What’s Chicago's Greatest Song of the '70s?

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  • Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
  • In today's livestream I discuss the band Chicago and we try to answer the question of what their Greatest Hit of the '70s was.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 6 тис.

  • @joebivona5590
    @joebivona5590 5 місяців тому +113

    25 or 6 to 4 isn't just Chicago's best song, but just about the best song that anybody did in the '70s. Stone cold classic! Long live Terry!

    • @ianbarber311
      @ianbarber311 3 місяці тому +7

      Especially the Tanglewood version. Someone using the name Mike Patton (could be him) said, "damn, Terry, what did that guitar ever do to you?".

    • @Dr.ScatKohlenblo-nj2cv
      @Dr.ScatKohlenblo-nj2cv Місяць тому +2

      Hide the guns and he'd still be here.

    • @caramanico1
      @caramanico1 Місяць тому +4

      That Kath solo - when punches in the wah - OMG!

    • @NoNameNoFace-rr7li
      @NoNameNoFace-rr7li 10 днів тому +2

      the guitar solo was impossible to beat...even hendrix couldnt have done it better...

  • @johnmclelland4278
    @johnmclelland4278 3 місяці тому +90

    We were absolutely spoiled in the 70’s…….great music on the radio all day every day!

    • @JJJJJVVVVVLLLLL
      @JJJJJVVVVVLLLLL 2 місяці тому +6

      even the most random AM station was guaranteed magic in the 70s

    • @cheaplaughkennedy2318
      @cheaplaughkennedy2318 25 днів тому +3

      That’s a good way to put it and I didn’t realize that until years later for comparison.

  • @KurtFlechtner
    @KurtFlechtner Рік тому +277

    As a youngster, I always loved Feeling Stronger Every Day. After my wife died in 2005 at age 44, I rediscovered that song and made it my anthem for overcoming terrible grief. "Knowing that you would have wanted it this way I do believe I'm feeling stronger every day" gave me strength to move on and rebuild my life. The upbeat chugging finale of the song was inspirational for me going forward. I would love to tell Peter Cetera how his song helped me find a way through my personal tragedy.

    • @jackwalker4744
      @jackwalker4744 Рік тому +6

      FSED was my favorite as well-- among the many ultra-strong contenders. And "Alive Again" (best intro ever, and by far the best post-Kath track!) was a very worthy successor form Cetera and Pankow.

    • @erikas3337
      @erikas3337 Рік тому +5

      ​@@jackwalker4744 Alive Again is amazing!

    • @jimsokaitis8502
      @jimsokaitis8502 Рік тому +6

      God Bless you, sir.

    • @peanutbutterisfu
      @peanutbutterisfu Рік тому +6

      Just wanted to say I’m
      So sorry to read about this the loss of your wife and I hope you have been able to move on. I don’t you obviously but I’m sure your wife would want you to do whatever makes you happy, GOD BLESS YOU!

    • @jimsokaitis8502
      @jimsokaitis8502 Рік тому +2

      Peace. 🙏

  • @comvoice
    @comvoice Місяць тому +22

    “Wishing You Were Here” is my favorite from the 70’s. Gorgeous song.

    • @mizmusiclorikeetakakaral8142
      @mizmusiclorikeetakakaral8142 17 днів тому

      Ohhh yeah, with those Beach Boys harmonies, what a collaboration, just gorgeous (and really captures the hollow feeling of missing someone). ❤

  • @martykott450
    @martykott450 Рік тому +675

    Chicago Transit Authority is IMHO the greatest double album ever released. It is Rock, Jazz, Blues, and Prog all blended into a lethal stew of ear candy.

    • @JK-js2td
      @JK-js2td Рік тому +12

      Yes sir!

    • @TheReal1953
      @TheReal1953 Рік тому +7

      Maybe for horn infusion into rock/pop and a variety of instruments. "The Butterfield Blues Band/Live" from the same period is dripping with solid Blues and deserves to be on an equal status.....which they never got.

    • @bwithrow011
      @bwithrow011 Рік тому +19

      Agreed 100%. It begins with Introduction and ends with Liberation. I'm not crazy about Free Form Guitar, but the rest is great

    • @bwithrow011
      @bwithrow011 Рік тому +5

      Agreed 100%. It begins with Introduction and ends with Liberation. I'm not crazy about Free Form Guitar, but the rest is great

    • @nerenahd
      @nerenahd Рік тому +8

      The Wall, Exile on Main St., Tommy, White Album, Physicall Grafitty, even Chicago II is a great contender. I do like CTA a lot, but definitely not the best double album IMHO.

  • @bigtalk2598
    @bigtalk2598 Рік тому +313

    This video has me tearing up. It brings back memories of my dad, who recently passed. He would buy a record and bring it home and play it after work until he got tired of it, then would get another one. This Chicago album was one that lasted a long time, so these songs just transport me to my living room I grew up in, yellow shag carpet, fake wood panelling on the walls, huge box TV, huge stereo cabinet with large speakers embedded on the sides. I'm not sure you realize how emotional these videos make your viewers. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

    • @LaneDenson
      @LaneDenson Рік тому +13

      My dad was my introduction to Chicago... the last concert we went to together before he passed was a Chicago show in '98.

