Chicago
Gary M. Torborg
I was a fan of Chicago from back when they called themselves Chicago
Transit Authority. I owned their first two albums within a couple weeks
of their release. I posted another message here about albums with few or
no bad tracks and included their Fifth album.
But are there any other Chicago fans out there that agree with me on
this: that the 1970s were actually Chicago's low point?
Let me describe this. Their first album came out in 1968, and their
second in 1970. Note: the second album was recorded entirely in 1969, and
released in January of 1970 (see liner notes). Great tunes from the first
two include:
Beginnings
Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?
Questions 67 and 68
Listen
25 or 6 to 4
Colour My World
Make Me Smile
It Better End Soon
But as the 1970s began, their third album (1971) really only has one true
listenable track, and that's "I'm a Man," which isn't even an original
Chicago tune. Their fourth album was a live compilation.
Chicago V was a rock/pop classic with hardly a moment that isn't
spectacular. But after that, it's like they went commercial and/or tried
to do pop ballads, and it didn't work. I mean, there are a few good tunes
here and there on VI (Feeling Stronger Every Day), VII, and to a greater
degree VIII (Call on Me, Harry Trueman). But after that, it's like
nothing gelled. Nine, Ten, and Eleven each contain songs that sound less
and less like Chicago. The horn section nearly disappears, replaced by a
string orchestra. Terry Kath nearly stops doing any lead vocals, and
Robert Lamm (the group's founder and leader) stops altogether. Speaking
of Kath, we hear less and less of his wonderful guitar work, too. The
whole last half of the 1970s had me wondering what had become of one of my
favorite bands.
Then came Terry Kath's tragic accident with a gun, and Chicago disappeared
from the musical map for almost two years. When they resurfaced with a
new guitar player, it made me and everyone else take notice. It was the
song "Alive Again" from their first album (other than compilations or
Live) to not have a Roman number on it ("Mean Streets").
The song was great, and the album was great, and so were the albums that
followed over the next about 10 years. Things really picked up, to me,
when Cetera left.
The trouble is, those events and those albums and those songs were all in
the 1980s. To me, after their low point which was reached, IMO, in 1979,
it's like they used the new decade to pull out of their doldrums and
become the supergroup they were in the late 1960s, culminating in
(especially) two tunes: Hard Habit to Break (1985) and Look Away (1989).
According to one source, the latter was the #1 song of that year.
So, what else do you think? Was "70's supergroup Chicago" actually a dud
throughout most of the 70s? Opinions welcome...
*********************************************************************
* Gary M. Torborg * "Come to Quark's, *
* * Quark's is fun, *
* gtor...@cmsc.polaristel.net * Come right now *
* * Don't walk... *
* St Cloud, MN USA * Run!" *
* * -Quark, *
* * Star Trek: Deep Space Nine *
* * "The Quickening" *
*********************************************************************
Chris P. Mezzolesta
gtor...@cmsc.polaristel.net (Gary M. Torborg) wrote:
>But are there any other Chicago fans out there that agree with me on
>this: that the 1970s were actually Chicago's low point?
Sales- and chart-wise, obviously not...but one thing that was for sure
was that Guercio's influence over the band increased from V on, the
Caribou years, and maybe some would consider that the "watering-down"
of Chicago's early "vital/social" stance...
>But as the 1970s began, their third album (1971) really only has one true
>listenable track, and that's "I'm a Man," which isn't even an original
>Chicago tune. Their fourth album was a live compilation.
"I'm a Man" was on "CTA" (first album). "III" furthered their ideas on
the self-described "multi-moods" (Hour in the Shower, Travel Suite,
Elegy), and continued their social content (Progress?, Man vs. Man:
The End, Mother). No huge hit singles though (Free and Lowdown
mid-charted I guess), but IMO many more than one listenable
track...Mother, Free, Loneliness Is Just A Word (great Kath vocal and
Lamm organ solo), Sing a Mean Tune Kid (with extended Kath jam)...I
think it bears a further listen!
>Chicago V was a rock/pop classic with hardly a moment that isn't
>spectacular. But after that, it's like they went commercial and/or tried
>to do pop ballads, and it didn't work.
I can think of a few actually but YMMV...Alma Mater never did anything
for me at all...OTOH, State of the Union, A Hit by Varese (didn't get
the title til I majored in music), All Is Well, and of course
DIALOGUE. Will definitely laud the value, not one but TWO posters!
>It was the
>song "Alive Again" from their first album (other than compilations or
>Live) to not have a Roman number on it ("Mean Streets").
It was "Hot Streets" actually.
>The song was great, and the album was great, and so were the albums that
>followed over the next about 10 years.
er, ever hear "Street Player" or "Manipulation"??? AHEM!.........13
and 14 were swill (with a moment here & there), and though I was happy
to see the band come back with hits (Hard to Say....), to me it just
wasn't the same Chicago after Terry died (though I saw them in '78
with Donnie Dacus and they did indeed still rule)...Hard to Say was a
really good listen in '83 but to me it was something to wait thru to
get to BreakAway (on those stations that did play it) - a return to
the (IMO) *real* Chicago sound! Most of it since to me has been
unlistenable.
