“Hey now, everybody
Please don’t romp or roam
We’re a little nervous now
‘Cause we’re far from home
Come on, everybody
Sit back and let us through
And let us play for you”
“Introduction” by Chicago (Terry Kath) – 1969
The year was 1971. I was 14 years old and hanging out at a friend’s house, listening intently as he played Chicago IV (the “Live from Carnegie Hall” album set) from an amazing horn band called “Chicago”. I quickly became a big fan. I even loved doodling the Chicago logo on my junior high school book covers. I distinctly remember having to give a speech for a class project, and I naturally decided to give a talk on my new favorite band. I took in a portable record player and played “Introduction” to start my speech. The teacher apparently wasn’t a fan- she told me to turn down the volume (twice). I didn’t get a great grade, but it made me a hit with my classmates. Back then the radio stations would announce when new records were coming out, and I would always be first in line at the record store to pick up Chicago’s newest release. Then I would call my friends and give them a review of the new songs. Most of the early Chicago albums came with posters, and every one of them was taped onto the walls in my room. My mother even made me a custom home-made shirt with the famous “Chicago” logo sewn onto the front- I remember tracing the logo for her from one of their album covers and she took over from there. I undoubtedly listened to side 2 of Chicago’s second album, with the “Ballet for a Girl from Buchannon” suite featuring “Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World”, more than any other album I’ve ever owned. My first Chicago concert was in 1973, and for the next 10 years every time Chicago came to Philadelphia I was there. I clearly remember their tours supporting their albums Chicago VI, VII, VIII, X, and XI- I always looked forward to hearing their newest songs live. One of my favorite Chicago shows was from the “Beachago” tour in 1975, when the Beach Boys joined them for a set of Chicago and Beach Boy songs, including the new hot single “Wishing You Were Here”. Another favorite was in 1982, when we saw them at the more intimate Valley Forge Music Fair. Those were great shows.
I was lucky to have seen Chicago guitarist/vocalist Terry Kath at several of those early concerts. I remember he would usually be wearing a hockey jersey- usually the Chicago Black Hawks, but I believe one year he may have worn a Flyers jersey for the local crowd. It was a sad day in 1978 when I heard on the news that Terry Kath had died- he accidentally shot himself, thinking the gun wasn’t loaded. I loved Terry’s guitar playing, but I have to admit back then Peter Cetera was my favorite of their three main lead vocalists, probably because he sang a lot of their hits. But I later really came to appreciate Terry’s soulful voice, and my favorite Chicago songs now are the ones that he sang. The band was never the same after he left.
After Terry’s death, everyone was wondering what would happen to the band, but they soon announced that Chicago would continue. They brought in Donnie Dacus, who had a starring role in the film version of Hair. The first time I saw Chicago without Terry was at the Allentown fair in 1978, shortly after his death. I was with the same friend who introduced me to the band several years earlier. Donnie had a decent voice and the new songs from their “Hot Streets” album were OK, but the band sorely missed Terry Kath’s guitar and vocals. It was kind of depressing. (Maybe that’s why I drank way too much at that show?) Dacus didn’t last long with the band, and that began the next 40 years of musicians coming and going, with just the core group of Robert Lamm and the three horn players staying consistent over the decades. I would still get every one of their albums, but their sound had changed. Although I remained a fan, I no longer felt the excitement that I did in those early years.
In 2012, I was excited to see their original drummer, Danny Seraphine, perform in my area with a local band (“Patchwork”), playing Chicago songs and telling some great stories. It was a thrill to meet him after the show. I got to see Danny a few times more after that as well, with his band “California Transit Authority”. They played mostly original music and at that time featured the awesome Tower of Power singer Larry Braggs on vocals. They were often joined by other former members of Chicago, including Bill Champlin. A great band- I wish they toured on the East Coast more frequently. Then in 2015, I saw Chicago’s former bassist/lead singer, Peter Cetera, who went on to have a successful career as a solo artist after leaving the band. It was great to see him on stage again, but as a guy who became known primarily for his ballads, his show had the feel of a lounge act. I enjoyed it, and saw him again the following year, but it certainly lacked the excitement of those early Chicago shows.
I should note that Chicago is popular around the world, particularly Japan. They have even recorded a few songs in Japanese for the Japan market (“Questions 67 and 68”, and “Lowdown”). On a trip to Japan in 2015, I met up with some local Japanese fans of the band. We had become friends on Facebook, solely on our love of the band (and my interest in Japan). It turns out they met once a quarter to party and sing karaoke to Chicago songs, and they graciously invited me to join them. As the only “gaijin” (foreigner) in the group, I was their special guest for the evening. it was a long night of food, drinks, singing, and laughs. I never had so much fun with a group of strangers!
Chicago’s Japanese version of “Questions 67 and 68” chorus lyrics (sung by Peter Cetera):
“おねがい きかせて その理由
だけどどうでも いいさ
このしあわせを胸に
だきしめてただ信じたい 奇蹟を”
I would still see Chicago play live every now and then, and in 2016 it was announced that Chicago was being inducted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was being held in New York City at the Barclays Center. Making it extra sweet was that the other inductees included Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, and the Steve Miller Band. I jumped at the opportunity to see my favorite band get inducted into the Hall. I was disappointed that Peter Cetera decided not to reunite with the band for their induction (I could write a whole blog post on that), but it was very exciting to see original drummer Danny Seraphine with the band again. Danny’s speech was epic- they kept trying to get him to shut up, but he went on and on- I loved it! A highlight of the ceremony was having Terry Kath’s daughter, Michelle. there to represent him. It was very touching.
The following year, in 2017, we went all out again, and bought VIP seats for Chicago with Earth, Wind and Fire. The tickets included a front row seat, and photo with the band. That was probably my most memorable Chicago show, as I had never been that close to the band before, and it was a great performance. After that, I said I would probably never go to another Chicago show- I felt like it couldn’t get any better, and I wanted to end on a high note. It’s getting to the point where I couldn’t even tell you the names of many of the band members now. I might make an exception if Robert, James, and Lee decide to have a “farewell tour”, but I don’t really see that happening. It was a good run- Chicago was certainly the soundtrack of my life. “Colour My World” was our wedding song. Everyone obviously has their favorites, but here are my own top 10 Chicago songs. Some are on the list because they have a special meaning for me personally and remind me of a particular time in my life.
- Ballet for a Girl In Buchannon suite
- Introduction
- In The Country
- Dialogue
- Hit By Varese
- Now That You’ve Gone
- (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long
- Little One
- You Are On My Mind
- Mother
What are your favorite Chicago songs?
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