They released their new CD/DVD 'Gloatin' and Snowboatin' on March 4. It was recorded live at their St. Patrick's Day show in 2006.
Chicago
The Tossers Lyrics
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But I'd never trade that time we spent huddled up in the front room
No chill or rats or poverty can quell my love for you
Or for this dump we're standing in 'cause this is my home too
Chicago, Chicago, well there's assholes everywhere
Chicago, Chicago, where you're 15 pints from all your cares
Where your wallet's like a sieve
Chicago, Chicago, is where we can afford to live
Well I sit out on my front porch step, watch the gangsters selling crack
And I call the cops when a girl walks by and they give her a smack
Oh I like to get my beer and sit on my front step or by the store
Hanging out where white folks fear to tread, yeah this is my home for sure
No gangsters can deface it 'cause it's still the same to me
Sometimes the bullets frighten me but I speak up you see
Oh I can navigate the subway sect just like a weathered pro
And anywhere I want to you know that is where I go
Chicago, Chicago, assholes everywhere
Chicago, Chicago, we are 15 pints from all our cares
Where your wallet's like a sieve
And that's where all of the gangsters live
Chicago, Chicago, is where we can afford to live
I'm going out all by myself, no victims role for me
No I'm not transgressed by lovers or friends or owed something you see
Well the new condo's they're coming fast and the rents have gone sky high
Just because we're seen as pioneers they start to build for all the whites
They fuckin' gentrified my home, they fuckin' gentrified my home
Left affordable housing there to roam, they fuckin' gentrified my home
They fuckin' gentrified my home, they fuckin' gentrified my home
Daley kicking ethnic vendors off the street,
ordinanced nothing cheap to eat
No more vendors in front of restaurants
'cause Daley says they attract vermin to their haunts
But I don't think that's the targeted vermin that he wants
See the copper with his badge and his gun
He's not hiding from anyone
So you better collect your shit and run
New shopping fronts are popping up all around
Driving our affordability out of town
You'd think they no longer want us around
Public housing coming down by federal mandate
All of whom they promised to relocate
Rick Lazio's bill passed congress but they just segregated
'em back from where they came
Neighborhoods splits up by highways lined
Dividing different races by color lines
Old mayor Daley put 'em there in the ever old grand ol' time
Real world hype drives the rent sky high
Now MTV age yuppies want to buy
The city got the exorbitant tax
But in the real world in Chicago someone was shot outside
the apartment and they died
So you better run, stand, fight
The Tossers’ song “Chicago” captures the intense love-hate relationship between the people of Chicago and their city. The lyrics describe the rough and tough nature of Chicago, where people live in poverty and violence is commonplace. Despite the danger, the singer loves the city and considers it his home. The song also talks about the impact of gentrification, as the city changes and evolves, pushing people from their homes.
The song starts with the singer describing a mouse in their house, highlighting the difficult living conditions that people face in the city. However, the singer cherishes those moments of huddling together with loved ones during such struggles. He emphasizes that nothing, not even poverty or crime, can quell his love for the city. Chicago might be a dump, but it is his home too.
The chorus of the song repeats that Chicago is not a perfect place, with assholes everywhere, but it is affordable for the singer and his fellow Chicagoans. It is a place where one can forget their worries by having fifteen pints, even though one's wallet is like a sieve. Despite the gangsters selling crack outside, it is still their home.
The song then discusses the changes happening in Chicago with the rise of gentrification. The singer reminisces about the good old days when he would watch gangsters sell drugs while enjoying his beer on the front porch. However, new condos are being built for white people, and the rents are skyrocketing, driving affordability out of town. Vendors are being kicked out of the streets because they “attract vermin,” but the real vermin is still around.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the unique city of Chicago, highlighting both its beautiful moments and its flaws. It also serves as a reminder of the impact of gentrification on people's homes.
Line by Line Meaning
Well we had a mouse right in our house and were afraid to move
Although we were scared of the mouse, I wouldn't trade the time spent together, huddled up in the front room
No chill or rats or poverty can quell my love for you
I love you regardless of our living situation or the presence of rats
Or for this dump we're standing in 'cause this is my home too
I love this place, despite its flaws, because it's our home
Well I sit out on my front porch step, watch the gangsters selling crack
I observe the gang activity from my front porch and feel a sense of awe and acceptance of this reality
And I call the cops when a girl walks by and they give her a smack
I take action to protect others when I see acts of violence or mistreatment
No gangsters can deface it 'cause it's still the same to me
Despite the gang activity, I still see the beauty and worth of my home
Oh I can navigate the subway sect just like a weathered pro
I know the city like the back of my hand and can easily get around
I'm going out all by myself, no victims role for me
I am independent and do not play the role of a victim in this city
They fuckin' gentrified my home
The city has undergone gentrification and my home is being taken away from me
Daley kicking ethnic vendors off the street, ordinanced nothing cheap to eat
Mayor Daley is pushing ethnic vendors out and making it difficult for people to access inexpensive food options
See the copper with his badge and his gun, he's not hiding from anyone
Police officers in Chicago are heavily armed and display their authority openly
New shopping fronts are popping up all around, driving our affordability out of town
New developments and businesses are driving up the cost of living, making it difficult for longtime residents to afford to stay
Public housing coming down by federal mandate, all of whom they promised to relocate
The government is tearing down public housing, but many residents are not being relocated as promised
Neighborhoods splits up by highways lined, dividing different races by color lines
Highways have divided neighborhoods and contributed to racial segregation in the city
Now MTV age yuppies want to buy, the city got the exorbitant tax
Young urban professionals are moving in and driving up property prices, resulting in high taxes for residents
But in the real world in Chicago someone was shot outside the apartment and they died, so you better run, stand, fight
Amid all the city's changes, violence and danger are still present, so residents must be prepared to defend themselves
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gaelic American Craic
I love this song by Chicago's The Tossers. The first half being in the classic Celtic folk song style than jumping into an excellent Irish Punk song at 3:58! They Fecking Gentrified my home!
GoEvolveYourself
I sing it to Portland while I cry.
boot party
Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago.
Ricky Wood
And?
Sean Devlin
Thank you for upload!
TheMechanicalGirl999
Silver Spring, MD just on the border of DC to a BLOODY FLOGGING T! THEY GONE AND GENTRIFIED MY HOME!
Christopher Kelly
Chattanooga TN
Mrgoraist
not a one