Sometimes I try to do things and it just doesn't work out the way I wanted too
I get real frustrated, and its like
And I try hard to it and take my time
And it just doesn't work out the way I want it too
It's like I concentrate on it real hard but it just doesn't works out
And everything I do and everything I try, it never turns out
It's like I need time to figure these things out
But 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 like, maybe you should 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 on 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 talk about it

And 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

So 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!
And 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 was sitting in my room and my mom and my dad came in
And they pulled up a chair and they sat down, they go:
Mike, we need to talk to you
And 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


Lyrics submitted by Elimination

Institutionalized Lyrics as written by Mike Muir Louis Mayorga

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Institutionalized song meanings
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47 Comments

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  • +8
    General Comment

    I loved the part at the end "i went to your schools, i went to your churches", like all their things shaped him and now they're calling him crazy. And i don't think the 'get hit by a car part' means he's going to kill himself, i just think he's sort of joking like after all their efforts somethig will probably happen to him anyways.

    c_o_c_oon November 19, 2006   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    JUST ONE PEPSI!

    ahem....

    I'm torn between whose side I want to be on.

    The quote "I was like staring at the walls thinking about everything, but then again I was thinking about nothing" hints that he may, indeed, be stoned. And then he blows up over a pepsi, to distract from the situation at hand. Later, he points out to his parents, "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?" As if, it's not his fault he turned out the way he did, and his parents are being hypocritical.

    Yet, he sheds the most insight during the parts that are hardly audible - the ones right before the choruses (best parts):

    "So 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"

    "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"

    "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"

    This shows that he is capable of thinking for himself. He is determinded that he just an individual. To lock him up in an institution would rob him of his uniqueness and way of thinking.

    Is he crazy? Others may think so, but in his head, he's not.

    river135on March 25, 2008   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    also maybe it has to do with how quick people are to say that theres something wrong with other people when there really isnt

    marksasianfriendon May 23, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Correct lyrics:

    Sometimes I try to do things And it just doesn’t work out the way I want it to And I get real frustrated And like, I try hard to do it And I like take my time And it just doesn’t turn out the way I want it to And it’s like I concentrate on it real hard And it just 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 need to 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’m just working on it myself.”

    They go: “Well, you know, if you want to talk about it, I’ll be here, you know? And you’d 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

    It’s gotten me institutionalized You’ll come out brainless with bloodshot eyes You won’t have any say They’ll brainwash you until you see there 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 And 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 hear her

    And then she started screaming: “Mike, Mike!”

    And I go: “What, what’s the matter?”

    She goes: “What’s the matter with you?”

    I go: “There’s nothing wrong, Mom.”

    She goes: “Don’t tell me that. You’re on drugs.”

    I go: “No, Mom, I’m not on drugs. I’m okay. I’m just thinking, you know? Why don’t you get me a Pepsi?

    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 get 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 the 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 was sitting in my room And my mom and my dad came in And they pulled up a chair And they sat down

    And they go: “Mike, we need to talk to you.”

    And I go: “Okay. What’s the matter?

    They go: “Me and your mom, we’ve noticed lately you’ve been having a lot of problems. And you’ve been going of ffor no reason. And we’re afraid you’re going to hurt somebody. And we’re afraid you’re going to hurt yourself. So we decided that it would be in your best 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 do you know what 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

    Kris! At the Discoon June 07, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The meaning of this is pretty clear. It's about this guy who everyone thinks is crazy but he just has is own way of doing things. I guess one subplot could be about being a nonconformist. This song reminds me of my brother... This song defiantly fits him. I like original much better than the new Senses Fail one, you can't fuck with the original.

    .pull.the.trigger.on July 20, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    bein a teenager aint always easy..

    fiascodagamaon February 28, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    When I first heard this song I didn't like it. Then I realized how funny it was, Then how true it was.

    And now it's reality, this shit just happened to my friend. The same fucking thing, and he's stuck there till his 18th birthday.

    This is a great song, to me it's kind of a punk anthem. "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?"

    luckybeckyon March 24, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Kris! At The Disco. how can you say crazy people deserve to die? who would decide who was crazy and deserved to die? and have you ever thought about the fact that totally sane people do even worse things than what you say that crazy dude did to you? so do you kill everyone? because both sane and crazy people can do messed up stuff. anyway, just try and examine your opinion and rethink it and stuff.

    Jessi_Faceon May 17, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song is truly one of the best songs out there..

    well. heres what it means to you. and if its not the way that you see it then thats your opinion.

    so the mike guy is stating that everyone thinks he.s crazy. and everyone thinks he is.. ect. ect. but in reality he really is crazy in his own mind.

    like he trips out when people bother him about it. [then agian who wouldnt?] yells out he.s not crazy and the only people that do that are crazy people. [i do that too] and then the whole scene with his mom happens he trips out just because of a pepsi. and then the mom and the dad thing.

    makes sense he would be pretty pissed. if that happened to me, blood would be shed :]

    and then he goes on about his own interests and hes basically saying "if im crazy then your crazy too"

    and the final statement "it doesnt matter i.ll probably get hit by a car anyway" i love it.

    possibly means that it doesnt matter what happens to him because the way he runs around all syko and whatnot, he.ll most chances end up run over.

    and he keeps denying he.s crazy when in reality he kinda is. in his own way.

    something like that.. haha. my opinion. respect mine. i respect yours.

    sitanion July 27, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This lovely air is like a gentle wood-sprite serenading a fairy princess on her zither.

    It makes me feel like reading a nice Mother Goose story all curled up in my comfy bed with a nice cup of tea and some gingersnaps.

    That's what REAL punk is about you posers.

    NomadMonadon April 04, 2012   Link

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