    • @paulmercogliano5816
      @paulmercogliano5816 Рік тому +8

      Condolences to you and everyone who knew and loved your Dad. Brings back memories of the "better" old days....buying Chicago albums at a "record" pace!

    • @jazzpianousa
      @jazzpianousa Рік тому +18

      I own all albums from Transit Authority to 14. After that only cursory because of the shift away from the horns. It was never the same after Terry Kath. Plus Donnie Dacus never had a chance. No guitarist who followed right after Terry would. Terry Kath is so underrated and under appreciated not only as a guitarist but as a composer and a vocalist. You should watch his daughter's documentary about her dad. Truly moving.

    • @adoman6355
      @adoman6355 Рік тому +10

      Thank you for such a fantastic live stream of my favorite group of all time. Love hearing your comments. (Got such a kick out of hearing your appreciation for Terry Kath in I've Been Searching So Long”!!) Brings back so many wonderful memories…

    • @christopherhebert9069
      @christopherhebert9069 Рік тому +7

      Epic and glorious memories to have just wonderful 🤧

  • @donkalil4853
    @donkalil4853 Рік тому +172

    Chicago was definitely one of the greatest bands of all time. Had Kath not met his untimely death he would surely be classified as one of the greatest guitarists in rock history.

    • @peanutbutterisfu
      @peanutbutterisfu Рік тому +10

      Agreed! I was born in 1984 so they were before my time but they have many timeless songs so people still can get into them. Some songs do sound dated but imo it’s not the actual song it’s how it was recorded like if they were recorded today they could be top 40! And to be honest my comment is really geared towards the listeners I feel that the few songs I’m thinking of are still fresh but ur every day regular person would say they sound old because of the organs and flute playing. I would also say the drums at times sound old not the style but how they were recorded. What’s amazing to me is how the horns don’t sound dated because they were recorded so well sounds hifi and the vocals man they sound like they were recorded yesterday very clean and clear hifi vocals so in key in the days before pitch correction. It sucks that people don’t know how much talent was required to be a musician like these guys back then. Nowadays ur lucky to have one person in a band that has half the talent that these guys did. It’s pretty safe to say that we probably won’t see a band with so many talented members ever again.

    • @williamsanders3182
      @williamsanders3182 Рік тому +13

      He was one of the greatest. Just relatively unknown.

    • @rileyhalls9301
      @rileyhalls9301 Рік тому +15

      Hendrix so highly respected Kath. Hendrix thought Kath was " the best guitarist in the universr".

    • @davidwand8046
      @davidwand8046 Рік тому +5

      I was lucky to see him twice with Chicago.

    • @RUfromthe40s
      @RUfromthe40s Рік тому +3

      great guitar sound played on the early Lp´s

  • @janfwagner
    @janfwagner 4 місяці тому +66

    “Beginnings” is, in my view, Chicago’s opus and my all-time favorite from my hometown band

    • @frankgerace5997
      @frankgerace5997 2 місяці тому +2

      A fellow musician and good friend of mine from high school named his band after that song!!

    • @janfwagner
      @janfwagner 2 місяці тому +1

      @@frankgerace5997 extremely cool

    • @katec7033
      @katec7033 2 місяці тому +1

      That’s always been my favorite with Wishing You Were Here my fave ballad.

    • @robsanz9746
      @robsanz9746 Місяць тому

      Agree w/ Every comment on this particular stream. 👍🏽

    • @christinemurphy6899
      @christinemurphy6899 Місяць тому +2

      Agreed. Vocals, horns, everything--amazing!

  • @farrelanggaraksa2299
    @farrelanggaraksa2299 Рік тому +312

    Terry Kath, Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm, Walter Parazaider, Jimmy Pankow, Lee Loughnane, Danny Seraphine, & Laudir De Oliveira... One absolute unit.

    • @johnreynoldsjr4157
      @johnreynoldsjr4157 Рік тому +18

      One of my all time favorite bands, not just in the 1970s

    • @veeeforvendetta
      @veeeforvendetta Рік тому +6

      @@johnreynoldsjr4157 Mine also..

    • @gregoire8376
      @gregoire8376 Рік тому +15

      Monseur De Oliveira snuck in later. The other 7 were in Walt Parazaider's Mom's basement when they originally agreed to be a family and not break up or fire anyone.

    • @Jimmypagesgreat
      @Jimmypagesgreat Рік тому +3

      Not to mention bill Champlain and Jason scheff, but they came along in the 80s.

    • @CurtisLinder
      @CurtisLinder Рік тому +3

      @@Jimmypagesgreat Jason's dad Jerry was Elvis' (Vegas Elvis) bass player - just read his autobiography - Way Down.

  • @justinhayward42
    @justinhayward42 Рік тому +188

    Make Me Smile is an all-time favorite. Kath’s vocals still give me chills after all these years and I’m 60.

    • @barkbarkwoof1
      @barkbarkwoof1 Рік тому +4

      I hope you enjoy the full version

    • @justinhayward42
      @justinhayward42 Рік тому +2

      @@barkbarkwoof1 Absolutely!

    • @mreuter892
      @mreuter892 Рік тому +6

      @@barkbarkwoof1 The full long version is incredible. I wish they had put that version on the greatest hits.

