From the recording Oh Mama - plus!

As my plane came back to Chicago, I started humming the chorus of this little tune, and pretty soon it got verses. The second verse is a more recent addition and didn't appear on the original Oh Mama! album. One of my most requested songs!

Lyrics

Chicago Calypso
Words and music by KristinLems
©1979,1983, 2002, 2014
Chorus
I’m going back to Chicago, he place where I belong
Well I might be gone tomorrow but today I’ll sing this song
 I’m going back to my mama, I love her, yes I do
She’ll see I’ve changed a lot this year, and I’m sure that she has too.
1. The clouds over Iceland were whiter than the snow
And in the deserts of Iran, all the oil flares did glow
Well I’ve seen sandy white beaches, and Caribbean blue
But in the end, I’ll always wend my way back home to you
chorus
2. I’ve seen museums and markets, walked barefoot by the shore
Well I’ve heard street songs and sweet songs and I’d like to hear them more
 I’ve eaten snails, squid, and couscous and things that had no name
But children everywhere I go seem to always laugh the same.
chorus
3. Some they acted kindly and others treated me bad
I’ll always remember all the good times that I had
I’ve spoken French, Dutch and Persian, learned the language of the hands
But at heart I’m just a local girl, come from Chicagoland!
 
second verse on Oh Mama-plus! Edition only