come you sinners, tread low
leave your past behind
for the winners, dead of night
you can stand inside
let your body be hers now
let your soul unwind

illinois, illinois
illinois

if you can see me, hear my voice
within these lake-bound vines
all down the wabash, rushing past
dead drunk and living time
your stories i've forgotten
your tales unkind

illinois, illinois
illinois, illinois
illinois

one day i will leave
someday i will go
i won't come back, no
to illinois, illinois

restless children in our streets
let your love run blind
lay your burdens at our feet
seek what you must find
and every answer that behooves you
with every heart aligned

illinois, illinois
illinois, illinois
illinois

as a jewel in a crown
sits chicago town
shining beacon of a dream
that brought the stars right down
let our skies fill with steel titans
let the dream be ours

illinois, illinois
illinois

one day i will leave
someday i will go
i won't desire soon
of illinois, illinois

come you sinners, tread light
remember from where you came
let your body, high or low
forget her singsong name
it doesn't matter if you love her
just don't leave your shame

in illinois, illinois
illinois, illinois
illinois

El-A-Noy   (normal version)

come you sinners/tread light
remember from where you came
let your body, hollow
forget her singsong name
it doesn't matter/if you love her
just don't leave your shame
in el-a-noy, el-a-noy, el-a-noy

if you can see me/and hear my voice
within these lake bound vines
all down the wabash/rushing past
dead drunk and living time
your stories/are forgotten
your tales unkind
in el-a-noy, el-a-noy
el-a-noy, el-a-noy, el-a-noy

one day i will leave/someday i will go
i won't come back, no
to el-a-noy, el-a-noy

restless children/in our streets
let your love run blind
lay your burdens/at her feet
seek what you must find
in every answer/that beholds you
with every heart aligned
in el-a-noy, el-a-noy, el-a-noy

as a jewel/in her crown
sits chicago town
shining beacon/of a dream
that brought the stars right down
let our skies fill/with steel titans
let the dream be ours
in el-a-noy, el-a-noy
el-a-noy, el-a-noy, el-a-noy

one day i will leave/someday i will go
i won't desire so/of el-a-noy, el-a-noy

come you sinners/tread low
leave your past behind
for her winners/dead night
you can stand inside
let your body/be hers now
let your soul unwind
in el-a-noy, el-a-noy
el-a-noy, el-a-noy
el-a-noy

Original Zwan-era version.