    • @countrysister700
      @countrysister700 Рік тому +2

      My fave. Then my HS marching band played it in early 70's lol

    • @davidahart2113
      @davidahart2113 Рік тому +5

      The full version of Make Me Smile is called Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon.

  • @paulg123
    @paulg123 Рік тому +233

    Feelin' Stronger Every Day. That's my #1 Chicago song. The ending still gives me chills to this day...🙂

  • @arnaldomontes5616
    @arnaldomontes5616 3 місяці тому +20

    Lets face it, that early 70's lineup was phenomenal. All superb musician and 3 singers that could also harmonize. The songwriting collaboration from each member. Just a great great band.

  • @chrishayes4323
    @chrishayes4323 Рік тому +200

    I know 25 or 6 to 4 was written in the 60's, but it was released in 1970, so it qualifies. None of their other tunes compare. That guitar solo alone is epic. How the horns come in at the beginning gives me chills. The drums are great and Cetera's vocals, as well.

    • @StormyDay
      @StormyDay Рік тому +11

      It’s the reason why I bought the album in 1970!

    • @chuckcourt8277
      @chuckcourt8277 Рік тому +13

      I saw them twice this year. The beginning of 25 or 6 to 4 blows me away every time.

    • @WilliamWallis
      @WilliamWallis Рік тому +8

      This is the correct answer.

    • @metathoughts732
      @metathoughts732 Рік тому +2

      Best rock guitar solo of all time.

    • @mikeporten8174
      @mikeporten8174 Рік тому +4

      Absolutely. 25 or 6 to 4 is the greatest guitar solo of all-time

  • @tempus_fugit7366
    @tempus_fugit7366 Рік тому +191

    Make Me Smile will always be my favorite Chicago tune! Terry Kath looked and sounded like an NFL linebacker, but gave so much emotion and soul to his singing and guitar playing. Damn shame he's gone.

    • @paulfrantizek102
      @paulfrantizek102 Рік тому +4

      Make Me Smile and Just You And Me are my two favorites.
      I'm A Man too, but that's a cover.

    • @JPDay
      @JPDay Рік тому +5

      Came here to say the same, best Chicago track imo.

    • @870expressmag
      @870expressmag Рік тому +17

      His vocals in Make me Smile have a Ray Charles quality to it. Just awesome!

    • @tempus_fugit7366
      @tempus_fugit7366 Рік тому +3

      @@870expressmag spot on!😁

    • @MarkPeotter
      @MarkPeotter Рік тому +6

      Make Me Smile, and Just You And Me. My favorites. Sometimes I think of them together like a medley.

  • @michaelbrickley2443
    @michaelbrickley2443 Рік тому +150

    25 or 6 to 4, the guitar of the late Terry Kath and his powerhouse vocals backed by the intense Danny Seraphine drumming and of course, the rest of the band. This was their showcase and most powerful piece of music

    • @siguardvolsung
      @siguardvolsung Рік тому +7

      I'm with you on that. Easy choice.

    • @aristocat60
      @aristocat60 Рік тому +5

      plus the strangest harmonies ever played by the horns right at the end

    • @thetranz13nt52
      @thetranz13nt52 Рік тому +7

      That song's solo is also a masterpiece

    • @WilkinsonX
      @WilkinsonX Рік тому +1

      I’ve not heard another rock song that really matches the raw unrelenting energy of 25 or 6 to 4. By the end of that solo it sounds like the track is about ready to collapse in on itself.

    • @tt55k
      @tt55k Рік тому +3

      Make Me Smile and their rendition of Stevie Winwood’s I’m a Man are my favorite ,

  • @johncraft2995
    @johncraft2995 5 місяців тому +22

    Rick, you are correct! These songs never get old. It was Terry’s band before he left us. He owned the stage with his power, virtuosity and presence that transcended the rest of the amazing musicians in this incredible band.

  • @campinggrampa
    @campinggrampa Рік тому +110

    Chicago was the soundtrack of my life in the 70’s. I still get chills every time I hear Searching & Feelin Stronger.

    • @ABCLakey2012
      @ABCLakey2012 Рік тому +2

      Yes, these Chicago songs still give me the goosebumps. Good stuff. Good memories of listening to music on the radio at home when I was a kid.

    • @buzzworth2396
      @buzzworth2396 Рік тому +5

      Absolutely the greatest band of my life!!! And I have been blessed to work 5 of their shows over the last 30 years. Very first concert I ever attended. Sept 20th,1971. Lake Spivey Calloway Gardens Ga. Didn't tell my parents & I was hooked. In highschool I was in advanced band in what they called Jazz lab. I played electric bass. This band is my favorite, hands down. Robert lamm took the time to talk to me after a show in Tunica. He asked me what was the first concert I ever saw them. My answer stunned him. He couldn't believe I remembered the date. Hell I remembered everything!!!! Opening song & even what he wore. There's a band by the name of Leonid and Friends. They do a phenomenal job on all their songs. Thank you for this!!!

    • @milt6208
      @milt6208 Рік тому

      Reminds me of playing high school football in the fall of "72" . Then I saw them at Big Surf in Tempe Arizona the next summer. Good old times for sure.

    • @peterbush1595
      @peterbush1595 2 місяці тому

      ...the build up in "Searching" knocks me out

  • @jamesmcdermott1808
    @jamesmcdermott1808 Рік тому +143

    Watching Terry play the guitar solo on 25 or 6 to 4 at Tanglewood in 1970 just blew me away, never saw anyone that rocked like he did, simply amazing.

