now I'm
Free at last, free at last
I was living on a highway half way on the way to hell
I was spilling more than drinking, it was sad
I saw a woman with her eyes so deep
She spoke a prayer for me I'll always keep
A graceful life is just a matter of the path you choose
Yeah, but now I'm
Free at last, free at last
Free at last, free at last
Here's to the moment
Here's to this night
Here's to this fantasy
Here's to this life
Here's to the future
Here's to the past
Free at last, free at last
Free at last, free at last
The opening lines of "Free At Last" by Chicago reveal the sense of disillusionment that one man experiences when faced with the reality of his expectations. The verse talks about how the singer's ideal vision of happiness and success didn't bring him the joy he had imagined. He had thought that fulfilling his lifelong desires would automatically make him content, but his hopes backfired. He crams his life with material possessions and tries to be the life of the party, yet he still feels empty. The lyrics suggest that trying to find happiness in material items and wild lifestyles can trap a person in a prison of their own making.
However, things change when the singer meets a woman who makes him see life differently. Her deep eyes express an emotion that shook him to his core, leading to the revelation that a graceful life is more about the path one chooses rather than the things that one possesses. His encounters with this woman lead to him forming a deeper connection to spirituality, leading to his liberation from negative emotions and realization of what truly matters in life. The chorus celebrates this newfound freedom, with the repeated phrase "Free at last" representing the singer's shedding of his past self and embracing of a more fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a long list of things I thought would make me happy
I believed that achieving a multitude of goals and desires would ultimately provide me with happiness.
The fulfillment of a dream I always had
I thought that accomplishing a specific long-held dream of mine would bring me the fulfillment I craved.
I tried to make the party last all night
I attempted to prolong my enjoyment and happiness by prolonging the good times and fun experiences.
Working like a dog, looking for a fight
I worked tirelessly and aggressively, seeking to prove myself and assert my dominance over others.
I was like a prisoner with some empty heart blues
I felt trapped and constricted in my previous life, and was plagued by feelings of emptiness and sadness.
Yeah, but now I'm
However, my life has undergone a significant change, and now I am:
Free at last, free at last
Truly liberated and free from the negative and self-destructive patterns that once kept me trapped.
I was living on a highway half way on the way to hell
I was engaging in a lifestyle that was leading me down a path of self-destruction and suffering, with seemingly no way out.
I was spilling more than drinking, it was sad
I was constantly wasting and squandering my time, energy, and resources on frivolous and unproductive activities, which was a source of great sadness.
I saw a woman with her eyes so deep
One day, I encountered a woman who had a profound and wise countenance.
She spoke a prayer for me I'll always keep
This woman offered me a blessing in the form of a prayer, which has stayed with me ever since.
A graceful life is just a matter of the path you choose
I came to realize that the way you live your life, and the choices you make, will ultimately determine whether or not you lead a graceful and fulfilling existence.
Here's to the moment
A toast to the present, to living in the moment and savoring its beauty.
Here's to this night
A celebration of the current evening, a special and unique occasion that deserves recognition.
Here's to this fantasy
A tribute to the power of imagination and dreams, which fuel our desires and give us hope.
Here's to this life
A moment of gratitude for the gift of life itself, with all its ups and downs, trials and triumphs.
Here's to the future
An acknowledgment of the infinite possibilities and potential of the days ahead.
Here's to the past
A remembrance of the experiences and lessons of our personal history, which have shaped us into who we are today.
Free at last, free at last
A reaffirmation of the newfound freedom and liberation that represents the current state of my life.
Free at last, free at last
A repeating chorus, signifying the joy and relief that comes with being rid of one's past demons and insecurities.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: GREGORY TRISTAN IMBODEN, KEITH HOWLAND, ROBERT WILLIAM LAMM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James
on Oh, Thank You Great Spirit
Great song and a fitting tribute to Jimi from his friend and fan Terry Kath, I've all ways believed the song was kind of a prospective of the dead, coming to the realization that they have crossed over and or no longer burden by all of life's problem's and pain's and are now free from all, and now overcome with gratitude to the Great Spirit , Greater of the universe and of life , GOD, that he is now free to fly the heavenly sky's , but ether way death or just a good night's sleep, great song.