All the Years
All the Years is a song that was recorded by the rock band Chicago, released on the 2008 album Stone of Sisyphus. It was written by Robert Lamm and studio session musician Bruce Gaitsch, the guitarist from the Night & Day Big Band album.
This song is the third track on the 2008 release. It was supposed to be the opening track on the original 1994 release.
Content
The song talks about the politics of the early nineties, when the album was recorded. It states how the politics haven't really changed from the late sixties, hence the line, "All the years we wasted, all the years we tried." This song was reminiscent of Lamm's earlier songwriting about politics and being outspoken.
Samples
All The Years features speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists from that time period playing in the background at various points of the song. It also includes audio of the protesters at the 1968 Democratic Convention shouting, "The Whole World's Watching." This is a gesture to Chicago's debut album, The Chicago Transit Authority, on the tenth track "Prologue, August 29, 1968."
All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection
All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection is a box set of videos by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It contains 14 DVDs, comprising 12 previously released titles plus bonus material. It also includes a 40-page booklet of liner notes, essays, and photos. It was released by Shout! Factory on April 17, 2012.
Disc listing
All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection contains the following DVDs:
THE COMBINE
And life is very difficult, when you're in the crowd
When you're in the crowd, you see things as they really are
You can smell the fear and hate, generated by all around
I wanna breakaway, but the ties are too strong
Wanna go on holiday, but the crowd says, I can't
See life is very different, when you're in the crowd
Oh, sometimes in the night, I wish I was far away
But then I realize, even escape will be in vain
I wanna close my eyes and be like the rest
I mean, nobody wants to die, although the crowd say they do
Look, life is very intricate, when you're in the crowd
Life becomes the movies and everyone has a role
It's easy being the actor when the combine's the only star
Sunday papers and the dailies, Ena Sharples, Page 3 girls
News at ten, war in Rhodesia, far away in a distant land
But we're alright, we're nice and warm here