    • @big_fat_hen
      @big_fat_hen Рік тому +6

      Yes, 25 or 6 to 4 has everything, just what a great song needs to have.

    • @randyhenderson6166
      @randyhenderson6166 Рік тому +12

      That Tanglewood solo is in my top 5 solos of all time. Simply amazing.

    • @ammobass
      @ammobass Рік тому +6

      Complete authoritative command of the instrument.

    • @darryldouglas6004
      @darryldouglas6004 Рік тому +6

      Yes! I love how he starts it while they’re trying to fix the drum kit position and extends it till they are done. 😃

    • @richardmarcroft6534
      @richardmarcroft6534 Рік тому +7

      I can’t argue with any of these but Introduction put me on the floor… permanently

  • @camgreer
    @camgreer Рік тому +164

    Leonid and Friends chose a great band to emulate and it's a lot of fun to hear them. For me, I keep returning to I'm A Man because Terry Kath was right on top of it. Listening to his complete abandon in his guitar and vocals is like following a whirlwind, expecting it to break apart at any second, but it never does. He was a force of nature and we were lucky to have him for the time he was with us.

    • @dominickbuzzanco
      @dominickbuzzanco Рік тому +7

      I've seen them twice and they were almost just as good live as they are in the videos. Stumbled on them a few years ago by chance and happy I did.

    • @Ebolter1
      @Ebolter1 Рік тому +2

      question 67 & 68

    • @jackarmstrong1838
      @jackarmstrong1838 Рік тому

      HAving said all that, they use more voices and horns in their band to get the effect. Rick is correct

    • @SteveM-gj2vy
      @SteveM-gj2vy Рік тому +2

      Was Terry better than Clapton? Yes, I know the Hendrix story.
      Some players didn't like his 'tone' but he always was perfect on the albums.
      Search for Chicago ISO guitar and the cat blows you away.

    • @dopeymark
      @dopeymark Рік тому

      Going to go see them in June in Virginia.

  • @melissagregory-oc5jq
    @melissagregory-oc5jq Рік тому +36

    Unsure what song you’ll choose as the best but ‘Make Me Smile’ is my very favorite. Terry Kath’s vocals and guitar are incredible, the horns, keyboard, drums, bass absolutely superb. Just as great, 25 or 6 or More and Dialogue, Saturday in the Park. Quite frankly, like Queen, The Beatles, U2, Neil, CSNY….Chicago has almost too many from which to choose. Terry Kath, we miss you. Great video!

    • @pinguinobc
      @pinguinobc 6 місяців тому +1

      I agree! I would add that that Danny Seraphine's drumming was also amazing on the extended version of that song (when it was released as "Make Me Smile/Now More Than Ever.") That is one of the songs I categorize as "perfect" -- absolutely flawless.

    • @altemose_prime
      @altemose_prime Місяць тому

      My favorite too.

  • @Racingbro1986
    @Racingbro1986 Рік тому +109

    It’s amazing that songs with this amount of intricacy were ever on the top of the charts. It makes me feel sad for today.

    • @tonusaitis
      @tonusaitis Рік тому +8

      It’s amazing and sad at the same time because it reflects how far the quality of popular music has fallen. It also serves to highlight how rock music is almost totally dead in the 2020s.

    • @brianrabey6861
      @brianrabey6861 Рік тому +3

      Music was real back then, today it's just quick marketing tools for Making execs rich, nothing surprising, as soon as music began selling albums, the whole industry - funny word for a creative endeavour - began orienting itself toward big bucks.

    • @audreykennedy90
      @audreykennedy90 Рік тому +3

      I am a child of the 70's. My father looooved Chicago. Todays standards for good music are so much lower. We were spoiled and so lucky at the same time. The best music.

  • @mbcarlson
    @mbcarlson Рік тому +89

    Possibly the most talented band ever if you add up all the players. Just incredible musicianship, songwriting, arranging, vocals, instrumental performances, etc. Absolutely incredible!

    • @cojaxart8986
      @cojaxart8986 Рік тому +4

      Being out at the lake with our girlfriends and backing the car up to the shore and cranking the 8-track of this album! What a memory. Such great songs! I played the hell out of the records and wore thgrooves out of them!

    • @cojaxart8986
      @cojaxart8986 Рік тому +3

      Does anybody really know what time it is? Fav

    • @TimTim3000
      @TimTim3000 Рік тому +3

      They're definitely in the discussion, along with The Eagles and maybe a few others.

    • @scottydog62
      @scottydog62 Рік тому +2

      Agreed,
      how they all work as a tight unit, doesn't seem like no one tries to outshine or do too much ,just incredible, To get that many guys to agree on ideas and have so many hit songs and they were so young, makes it all just phenomenal .....Just can't say no more , We were blessed with a lot of great bands in that era but Chicago, when you start breaking their songs down in detail , Talk about stars aligning, literally

    • @tugglesthe1st85
      @tugglesthe1st85 Рік тому +1

      @@TimTim3000 Rush

  • @genevieveking8819
    @genevieveking8819 Рік тому +36

    Saturday in the Park IS iconic. I was in grade school and that song defined summers driving around in the car, picnics, beaches, and singing along.

