Chicago Chronicles 4/16 – FINALE – Liberation
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UPDATE 5/6 – Chicago VIII pack Part 2 released!
Here is part 2 of my 2 pack release for Chicago VIII released in 1975. The music would start to be simplified and more straight up rock but no less creative nor fun to play. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack.GUITAR: BearzUnlimited
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerGuitarist Terry Kath wrote a tribute to Jimi Hendrix and it’s simultaneously the most beautiful, lush, and complex song he did. It’s in my top 5 Chicago songs and will give guitarist fits for the amount of solos. If you get one song from this pack make it this one.
GUITAR: ghostbyob
This song could have easily been written by Black Sabbath but instead it’s written and sung by Peter Cetera. Great guitar solos and busy drumming throughout. Sorry but no keys were done. There isn’t any until the last minute or so and it was buried so I left it out.
GUITAR: atupomaruru
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“Brand New Love Affair,” is a song written by James Pankow. The song peaked at #61 on the charts.[1] Guitarist Terry Kath sings the first half while bassist Peter Cetera sings the second half. Keyboardist Robert Lamm played the distinctive Fender Rhodes electric piano on the song – the intro particularly showcases its lush vibrato bell-like sound.
UPDATE 5/27 – Chicago X pack Part 1 released!
Here is part 1 of my 2 pack release for Chicago X released in 1976. The album is notable for its soulfulness, and Chicago’s first number one hit, If You Leave Me Now. The album art depicts a partially unwrapped chocolate bar with the band’s logo on it. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack.
GUITAR: narutostarwars123456
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerGuitarist Terry Kath wrote a rip roaring opening track that is much more down to earth than his contributions to the last 2 albums. The awesome sax solo is sadly the last time Walt Parazaider would have a prominent solo on a Chicago album.
GUITAR: ghostbyob
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerThis raunchy tune from Jimmy Pankow features some smoking horn parts, guitar solo, and shuffle rhythm throughout. The lyrics are a little obviously about procreation
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5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
A lyrical retelling of their career up to this point Scrapbook is pure funk.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerAnother Rainy Day in New York City is a song written by Robert Lamm and was the first single released reaching #32 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
GUITAR: ghostbyob
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerYou Are On My Mind was the third single for the album, reaching #49 in April 1977.
GUITAR: bsbloom
This track was recorded during the album sessions but left off and resurrected as a bonus track in the early 2000’s. It’s the most unusual ballad I’ve heard written by guitarist Terry Kath featuring many moods, twists and turns and continuously ramping up to a furious climax. No keys were charted as they are very low in the mix.
GUITAR: ghostbyob
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerTrumpet player Lee Loughnane wrote and contributed a lead vocal for this song.
UPDATE 7/3 – Chicago XI pack released!
Here is my release for Chicago XI released in 1977. This album was the end of an era. Terry Kath dies the next year, long time producer Jimmy Guercio is fired and everything slowly goes down hill until David Foster returns them to Pop megastardom again but they still released some great music in the meantime. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack and mb1nightmare for playtesting.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer“Baby, What a Big Surprise” is a power ballad written by Peter Cetera. The first single released from that album, it reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys provided additional backing vocals on the recording while saxophonist Walt Parazaider plays flute on the distinctive flute introduction and trumpeter Lee Loughnane plays a piccolo trumpet.
GUITAR: nsw1-6/BearzUnlimited
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerSadly this was Terry Kath’s final contribution to a Chicago record before his untimely death a year later. Thankfully it’s a gritty blistering track that sizzles with lead licks and solos throughout.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
This ballad written by drummer Danny Seraphine features lush strings and jazz solos throughout as well as a beautiful lead vocal by Terry Kath.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerAnother track written by Danny Seraphine with lead vocals by Robert Lamm with some interesting guitar licks throughout by Terry Kath.
UPDATE 7/31 – Chicago Hot Streets pack released!
Here is my pack for Hot Streets released in 1978. This is the first album after the death of original guitarist Terry Kath. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack and mb1nightmare for playtesting.
GUITAR: Mb1nightmare/MrBurpler
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer“Alive Again” is a song written by James Pankow with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The first single released from that album, it reached #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the first new single after their split with producer James William Guercio and first hit after the accidental death of Terry Kath; Donnie Dacus replaces him on guitar. The opening guitar and horns riff of this song were used in the opening highlights montage by the NBA on CBS from 1979 to 1981.
GUITAR: ghostbyob
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerThis brilliant title track was written and sung by Robert Lamm. It’s sadly the last jazz influenced song Chicago would do for many years. It features solo sections for flute and a great outro solo for new guitarist Donnie Dacus.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer“No Tell Lover” is a song written by Peter Cetera, Lee Loughnane, and Danny Seraphine with Cetera and Donnie Dacus singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. After “No Tell Lover”, Chicago failed to chart a single in the U.S. top fifty for nearly four years, finally breaking their slump with the 1982 number-one hit “Hard to Say I’m Sorry”.GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
This song is a vocal introduction and guitar showcase for brand new member Donnie Dacus. He has a soothing vocal delivery and great guitar chops. after 2 verses and a short solo section the song concludes with a blistering 2 minutes of outro guitar solo which the band brilliantly backs him up on. Danny Seraphine is on fire throughout.
GUITAR: MrBurpler
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerBeautiful uptempo ballad written and sung by Robert Lamm. Danny’s drum do not take the simple approach and are very fun to play.
UPDATE 9/3 – Chicago 13/14 pack released!
Here is my pack for Chicago 13 and 14 released in 1979and 1980. Both were transitional albums that performed very poorly at the time leading to more line up changes on guitar and yet as always there was brilliant music to be found. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack and mb1nightmare for playtesting.
GUITAR: nsw1-6
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“Street Player” had previously been released by Rufus. It did eventually reach hit status, being sampled for both the 1995 hit “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind)” by The Bucketheads, the 2009 hit “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” by Pitbull and the 2013 remix by dance music producer “Tradelove”.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerLaudir DeOliveira (percussion) contributes the breezy, jazz-flavored “Life Is What It Is” featuring an equally liberating vocal from Peter Cetera.GUITAR: Mb1nightmare
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
This frantic song written and sung by keyboardist Robert Lamm features a pair a blistering solos from new guitarist Chris Pinnick.
GUITAR: bsbloom
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerWritten and sung by Peter Cetera “Mama Take” is very Beatlesque in sound.
GUITAR: DemonUnicorns
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
The ragtime blues feel on Danny Seraphine’s “Aloha Mama” has some well-seasoned brass augmentation, proving that Chicago had not completely abandoned its roots or audience.
GUITAR: Mb1nightmare
5 LANE KEYS: BansheeflyerThis Robert Lamm tune was originally written and recorded during the session for Chicago X(1976). This version is much more hard rock oriented.
UPDATE 10/2 – Chicago 16 pack released!
Here is my pack for Chicago 16 released in 1982. Although they had a moderate hit with 1978’s Hot Streets, for all intents and purposes Chicago had been adrift since the tragic death of Terry Kath in January of 1978. Chicago 16 is where the band finally righted itself, in no small part due to the addition of guitarist/keyboardist Bill Champlin, the namesake of the ’60s San Franciscan psychedelic outfit the Sons of Champlin, who in addition to joining the band brought into the circle the producer who would change Chicago’s commercial fortunes: David Foster. The Canadian producer had worked with Champlin on a solo album, Runaway, which made a very small ripple on the Billboard charts upon its 1981 release, but did pave the way for the sound that Chicago developed on 16. Under the direction of Foster, Chicago turned away from any lingering jazz-rock roots they had, and they also backed away from the disco aspirations that sank their turn-of-the-decade platters. Instead, they pursued a glistening modern pop sound, anchored with dramatic drums, built on synthesizers, decked out in arena rock guitars, layered with harmonies, and stripped of any excesses — which by and large included Chicago’s famed horn section, which was now used for punctuation instead of functioning as the center of the group’s sound. This was no-nonsense, all-business, crisp and clean pop for the Reagan era, and it not only became a smash hit for Chicago — reaching the Top Ten, thanks to the singles “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” and “Love Me Tomorrow” — it defined Foster’s sound, which in turned defined adult contemporary for the ’80s. It may not have been too faithful to Chicago, at least what the band was in the ’70s, but amidst ’80s adult pop, it’s a high watermark — and a lot punchier and tougher than the singles would suggest, too, since almost all of the album tracks are relatively high energy and soulful. Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack and mb1nightmare for playtesting.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x/Mb1nightmare
5 LANE KEYS: FujiSkunk
This is the last brilliant song written by Jimmy Pankow and showcases Bill Champlin on brilliant lead vocals as well as the lead guitar skills of Chris Pinnick.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x/Mb1nightmare
5 LANE KEYS: FujiSkunkHere’s the first time Peter Cetera and newcomer Bill Champlin would trade vocals and it sounds fabulous.GUITAR: StackOverflow0x/Mb1nightmare
PRO/5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“What You’re Missing”, was released and peaked at #81 on the Pop chart. This song reminds me of Turn it up the Radio by Autograph though it came out 2 years before that and with Cetera singing much better obviously.
GUITAR: Sygenysis
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“Love Me Tomorrow” was written by Peter Cetera and David Foster. The second single released from the album, it reached #22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
GUITAR: Mb1nightmare
5 LANE KEYS: FujiSkunk
“Hard to Say I’m Sorry” is a song written by Peter Cetera and producer David Foster, and released on May 17, 1982 as the lead single. It was their first top 50 hit since “No Tell Lover” in 1978. In the fall of 1982, while it was moving down the Hot 100, it just left the top 50 within two weeks from #4.The album version of “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” segued into a second song titled “Get Away,” which was closer to the older horn-driven Chicago sound. Most adult contemporary radio stations at the time did not play the entire album track, however, choosing to cut it off just before “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” segued into “Get Away.”The song was also featured in the movie and soundtrack for Summer Lovers (1982).LATEST UPDATE 11/4 – Chicago 17 pack released!
Here is my pack for Chicago 17 released in 1984. Along with You’re the Inspiration which was released last christmas you now have 5 tunes to enjoy. Each song has a guest review from Mr samjjones.
Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack and mb1nightmare for playtesting.
GUITAR: Chips
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
VOCALS: Dash Riprock
While most Chicago purists scoff at Chicago 17, the album was certainly the band’s most blatant attempt to hit pop mainstream. Peter Cetera really took charge on this album, and sings lead on this up-tempo song, which was the fourth single released from the video. Cetera also contributes a fun, funky little bassline into this song, and drummers will get a hi-hat workout. The other instrumentation is pretty straightforward…keys players have to wait until 1:15 to get involved, but they get to listen to more glorious Cetera vocals. p.s. I command you to watch the incredible music video. Yes, this really happened. MTV was awesome back in the day.GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
This song opens with a pretty piano intro, and features another lovely Cetera lead vocal. The full band doesn’t kick in until after the first verse, but it’s a good full band experience overall. Drums are minimal, but fun. Your vocalist gets a chance to shine here.P.S.AJFOne: This is my favorite song from the 80’s era.GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
VOCALS: Dash Riprock
This song is one of the better known “rock ballads” of the 80’s. Here, Cetera trades off vocals with Bill Champlin, and the result is one of the better examples of dude/dude love song duets in music history. The song starts with a keys intro solo, and is a nice slow, easy entry for G/B/D. The song is really about the keys and harmony vocals of Champlin/Cetera. Special credit to James Pankow for the very cool horn break that appears about 3 minutes in, too.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
VOCALS: Dash Riprock
This is the first single from Chicago 17, and was one of Chicago’s biggest hits to that point. While this song may initially sound like another cheesy 80’s power ballad…it has very easy bass and a simple drum pattern…all of a sudden a kick-ass guitar solo kicks in around the 3 minute mark that is a ton of fun to play. This song will be a blast (in a non-ironic way) to sing at parties.LATEST UPDATE 12/3 – Chicago 18 pack released!
Here is my pack for Chicago 18 released in 1986. It was the first release following the departure of Peter Cetera and the last album produced by David Foster. Bassist Jason Scheff would replace Cetera on the high vocals.
Credits listed below. Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“Niagara Falls” is the fourth single released from Chicago 18 reaching #91 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. Lead vocals were shared by Jason Scheff and Bill Champlin. When writing the song, the band misspelled “Niagara” as “Niagra”; this mistake can be seen in the music video’s title and most likely on the album, as Warner Bros. Records and Chicago never corrected it.GUITAR: nsw1-6
5 LANE KEYS: StackOverflow0x
If you’ve been paying attention to the 80’s output I’ve released you’ll notice an absence of keyboardist Robert Lamm who was such an integral part of the bands early success. His role would be diminished throughout the 70’s and by the 80’s he was a sideman in his own band contributing less and less to the songwriting. Forever is reminder of his greatness. The lyrics acknowledge the rising divorce rates in society and being hopeful that he won’t end up that way. It concludes with the most prominent sax part in a Chicago song since 1976’s Once or Twice. I was sad to learn that founding member Walt Parazaider did not do this part. Instead a session who also played sax in the 80’s hit “St. Elmo’s Fire”.GUITAR: nsw1-6
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“If She Would Have Been Faithful… ” is a song written by Steve Kipner and Randy Goodrum with Jason Scheff singing lead vocals. It was the third single released reaching #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The lyrics deal with being thankful that your ex cheated on you which allowed the subject to meet the love of their life.GUITAR: nsw1-6
5 LANE KEYS: StackOverflow0x
This is an upbeat rocker written and sung by Bill Champlin. Vocalist will enjoy the soulful performance.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: Bansheeflyer
“Will You Still Love Me?” was the second single released from Chicago 18 reaching number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1987. The song was Chicago’s first top ten hit following the departure of Peter Cetera, and it featured new singer and bassist Jason Scheff on lead vocals.LATEST UPDATE 12/25 – Merry Christmas!: Chicago 19 pack
Here is my pack for Chicago 19 released in 1988. Credits listed below.
Also thanks to my friend Masayuki Funatsu for creating a great image for this pack.
GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: MrBurpler
“I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love” is a hit song written by Diane Warren with Bill Champlin singing lead vocals. The first single released from that album, it reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.GUITAR: StackOverflow0x
5 LANE KEYS: MrBurpler
Diane Warren had written Chicago’s 1988 number three pop single “I Don’t Want to Live Without Your Love.” The band’s management wanted to tap Warren for more hit songs. The Warren ballad “Look Away” was gleamed from a situation that one of the songwriter’s friends was involved in. One day when Warren was visiting her at her office, her friend’s ex-husband came by. The friend told him that she’d met someone and they were planning a wedding. Warren felt that the ex wanted to get back together. “Look Away” featured Bill Champlin on lead vocals and continued to de-emphasize the band’s brass section. The strategy proved successful with the million-selling “Look Away” staying at number one pop for two weeks and going to number one adult contemporary in late 1988.So I have to ask, is this it for the Chicago Chronicles, or will we see bits from Twenty-1 and beyond?
So I have to ask, is this it for the Chicago Chronicles, or will we see bits from Twenty-1 and beyond?
This is as far forward as I go. There’s plenty left as I go back to the beginning and fill in some gaps both big and small.
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