Song Lyrics

Sometimes I try to do things
And it just doesn't work out the way I wanted to
And I get real frustrated
And I'm like, I try hard to do it

And I'm like, take my time
And it doesn't work out the way I wanted to
It's like, I concentrate on real hard but it doesn't work out
And everything I do and everything I try it never turns out

It's like, I need time to figure these things out
There's always someone there going, 'Hey, Mike
You know, we've been noticing
You've been having a lot of problems lately'

'You know, you should, maybe, get away
And like, maybe you should talk about it, you'll feel a lot better'
And I go, 'No, it's okay, you know I'll figure it out
Just leave me alone I'll figure it out
You know I'll just work it out myself'

And they go, 'Well you know if you want to talk about it
I'll be here you know and you'll probably feel a lot better
If you talked about it, so why don't you talk about it'
I go, 'No, I don't want to I'm okay, I'll figure it out myself'
And they just keep bugging me and they just keep bugging me
And it builds up inside

You're gonna be institutionalized
You'll come out brainwashed with bloodshot eyes
You won't have any say
They'll brainwash you until you see their way

I'm not crazy, institution
You're the one who's crazy, institution
You're driving me crazy, institution

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To give me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy, myself

I was in my room and I was just like staring at the wall
Thinking about everything
But then again I was thinking about nothing
And then my mom came in and I didn't even know she was there

She called my name and I didn't even hear it
And then she started screaming, 'Mike, Mike'
And I go, 'What, what's the matter"
And she goes, 'What's the matter with you"

I go, 'There's nothing wrong, mom'
And she goes, 'Don't tell me that, you're on drugs'
I go, 'No, mom, I'm not on drugs, I'm okay
I was just thinking you know, why don't you get me a Pepsi'

And she goes, 'No, you're on drugs
I go, 'Mom, I'm okay, I'm just thinking'
She goes, 'No you're not thinking, you're on drugs
Normal people don't act that way'

I go, 'Mom just give me a Pepsi, please'
All I want is a Pepsi and she wouldn't give it to me
All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi
And she wouldn't give it to me, just a Pepsi

They give you a white shirt with long sleeves
Tied around you're back, you're treated like thieves
Drug you up because they're lazy
It's too much work to help a crazy

I'm not crazy, institution
You're the one who's crazy, institution
You're driving me crazy, institution

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To give me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy, myself

I'm sitting in my room and my mom and my dad came in
They pulled up a chair and they sat down, they go
'Mike, we need to talk to you'
I go, 'Okay, what's the matter"

They go, 'Me and your mom have been noticing lately
That you've been having a lot of problems
You've been going off for no reason and we're afraid
You're gonna hurt somebody
We're afraid you're gonna hurt yourself'

'So we decided that it would be in your interest
If we put you somewhere
Where you could get the help that you need'
And I go, 'Wait, what are you talking about, we decided
My best interest, how can you know what's my best interest is"

'How can you say what my best interest is'
What are you trying to say, I'm crazy'
When I went to your schools, I went to your churches
I went to your institutional learning facilities'
So how can you say I'm crazy"

They say they're gonna fix my brain
Alleviate my suffering and my pain
But by the time they fix my head
Mentally, I'll be dead

I'm not crazy, institution
You're the one who's crazy, institution
You're driving me crazy, institution

They stuck me in an institution
Said it was the only solution
To give me the needed professional help
To protect me from the enemy, myself

It doesn't matter, I'll probably get hit by a car anyway

Louis Mayorga, Mike Muir

The duration of Institionalized is 3:32 minutes and seconds.