    • @steadypace747
      @steadypace747 Рік тому +4

      Well said. Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" (among others), Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" (My All Time Favorite Album...Period.), The Carpenter's (Pick One), The Jackson 5, The Commodores, Bread...These Great musicians, and some I've failed to mention, were the soundtrack of my childhood, and WHY I call the 1970s, the greatest and the "Last American Decade".

    • @lennonjw9
      @lennonjw9 2 місяці тому +2

      When I hear SITP, I can visualize the Chicago skyline as clear as the day I visited!

    • @johnstevens886
      @johnstevens886 12 днів тому +1

      This song never fails to make me happier even in the worst of times. The only thing I would change is the ending. It sort of just muffles at the end.

  • @d.k.9953
    @d.k.9953 11 місяців тому +26

    "Old Chicago" was the bomb. Love the horns.

  • @garykembel8144
    @garykembel8144 Рік тому +68

    I'm 66, and you're helping me learn to listen with new ears. Great commentary on one of the musically richest bands of my youth.

  • @paulailey5373
    @paulailey5373 Рік тому +123

    I will always vote “Feelin Stronger Everyday”. Always. What an amazing song!!

    • @jhnstn1
      @jhnstn1 Рік тому +1

      Listening to a Quad 8 track tape of that on a regular 8-track was a treat. You hear all of the guitar parts isolated in the right front speaker. The Jumping Jack Flash riff really stood out on it.

    • @signalflagsband2389
      @signalflagsband2389 Рік тому +1

      ​@@jhnstn1 😎

    • @cpm1003
      @cpm1003 5 місяців тому +1

      100% agreed! The ending sends chills down my spine.

  • @garydowns8364
    @garydowns8364 Рік тому +121

    Dialogue (Part I & Ii) is easily one of their best songs and belongs at or near the top of the list. Leaving it off the greatest hits album is a huge oversight. The jangly guitar part, the call and response with the meaning of the lyrics is completely off the chart. The chords/harmonies aren’t as complex as some of their other songs but the beat throughout is absolutely phenomenal. Part I sets the stage for a part II that is an ever increasing crescendo that feels like a rocket launch. All the parts ratchet up in intensity until the roof blows off with an a cappella part that feels like a religious experience. Don’t forget to notice the meter changes in part II. Just a phenomenal song.

    • @SoundlabStudios63
      @SoundlabStudios63 Рік тому

      It’s on greatest hits II, but for some reason it’s just part 2

    • @evanm.jacobson1514
      @evanm.jacobson1514 Рік тому

      I agree. Everything you said is on point. I still have the 45 in my basement. It’s a magical song! Thank you for the excellent analysis and love for great music.

    • @toddclancy4442
      @toddclancy4442 Рік тому +4

      Totally agree...its their best hands down

    • @jehl1963
      @jehl1963 Рік тому +3

      In the same vein, I'd also put "Introduction" and "A Song for Richard and his friends". Both were too long for popular airplay, but just cover soooo much musical territory so seamlessly.

    • @braderlon16
      @braderlon16 Рік тому +8

      Dialogue is a perfect song

  • @rallen256
    @rallen256 7 місяців тому +6

    Rick is right on about Chicago!!! Saturday in the Park still gives me goose bumps after all these years. Love Chicago!!

  • @brian4055
    @brian4055 Рік тому +216

    Before I watch I'm saying 25 or 6 to 4 cause Terry Kath was Chicago in the 70s and he kills that track with the solos on it.

    • @jean-philippeperetti8463
      @jean-philippeperetti8463 Рік тому +16

      I watched a live show where Terry kills that solo. Mind blowing. The studio version is so friggin good but, live?!?!

    • @bryangirod9173
      @bryangirod9173 Рік тому +26

      25 or 6 to 4 is my all-time favorite Chicago song and in my personal Top 10 Classic Rock tracks.

    • @vlada
      @vlada Рік тому +9

      agreed.

    • @ue4058
      @ue4058 Рік тому +26

      @@bryangirod9173 Exactly. That Tanglewood 1970 performance that's on YT is insane. Kath blows the lid off the place.

    • @fonkenful
      @fonkenful Рік тому +8

      Mine too. As talented a singer as Michael McDonald is, he never quite did it for me like Peter or Terry.
      Was chilling this morning surfing Spotify, and while Chicago didn’t make this particular session, it was fun to look at the original release dates. Doobie Brother Toulouse Street 1972 - 50yrs ago😂

  • @davedaveson7341
    @davedaveson7341 Рік тому +78

    Horn section is a distinction of Chicago, James Pankow, Walter Parazaider and Lee Loughnane, how they incorporated it in the songs is absolutely brilliant!

    • @RUfromthe40s
      @RUfromthe40s Рік тому +2

      that´s their main characterístic, the Horn section

  • @talltulip
    @talltulip Рік тому +73

    I saw Danny Seraphine in concert last month, on his "Take Me Back to Chicago" tour. His entire set was almost exclusively all Chicago songs, and it was fantastic -- not just Danny, but also the rest of the band. His finale was "Feelin' Stronger Every Day." In fact, here is the entire set list:
    Street Player
    Old Days
    Call On Me
    Beginnings
    Movin' In
    You're the Inspiration
    improv jazz by pianist
    Does Anybody Know...
    Colour My World
    Just You and Me
    Make Me Smile
    My Girl
    Ain't Too Proud to Beg
    Hard For Me to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away
    Saturday in the Park
    25 or 6 to 4
    Feeling Stronger Every Day
    Danny had a heart attack last spring, so his original date was postponed until Nov. I'm so glad he is healthy again, especially well enough to get back to drumming and playing tour dates.

