Chicago XIV (14) Favorite Song Survey...
Mustang Man
Freddy didn't know this was an ongoing thing, and was just trying
to help the newsgroup. Anyway, it's time for the weekly event
of asking for your favorite song from a Chicago album, and this
time it's # 14 (XIV), the Fingerprint Album.
I've tried to post some interesting bits of information about these
albums, but I keep getting my facts mixed up, and other fans are
reminding me of this. So, I will leave that up to others to please
post any interesting facts about Chicago XIV.
I liked Chris Pinnick's playing, and also the fingerprint design.
I think they were down to two singers on this album (the least
ever), but someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Also, I'm
wondering if there was even a tour for this album, as I have no idea
if they even attempted a tour.
As before, please feel free to make comments about songs from
Chicago XIV (14) and about the album itself, as this helps others
look at songs in ways they hadn't before, and it also helps "purge"
your inner soul by releasing your true feelings (at least that's
what I heard). Is this the only album with a Robert/Peter joint
songwriting effort?
So, on with the show. Here are the songs from Chicago XIV, along
with another one that was recorded during the same period:
Manipulation
Upon Arrival
Song for You
Where Did the Lovin' Go
Birthday Boy
Hold On
Overnight Cafe
Thunder and Lightning
I'd Rather Be Rich
The American Dream
Doin' Business (non album, Group Portrait)
You can post or e-mail answer, but please not both, as I may
end up counting your vote twice (I hope I'm not giving anyone
any ideas, here! ;-P ).
And thanks to Marc Greis for his kind words.
Looking forward to hearing from everyone!
P.S. Looking for some live tape trading with any Chicago with
Terry Kath and Peter Cetera, audio and/or video.
Ron <Must...@pacbell.net>
John Wiklund
Shine on!
--
John Wiklund
"Strangers passing in the street,
by chance two separate glances meet,
and I am you and what I see is me."
Pink Floyd - "Echoes"
v1.2a n TW 0/0/ FD 3? 0 DSotM 5 6 <14mar98>
Rgenslerjr
very nice-sounding song. I think that this album is actually better than most
people give it credit for. It's just too bad that it wasn't successful at all.
Just my 2 cents.
sparky
Marc Greis
it's the only well-produced song on this album, which already brings me
to my comments:
I do think that XIV is Chicago's worst album, not because they only had
two singers, or because I think the songs were bad. On the contrary,
some of the songs on this album had some great potential. The problem
is: The whole album was just totally underproduced. They should have
fired Tom Dowd to redo the album with a decent producer. Some of the
songs just sound like they were done by a garage band. The best example
that I can think of right now is when Peter Cetera's voice seems to
break at the end of "The American Dream". In my opinion, the producer
should have said, "No, that wasn't it, let's redo the last part of the
vocals!" I agree, it often makes an album better to leave some of the
not-so-perfect things in it, to give it some "rawness", but XIV is just
too raw in general.
This album could have been great, and it does have its great moments. I
love the way how "Upon Arrival" builds up slowly, how the lyrics and
the music interact. "Where Did the Lovin' Go" is a great ballad (and
every time that I'm running out of money, I sing the lines, "Where did
the money go? Funny how it all slipped away..." to myself). "Hold on" is
a great song too, except for the weird, "You know when the feeling gets
you..." interlude. I wonder if they were stoned or if they really
thought that was a good idea. "The American Dream" is a *great* song
too, but as I said, the problem with the vocals somehow spoils it for
me.
My two cents,
Marc
--
Marc Greis gr...@cs.uni-bonn.de
E. Bennett
first five albums. The song kicks! Great horns and great drumming Danny!
I think the problem with this album (XIV) was it came out at a time when the
music business was at an all time low. It was the end of disco (hooray!),
the beginning of punk, new wave, techno, and the top forty was the worst
ever (I know I was in a 40 bands playing during this period . . . I hated
the music).
This album would have been a great hit in 1990's when the Alternative Music
scene hit. It has an acoustic sound and a raw, not over produced edge.
Unfortunately, the music biz was going techno, punk, anything but the way
Chicago went. This is a real representation of the band (without Terry & no
record company guitar plants like Donnie).
This album is honest, it was done the way they needed to do it and it cost
them their record deal with Columbia.
This is a great album.
EarlDrum
Lost
Mustang Man wrote in message <35F9D6...@pacbell.net>...
>Where Did the Lovin' Go
H.B. Elkins
>Hello,
>
>Freddy didn't know this was an ongoing thing, and was just trying
>to help the newsgroup. Anyway, it's time for the weekly event
>of asking for your favorite song from a Chicago album, and this
>time it's # 14 (XIV), the Fingerprint Album.
I really wasn't too crazy about this one, but what the heck, it was
Chicago! A bad Chicago album is still better than a "good" album by a
heck of a lot of other artists.
My choice is probably "Hold On," although I really don't know why.
It's just the only song that stands out in my mind from this set.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
H.B. Elkins mailto:hbel...@mis.net
http://www.users.mis.net/~hbelkins
"You take what's good for you and I'll take my freedom." -- Steven Tyler
Kentucky Wildcats Basketball, #3 Dale Earnhardt & #35 Darrell Waltrip-- A Championship Combination
Say "nyet" to spam -- remove spambuster "y" in address to reply
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
jim shooter
was 14 years old and had seen Chicago at Chicagofest in '79 and that was
it, I was completely hooked! So for sentimental reasons this is one of
my favorite albums.
Anyhow, I aways loved The American Dream
#2 I'd Rather Be Rich
#3 Hold On
Different from others on this board, I love the raw production feel of
this album! I do agree that only having two voices hurts it a little