I go back & listen to Group Portrait and my beloved vinyl LP's and
relive the days when for me it was Chicago idolatry!!!
Thanks for the opportunity to respond.
------------------------------------
Chris Mezzolesta/Member, AFTRA
"Reggae spelled with nine fives" - The Donzo Bog Band
Pete Boilard
I liked a lot of the 70's Chicago stuff, Wishing you Were Here, Saturday in
the Park, Old Days, stuff like that.
They gave me my worst concert experience ever, November, 1978, Portland,
Maine, One 45 minute set and they were gone.....that stung having paid for
my ticket and my dates.
They made up for it about 7 years ago in a double bill with the Beach Boys.
The show was at the ballpark in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. They each did a
good long set then closed the show together, including of course; Wishing
you Were Here. Lovely starlit skies and a show full of harmony and energy.
Regards,
Pete
E-mail...
spec...@gwi.net
Visit my home page at......
http://www.gwi.net/~spectrum
Even if you're on the right track you'll get run over if you just sit
there.
Roy Rogers
Glen Grant
>
>I go back & listen to Group Portrait and my beloved vinyl LP's and
>relive the days when for me it was Chicago idolatry!!!
the $30 or so for this ?
Marc Wielage
In article <gtorborg-310...@206.10.56.50>,
gtor...@cmsc.polaristel.net (Gary M. Torborg) wrote:
> So, what else do you think? Was "70's supergroup Chicago" actually a dud
> throughout most of the 70s? Opinions welcome...
----------------------------<snip>---------------------------
Well, here's a list of all the Top 10 hits Chicago had in the 1970s
(including two-sided singles):
"Baby, What a Big Surprise"
"Beginnings"
"Call on Me"
"Colour My World"
"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day"
"If You Leave Me Now"
"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long"
"Just You ŚNą Me"
"Make Me Smile"
"Old Days"
"Saturday in the Park"
"25 or 6 to 4"
Hey, a dozen Top 10 U.S. hits in a single decade is nothing to sneeze at.
By comparison, they only had 7 Top 10 hits in the 1980s, though they had
platinum albums throughout both decades.
While I agree that Chicago's overall sound changed several times over a
20-year period, and had some highs and lows, I think there were (and are)
good songs there throughout their career.
I think my personal favorites from the 70s would have to include "Saturday
in the Park," "Beginnings," and "Old Days." Close runners-up would be
"Time" and "Call on Me."
"Old Days" was especially evocative for me, maybe a little better than the
straight-out ballads, which I found a little schmaltzy for my tastes
(particularly "Just You & Me" and so on).
--MFW
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Marc Wielage
> How is Group Portrait , it looks like a good one to own . Is it worth
> the $30 or so for this ?
Yeah, it's a terrific compilation. They really cleaned up the old tracks
very well, and the liner notes are exemplary. Great package, highly
recommended.
Mark Rathwell
: But are there any other Chicago fans out there that agree with me on
: this: that the 1970s were actually Chicago's low point?
On the Chicago mailing list, you'd be hard pressed to find
people. I think the late 80's were Chicago's "low point" myself.
: But as the 1970s began, their third album (1971) really only has one true
: listenable track, and that's "I'm a Man," which isn't even an original
: Chicago tune. Their fourth album was a live compilation.
"I'm a Man" was on Chicago's first album, CTA.
: song "Alive Again" from their first album (other than compilations or
: Live) to not have a Roman number on it ("Mean Streets").
ahem ... "Hot Streets"
: followed over the next about 10 years. Things really picked up, to me,
: when Cetera left.
Not for me. We had album after album of "waaaaahhhh ... Petey
made us a ballad band but we're doing nothing to change it" belly-aching
from Chicago ... 18, 19 and Twenty-1 might as well have been the same
album. Night and Day was great though.
: (especially) two tunes: Hard Habit to Break (1985) and Look Away (1989).
Pssst ... 1984 and 1988 are the dates you need. :-)
: So, what else do you think? Was "70's supergroup Chicago" actually a dud
: throughout most of the 70s? Opinions welcome...
No way!
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Rathwell
E_Mail: mrat...@uoguelph.ca
Web Page: http://www.uoguelph.ca/~mrathwel
Mark Rathwell
: They gave me my worst concert experience ever, November, 1978, Portland,
: Maine, One 45 minute set and they were gone.....that stung having paid for
: my ticket and my dates.
Chicago did *THAT*???? Really????? Every Chicago show I've ever
heard of has been a good long show. When I saw them in '95, they played
for nearly three hours and there was no intermission.
Nige
Mark Rathwell wrote:
> Not for me. We had album after album of "waaaaahhhh ... Petey
> made us a ballad band but we're doing nothing to change it" belly-aching
> from Chicago ... 18, 19 and Twenty-1 might as well have been the same
> album. Night and Day was great though.
I'd like to know why I've never been able to find Chicago 15 and 20, do
they exist ?
Nigel
Mark Rathwell
: I'd like to know why I've never been able to find Chicago 15 and 20, do
: they exist ?
Those albums are official greatest hits albums in North America
(not sure about the UK). Chicago XV is really "Chicago's Greatest Hits
Volume II" (1981) and Chicago 20 is really "Chicago's Greatest Hits
1982-1989" (1990).
>> Mark <<