    • @rayellinwood2882
      @rayellinwood2882 Рік тому +3

      So cool

    • @dgrblue4162
      @dgrblue4162 Рік тому +2

      Danny Seraphine is grossly represented, in the rock drummer annals.

    • @joshuahardeman8676
      @joshuahardeman8676 Рік тому +4

      Glad to hear he's still killing it. He's one of my five drumming gurus. Brilliant.

    • @brianvernon249
      @brianvernon249 Рік тому +1

      What kid rock said about Danny @ the R&R HoF was just spectacular and made everyone laugh in good humor

    • @talltulip
      @talltulip Рік тому +2

      @@brianvernon249 I am not familiar with that quote. Do you remember the gist?

  • @rock90753
    @rock90753 Рік тому +31

    My favorite is feeling stronger every day! It's almost like two incredible songs meshed together. And Peter Cetera's vocals are incredible. Of course, every instrument sounds incredible and timely

  • @chrisose
    @chrisose Рік тому +528

    Picking "the best" Chicago song is a near impossible task.

    • @kevinwalsh4652
      @kevinwalsh4652 Рік тому +25

      I heard it said once that when you are going through the absolute best times of your life, at that moment, you don't realize it until much later in life....case in point: around 1974, Providence Civic Center I got front row seats to Chicago, I was 16 years old, I'm a music fanatic and historian, from a pure technical perspective their music stands the test of time, my favorites are, beginnings, make me smile, 25 or 6 to 4, questions 67 & 68, dialogue, I'm a man, feeling stronger, and I've been searching....if you see this and want mind blowing Kath solo performance, UA-cam Chicago live Tanglewood, MA "25 or 6 to 4", Terry shredding like Jimi said he could 🎶🎵💣🔥

    • @gomogo2000
      @gomogo2000 Рік тому +12

      Nope! It's flat out impossible. I've tried doing it many times, and always fail. I'm officially resigned to the fact that I can't do it...and that it's a good, no great...thing. 😀

    • @robkunkel8833
      @robkunkel8833 Рік тому +8

      Unless it is just the first album. Not much got better afterwards.

    • @kevinwalsh4652
      @kevinwalsh4652 Рік тому +7

      @@robkunkel8833 I'm watching 🏈 football, it's a commercial, after Kath died, I grew to loathe Cetera and his bubblegum garbage, he never could really write 🎵🎶 music

    • @Jims_Camera_at_dawn
      @Jims_Camera_at_dawn Рік тому +2

      So true.

  • @Kairon111161
    @Kairon111161 Рік тому +79

    BEGINNINGS -- 100% -- even though it was recorded in 1969, it only hit the charts in 1971, and it my absolute favorite of theirs. After not hearing it for maybe two decades, about two years ago, I played the long 7 minute version about a hundred times one day, dancing and singing -- such an up, spirited, passionate song.

    • @jsfmosch
      @jsfmosch Рік тому +4

      this song is FANTASTIC and made possible due to FM Radio at the time. They never thought that music that went past 3.4 minutes would work but it worked on FM Radio and this song was one that broke that paradigm.

    • @andylinton2798
      @andylinton2798 Рік тому +2

      Oh, yea, 100% agree!

    • @joelliebler5690
      @joelliebler5690 Рік тому +5

      Love it ! Love It especially the long version with the maracas ending the song.

    • @MJEvermore853
      @MJEvermore853 Рік тому +1

      @@joelliebler5690...yep! 👍

    • @lionheartmerrill1069
      @lionheartmerrill1069 Рік тому +2

      NO DOUBT ABOUT IT -- takes me back to 1970, 71 & my college relationship with my bombshell girlfriend.

  • @StephenConantJohnson
    @StephenConantJohnson Рік тому +53

    Not an original Chicago song, but one of the best covers of any tune I've ever heard... their version of "I'm a Man" is for me one of the best listens possible. The opening bass lines, followed by the percussion, then the keyboard fades in and shortly after you get the killer guitar licks. Damn, it's an amazing job.

    • @MayorOfFunkytown42
      @MayorOfFunkytown42 Рік тому +5

      And 3 lead vocals.

    • @markmathus8182
      @markmathus8182 Рік тому +2

      Absolutely!

    • @GreatCircle360
      @GreatCircle360 Рік тому +1

      💯

    • @sobfatrick
      @sobfatrick Рік тому

      He should do a show about the best cover songs of all time...that should definitely make the list

    • @jonfoster6626
      @jonfoster6626 2 місяці тому

      Who wrote the original? Steve Winwood from the Spencer Davis Group?

  • @DougGarrison-e3u
    @DougGarrison-e3u Рік тому +65

    Dialogue Part 1 and 2 is one Chicago song that every instrument shreds wall to wall with great vocal interchanges.

    • @johnreno1615
      @johnreno1615 Рік тому +2

      One of my favorites as well. The bass lines are of the most complex 70’s ever played.

