Favorite Chicago (the band) tune

[Bossy Monkey]

I am soooooooo going to get flamed for this. (Don't do it! I've got a star and know how to use it! Don't MAKE me do an ELO poll!:)) Young folks, even those just a little younger than me (ie, as old, but not older, as the hills) might not realize that Chicago started out as a political band, and only became full-time bilge merchants after Mr Cetera took over the sound in the late 70s.

By the way, here's a spectacular lyrics site, pop-up-free. Apparently, they own the .com and .net domains, too; .net is the searchable one. I haven't explored it much but have been deliriously happy with it so far:
http://www.top40db.org/
("Lowdown," by the way, would be a perfectly acceptable DU anthem, in spite of being co-written and sung by Cetera. Lyrics here: http://www.top40db.org/Songs/ID_71134.shtml)

[TNDemo]

1. Just You -n-Me

Simple and free...

[Atman]

2. The "Liberation" suite from CTA

Starts with "The Whole World is Watching" chant from the dem convention. Then goes into a 12 minute jam. Classic!

Chicago was an awesome blues rock band for their first few albums. Then they sold out to do high school prom songs.

[ldoolin]

18. yeah, that's the one

I was trying to think of the Chicago song that was about the 1968 Democratic convention. That's the one.

[wakfs]

3. "Aire"

From Chicago 7. Without doubt, their finest tune.

[Systematic Chaos]

4. My vote is for the entire "Ballet For a Girl In Buchanan"

which, of course, includes "Color My World" and "Make Me Smile" and runs a total of about 15 minutes in length or so.

And, BTW, Chicago's change in focus wasn't entirely due to Peter Cetera. Mostly, it was because the record company decided that their ballads were what sold, so they began to steadfastly reject just about anything else. Sometime you should look online (and I'm talking about *GASP* file-sharing sites here) for the project they did called "Song Of Sysyphus". It was to be released in the late 80's or early 90's - well into their ballad-driven phase - but was COMPLETELY rejected by the record company. The band was flat out forced to scrap the whole thing in favor of another album of radio-friendly ballads. The GOOD news is that now that Rhino Records has assumed control of their catalog (at least their earlier catalog... not sure about the rest of it), there is a chance that "Song Of Sysyphus" will actually be commercialy released.

[bbernardini]

7. "Song Of Sysyphus" rocks!

I have a non-mp3 sourced copy of that album, and it's probably the best thing Chicago has done in 20 years.

[mac56]

5. "Gone Long Gone" from "Hot Streets".

I like it best when Chicago doesn't sound like Chicago.

[Saudade]

6. Chicago

I think that Chicago easily qualifies as one of the worst most nausea-inducing bands ever recorded in the history of the world.

[Atman]

9. You are almost wrong

The first few albums are to the rest of the Chigaco catalog as "Then Play On" is to "Fleetwood Mac."

Simply not the same band. The last twenty or so Chicago albums are some of the worst dreck ever produced though, I must concede.

[bbernardini]

8. Just the end of "Feeling Stronger Every Day"

I hate the first section, but the fast bVII - IV - I jam at the end of the tune is great!

[asjr]

10. I think

the one I like is "If you should leave me now." Or anyway that is how I remember it.

[grannylib]

11. "Wishing you were Here" and "Evergreen" are my favorites

I too love to see the snow!

[GemMom]

12. Chicago VII

is a departure from some of their other productions. Lots of jazz influence on this one. Whatever might be said about the Top 40 pop aspects of some of their charts, these guys could (as my dad the jazz pro would say) "blow from their shoes"!

[AntiCoup2K4]

13. Chicago should have died when Terry Kath did

First few albums were great, but without Kath they were nothing but a middle of the road ballad factory. And without Cetera, completely useless.

[Richardo]

14. It Better End Soon....

Another great political anthem from the Terry Kath era...

[phillybri]

15. "If You Leave Me Now"

I am too damn cheesy...

[LSdemocrat]

21. second

Cheesy pop rocks!

[Bossy Monkey]

16. Heck, I wrote the poll and I still can't decide

but thanks for not flaming. I'm still torn between 67 & 68, Lowdown, Feelin' Stronger, and Saturday in the Park. All my favorites at different times and for different reasons. Eventually, I'll go with whichever still doesn't have a vote.:)

[LanternWaste]

17. Dialogue, Parts I & II and Liberation

"Dialogue, Parts I & II." Hands down, no doubt about it with "Liberation" coming in a *very* close second. Nothing's come close to Chicago back in their double-album days, IMHO. I think these guys gave the "deep cut playlist" some serious validation.

But I guess I'm a bit bias in that I think Top 40's been crap since 1979... :hippie:

[Bossy Monkey]

20. Where the heck have you been?

Was searching one of my old threads and came across your username and thought, What ever became of LanternWaste?

[last_texas_dem]

19. I love Chicago

Very hard to pick a favorite, but some of mine are "Questions 67 and 68", "Feelin' Stronger Every Day", "Hideaway", "Byblos", "Mississippi Delta City Blues", "Brand New Love Affair", "Never Been in Love Before", "What Kind of Man Would I Be?", "Beginnings", and "Dialogue." I love all of their studio albums from the debut to VIII (except VI which has a couple strong singles but not much else I care for) and could almost put them all in their entirety. The new CD reissues also have some cool bonus tracks. In terms of their latter career (1982-), I like quite a few of their singles but their albums are much weaker. I can enjoy their later stuff but don't appreciate it in the same way as their awesome seventies stuff. The political messages in the songs from particularly the first five albums are great! After Terry Kath died, they really were a much different band.