Though born in California, Vega has lived most of her life in New York City. There, she attended the High School of the Performing Arts (the school seen in the feature film musical Fame), where she studied modern dance. Vega realized that her talent in dance was not sufficient to make her living. While pursuing a degree in English at Columbia University, she penned many songs, and performed in college and community coffeehouses inside and outside the New York City area.
She was discovered in 1984, releasing her eponymous debut the following year. However, it was not until her 1987 sophomore effort, Solitude Standing, that Vega entered the U.S. mainstream with the lyrically unlikely hit Luka. Three years later, a remix of the album's opening track "Tom's Diner" became an American and European hit for "DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega."
Having continuously built and maintained a loyal fanbase since her fame's peak, Vega has a prolific catalogue, and in 2003 she released a retrospective collection. Beauty & Crime, her seventh album, was released in 2007. Inspired by the city where Vega grew up and still currently resides, Beauty & Crime revolves around her experiences in New York.
Vega has a daughter, Ruby Froom, with her ex-husband Mitchell Froom. In early 2006, Vega remarried to a man named Paul Mills.
For additional information, including photographs, visit Suzanne Vega's official website, www.SuzanneVega.com.
Institution Green
Suzanne Vega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The walls are cracked and dim
And we are standing in a line
Waiting for our faces to be seen
Institution green
Watch the floor and cound the hours
None will meet my eyes
I wonder if they'll take a look
Find my name inside that book
Lose me on the printed page
Where to point the aimless rage
I cast my vote upon this earth
Take my place for what it's worth
Hunger for a pair of eyes
To notice and to regognize
Institution green
A woman stands behind a table
She will call my name
After that I'll be admitted in
I wonder if she'll take a look
Find my name inside that book
Lose me on the printed page
Where to point the aimless rage
I cast my vote upon this earth
Take my place for what it's worth
Hunger for a pair of eyes
To notice and to regognize
Institution green
Teach me how to pull the lever
Push the curtain closed
Take what's needed then just
Let me go
The song "Institution Green" by Suzanne Vega tells the story of a person who is waiting in line in a public place, referred to as Institution Green. The walls are broken, and it's a shady place where the singer is waiting for their turn to be seen. He or she wonders if their name is somewhere in a book that the woman behind the table is holding. The singer craves just someone to look at him/her and recognize the person inside.
The song's pre-chorus speaks about the frustrations of being anonymous and invisible to the world. The primary character is hoping to cast a vote for his/her life, to be acknowledged and seen by others. In the chorus, the woman abides the singer in after she calls the singer's name. The persona still needs someone to find their name in the book and eliminate their invisibility.
Later the phrase "Teach me how to pull the lever, push the curtain closed, take what's needed, then just let me go" probably points out the singer's desire to learn how to manipulate the system, make the most out of it, and then exit.
Overall, "Institution Green" touches upon the theme of our societal systems focus on efficiency rather than on people. As everyone inside the institution is waiting for their turn, it shows how the system seeks to process people as quickly as possible, thereby rendering them invisible.
Line by Line Meaning
Institution green
The song refers to a place with cracked and dim walls where people are queued up waiting to be seen.
The walls are cracked and dim
The physical conditions of the building are poor.
And we are standing in a line
The people are waiting for their turn.
Waiting for our faces to be seen
They want to be noticed and recognized.
Watch the floor and count the hours
People are killing time, counting hours.
None will meet my eyes
People are trying to avoid eye contact.
Private people in this public place
People keep to themselves even in public.
I wonder if they'll take a look
The artist wonders if someone will take notice of them.
Find my name inside that book
The book probably contains a list of people waiting to be seen.
Lose me on the printed page
People are made to feel anonymous.
Where to point the aimless rage
People are frustrated but powerless.
I cast my vote upon this earth
The artist has a sense of their place in the world and wants to be recognized.
Take my place for what it's worth
The singer accepts their position and seeks validation.
Hunger for a pair of eyes
The singer wants someone to acknowledge them.
To notice and to recognize
Acknowledgement is what the people are seeking.
A woman stands behind a table
This probably refers to the staff who will determine who will be seen next.
She will call my name
The artist is waiting to be called for their turn.
After that I'll be admitted in
Once called, the singer will be allowed to enter.
Teach me how to pull the lever
This probably refers to some bureaucratic procedure.
Push the curtain closed
This may refer to the idea of keeping certain activities private.
Take what's needed then just
People want to be attended to and then left alone.
Let me go
People want to get through the process and move on with their lives.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTON SANKO, SUZANNE VEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind