Ten Songs by Chicago

The decade of the 60's had just ended when I was introduced to Chicago's unique blend of rock, jazz, classical, and big band sound. I was a musician myself, a clarinetist, and admired the obvious talent displayed in Chicago's horn section. I have selected ten songs which I feel demonstrate the artistry of what was Chicago in the band's early years. For nostalgic reasons, I limited my suggestions to songs that were recorded before 1978. These ten songs have not received the air play of Chicago's best known hits like "Make Me Smile", "Saturday In the Park", or "Beginnings".

The members of Chicago began their group in February 1967. The band continues to tour and record today although, of the seven original members, three are gone. Terry Kath, lead singer and guitarist, died in 1978 when the gun he was examining discharged its fatal load into his head. Peter Cetera, lead singer and bassist, left to pursue a solo career in 1985 and never came back. Chicago's original drummer, Danny Seraphine, was asked to leave the group in 1990. Although musicians were found to fill in the gaps, Chicago has not sounded quite the same as in those early years.

Go back with me in time and imagine a preteen girl listening to Chicago's music on an old record player in her bedroom, trying to keep the volume from rousing complaints from her parents.

1) The first tune I would suggest for the serious Chicago fan to listen to is the song "Introduction". "Introduction" was written by Terry Kath and appears on the first album from1969 (titled Chicago Transit Authority) and on the 1971 Carnegie Hall concert boxed set. "Introduction" is a great showcase for the individual talents of the group. Kath is the lead vocalist. This selection does a decent job of introducing the listener to the unique Chicago horn section sound as well as to the solo virtuosity of trombonist James Pankow and trumpeter Lee Loughnane.

2) It's a pity that more people have not listened to the full fifteen minute composition written by Pankow and found on Chicago II. This piece collectively titled Ballet For a Girl in Buchanan offers so much more than the two individual hits, "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World". My personal favorites of the remaining movements in this ballet are neatly sandwiched between those two Chicago hits and are titled "So Much To Say, So Much To Give", "Anxiety's Moment", and "West Virginia Fantasies". This segment of the Ballet comprises less than four minutes but is full of striking musical contrasts. "So Much To Say" begins with a horn part that sounds like gradually fading echoes. The rhythm changes to three beats per measure with a punctuated piano and drum background against which Robert Lamm sings. The horns play an intricate counterpoint to end this section and transition into "Anxiety's Moment". This section features Lee Loughnane on trumpet. In "West Virginia Fantasies", Loughnane's trumpet and Walter Parazaider's flute unite in a melody that soon breaks into two contrasting lines. After a few seconds, Lamm on organ and Kath on guitar do much the same thing and finally the horn section picks up the busy melody and counterpoints. This all climaxes in chords that lead into the opening piano arpeggios of "Colour My World". The movements of Ballet For a Girl in Buchanan are intended to dovetail one into another without pause. My advice is to find a copy of Chicago II so that you can listen to the Ballet in its seamless perfection just as Pankow wrote it and Chicago played it.

3) Chicago II from1970 contained more than one set of musical pieces meant to be played as one. The collaboration between Peter Matz and Terry Kath produced a second group of movements which included "Prelude", "A. M. Mourning", "P. M. Mourning", and "Memories of Love". Matz, who died in 2002, is best known for his extensive work in scoring television specials and movies and for his collaboration with Barbra Streisand. The music in the first three movements is lush and beautiful with Chicago horn players playing some of the solo parts against an orchestral background. Kath's voice in "Memories of Love" is both soulful and meditative. All four movements flow one into the next on the album or CD and as with the Ballet, I recommend getting a copy of Chicago II to listen.

4) "Poem For the People" composed by keyboardist and lead vocal Robert Lamm appeared on Chicago's second album. The song opens with Lamm's piano, then segues into a horn fanfare before sliding into a slow, easy rock beat. Listen for Kath's fine guitar licks in between Lamm's singing and the horn arrangements. Halfway through the song, the horns break out in a section with a style that defined Chicago's unique early sound. Toward the end, Pankow plays a very short trombone solo before the horns and bass end the number.

5) "Fancy Colours" is from the second album but also appears on the Carnegie Hall set. This Robert Lamm song begins with the sound of glass wind chimes moving in a breeze. The three voices of Lamm, Cetera, and Kath chase each other against a backdrop of horns in a kind of proclamation. The piece then starts to swing with Parazaider's flute part supplying a playful jazzy counterpoint to the voices. The conclusion of the song is a little strange with the same chord being played several times in a row, but I enjoy the rest of the piece so much I can overlook the ending.

6) "Canon" was written by James Pankow and appears on Chicago's third album from 1971. This short piece a little over one minute long sounds like a cross between the Renaissance composer Gabrieli's antiphonal brass arrangements with hints of more modern harmonies and dissonances thrown in. "Canon", among other Chicago pieces, demonstrates to the listener that the members of this rock band weren't dozing off in their music composition classes at DePaul University.

7) "Sing a Mean Tune, Kid" appeared on the third Chicago album and was also one of the set that the group did for their Carnegie Hall performance. It was written by Robert Lamm and dedicated to pop stars who rose to fame and then faded from memory. I recommend the Carnegie Hall recording which is almost thirteen minutes in length. The first four and a half minutes of "Sing" features Peter Cetera as lead vocalist and some rather funky sounding horn and guitar arrangements. From that point on, the horns drop out and Kath, Cetera, Lamm, and Seraphine jam on their respective instruments. I like to pick out the individual parts each time I listen. Kath and Cetera especially shine in this jam session. In the last minute of the song Kath leads the group in a short rendition of Bill Haley's famous "Rock Around the Clock". If you want to hear some of the best of Terry Kath's guitar and Peter Cetera's bass playing, listen to "Sing a Mean Tune, Kid".

8) In 1973, Chicago put out their sixth album. "Something In This City Changes People" comes from that collection. A restless piano opening introduces this number. The lyrics speak of the cynicism that living in a big city can produce and the longing to be with those who love you. The song ends with a moving Parazaider flute solo.

9) I chose to include "Critic's Choice", a Robert Lamm song from Chicago VI, because of the lyrics. Lamm sings of dredging up his last remaining ounce of inspiration and energy to please his critics. The stark piano accompaniment contributes to the mood of this selection. Who hasn't ever felt as if people around them expect more from them than they can possibly deliver?

10) I could not resist including "Harry Truman" among these ten songs. Chicago performed this number on their eighth album from 1975. "Harry Truman" is a jaunty Robert Lamm composition that features Pankow's trombone and Lamm's piano playing and singing. The reason I included this song? Toward the end, Parazaider plays the B-flat clarinet, the instrument that he majored in at DePaul University before Chicago became a band. The trombone and clarinet stylings sound like they came from the time period of Truman's presidency and there are tinny voices in the background that imitate the radio announcements of that day. I recommend the clip of this song on You Tube from Chicago's New Year's Rockin' Eve 1975 performance.

As a serious Chicago fan, I offer this list of early selections. This was the band as it once was, the seven original members jiving, contemplating, performing, and producing some of the best music you will hear this side of Heaven.