    • @dustylover100
      @dustylover100 7 місяців тому +1

      And wasn't on here, just like Harry Truman and Old Days.

    • @michaelcoy8698
      @michaelcoy8698 6 місяців тому +1

      Yes this! Catching the spirit of the times with Terry and Peter's best vocal together

    • @prokastinatore
      @prokastinatore 3 місяці тому +1

      Dialogue was damn good! Great tune! I totally agree!

    • @fabrikk60
      @fabrikk60 2 місяці тому +2

      The lyrics still hold water after all these years too. They say things that we still need to be reminded of.

  • @ezrakatzen7830
    @ezrakatzen7830 Рік тому +77

    We were lucky to have Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears at their peaks at the same time. I loved them both. One was jazz/rock and the other was rock/jazz.

    • @jod4343
      @jod4343 Рік тому +4

      I have been fortunate to experience both bands live in concert.

    • @ezrakatzen7830
      @ezrakatzen7830 Рік тому +2

      @@jod4343 As did I, in the same hall about 6 weeks apart.

    • @pegfutrell4543
      @pegfutrell4543 Рік тому +11

      When I think back on the two bands you mentioned, and all the others (Steely Dan, Little Feat, etc.) we were fortunate indeed to have such rich wonderful and original music. Never before and certainly not since. Blessed I tell you!

    • @jasongpapini
      @jasongpapini Рік тому +2

      Same producer

    • @GreatCircle360
      @GreatCircle360 Рік тому +1

      Stone fact, that. Literally my first albums. Even my stodgy parents appreciated the sophistication!

  • @johnny_blades
    @johnny_blades Рік тому +55

    A lot of incredible Chicago songs, but "If You Leave Me Now" is pure genius in all facets. Hard to believe it's not acknowledged on this video. "Saturday In The Park" is right behind it!

    • @marcgrossman980
      @marcgrossman980 Рік тому +4

      Agree, its a tremendous piece of song

    • @jeffmckinnon5842
      @jeffmckinnon5842 Рік тому +6

      I think he left it out; just to get comments! Leaving out one of the best songs of all time - is going to get commented on...
      cheerz!

    • @christopherfasone4006
      @christopherfasone4006 Рік тому +3

      I believe he said his picks were from Chicago IX from 1975. IYLMN came out in 1976

    • @williamtobin7282
      @williamtobin7282 Рік тому +5

      @@christopherfasone4006 The caption read; Chicago's greatest song FROM THE 70'S...HENCE 1970-1979
      So by leaving it out, I for one am outta here. Kinda like if Zeppelin left out Stairway.

    • @kwl120365
      @kwl120365 Рік тому +4

      I’m not a fan of Chicago, but I’ve always said “If You Leave Me Now” is their one great song. Not making a statement about Chicago - good or bad, and everyone has different taste - but how he left that particular song off the list baffles me

  •  Рік тому +73

    Colour My World is from Chicago, their second album released in 1970, which was later retroactively renamed Chicago II. It's not from their first album, Chicago Transit Authority, which was released in 1969. I have a soft spot for it in my heart because it was THE slow dance song of my high school years.
    My personal nominee for best by Chicago is the full Ballet for a Girl from Buchannon suite, which includes both Make Me Smile and Colour My World and some other bits that tie it all together. It's musical perfection from start to finish.

    • @jeffmckinnon5842
      @jeffmckinnon5842 Рік тому +2

      I remember dancing to that song, and I hated dancing , so the song seemed to last for ever!

    •  Рік тому +2

      @@jeffmckinnon5842 Perhaps it made you feel that way, but it's actually only three minutes long. That would have been a long pop song in the 50s, but in the 70s it was below average length. Now that we're in the streaming era, songs are getting shorter again; streaming services pay by the song, not the minute, so shorter songs mean more streaming revenue.

    • @luizamorim1626
      @luizamorim1626 Рік тому +1

      Agree with you 100%. That was the 1st Chicago album l ever heard...and my favourite.

    • @patrickhenry4675
      @patrickhenry4675 Рік тому

      Chicago did the entire suite during last years tour. It is a horn heavy song and the horns run the band nowadays.

    • @CeCe7
      @CeCe7 Рік тому

      We played Color my world at our wedding ceremony in 1976. It was my first slow dance song with my late husband. It brings back such great memories.

  • @martinexxxxxxx
    @martinexxxxxxx 8 місяців тому +5

    Saturday in the Park was one of my favorite songs in the 70s. I now feel like re-listening to CHICAGO. Thank you.

  • @terryguire1321
    @terryguire1321 Рік тому +69

    "Saturday in the Park" is 'the whole musical package' for sure! There's a song for everything on their greatest hits. Love it!

    • @scattysafari7742
      @scattysafari7742 Рік тому +7

      I love the imagery of SITP. You can see the whole scene in your head, feel the warm sun & cool breeze. I love how old songs are a universe in three minutes.

    • @mike60521x
      @mike60521x Рік тому +1

      @@scattysafari7742 I agree - the picture that is painted in my head always leaves me in a great mood

    • @maya_coqsalonga
      @maya_coqsalonga Рік тому +1

      My go to karaoke song 😁

  • @SLagonia
    @SLagonia Рік тому +84

    I'm glad you shouted Pete out for his bass playing - And the fact that after he left, they found Jason Scheff, another amazing bass player, is just spectacular. Bass work for Chicago is very underrated and it's a big part of why their music is so good.

    • @TheJohnnyCotts
      @TheJohnnyCotts Рік тому +4

      I remember hearing they were having such a hard time trying to find a replacement for Peter Cetera (a bassist who could also sing tenor), they almost had to hire two separate people until Jason Scheff came on their radar.

    • @SLagonia
      @SLagonia Рік тому +7

      @@TheJohnnyCotts Very close to what happened. They actually decided to break the job up, and brought Jason in as a singer. He auditioned and they loved him right away, and asked him if he could play any instruments. He had his bass with him because he thought it was an audition for the bass player job, and they said they'd see if he could maybe play a little if he got the job. He practically begged them to let him play one song with them, just because he was a huge fan and always wanted to play with Chicago. They got about halfway through the song with him on bass and they just stopped and realized they had their man.

    • @ronc4500
      @ronc4500 Рік тому +3

      Cetera really is such an underrated player. Also always loved the tone he got.

    • @TrippingtheBrightFantastic
      @TrippingtheBrightFantastic Рік тому

      @@SLagonia If I remember that story right, the song was "Just You 'n' Me."

  • @raidertripp
    @raidertripp Рік тому +40

    They are all great, but I've Been Searchin' So Long is my favorite. The message, the slow build, the vocals, the strings, the majestic horns, the mystical feel and Terry's guitar solo are all peak Chicago. I've listened to it 1000's of times and it never gets old.

    • @JohnSmith-mx8wp
      @JohnSmith-mx8wp Рік тому +1

      I'm having a real hard time picking a favorite, but agree, your choice is a good one. "Searching" opens up so dark and foreboding with those weird chords, but midway it's like the sun coming out. Two, two, two songs in one!

  • @georgelincoln5041
    @georgelincoln5041 3 місяці тому +5

    You left a Chicago concert on cloud 9 in the 70s - singing all their hit songs on the drive home. Top five of best bands I've ever seen live.

  • @Dr.TJ1
    @Dr.TJ1 Рік тому +78

    To not even mention Questions 67 and 68 just blows my mind. The horn section plays non-stop throughout, the lyrics are great, and the horn section bridge (especially the ta, dat, datta, dat, da, tadat, dat, dat, da) is one of the slickest melodies ever written. That horn bridge gives me chills every time I hear it. BTW, Searchin So Long is a much more interesting song than the made for mass appeal tripe that is Saturday in the Park.

    • @MrSilkySweat
      @MrSilkySweat Рік тому +3

      Questions 67 and 68 wasn't on their Chicago IX Greatest Hits album. Plus, it originally came out in '69...

    • @Dr.TJ1
      @Dr.TJ1 Рік тому +4

      @@MrSilkySweat
      Ah, the old argumentum ad populum. Just listen to the song and then try to tell me it's not a better crafted song than Saturday in the Park, Colour My World, or many others on the supposed greatest hits. In my opinion, the only song on the greatest hits album that can compete with Questions is Searchin So Long. And Rick opened the 1969 gate by talking about Beginnings.

    • @MrSilkySweat
      @MrSilkySweat Рік тому +4

      @@Dr.TJ1 It's a good song, no doubt. Personally, I gravitate more towards the dirtier, harder stuff like Poem 58 or South California Purples.

    • @astro7835
      @astro7835 Рік тому +3

      Gotta put in 2 big thumbs up on this song. Love it, love it. Agree with your comments. Also great guitar fills, great bass lines, and vocals, too. And literally dozens of chords. That does not give points by itself, but it's not usual and you don't even notice that because it's so well written. And not on the same level, but for a short burst of craziness with great horns and vocals, I'm a fan of Free.

    • @timwood6115
      @timwood6115 4 місяці тому +1

      @@MrSilkySweat Good points. Questions 67 and 68 and Beginnings were re-released as singles after Chicago II. As brilliant as CTA was, none of the songs were hit at the time. After the band had hits from Chicago II, the record company released those two songs as singles.

  • @TexasJackdaw
    @TexasJackdaw Рік тому +95

    On “Wishing you were here” … no one seems to sing backing vocals with dynamics anymore. This song is a great example of expressing dynamics in backups. Without using automation. A skill that is definitely waning.

    • @louiebee6745
      @louiebee6745 Рік тому +36

      Having The Beach Boys doing backup vocals on it doesn't hurt neither!👍👍

    • @rohanroll
      @rohanroll Рік тому +11

      Exactly. Out of the debate about the changing styles, the new trends, the lost musicality and the lack (or not) of talent in modern music, bands or records, I think that a key part is that THERE ARE NOT DYNAMICS ANYMORE. An acoustic guitar crescendo, a voice shivering first, then building up from the side of the stereo field... Those were the things that made 60s, 70s music the common ground and the solid base on which EVERYTHING STANDS UPON.
      In my very humble opinion.

    • @louiebee6745
      @louiebee6745 Рік тому +2

      @@rohanroll Well said, man!👏👏

    • @frumexicano4112
      @frumexicano4112 Рік тому +3

      Agree. I disagree with Rick a little when it comes to the level of awesomeness of this song.

    • @olafaalop1188
      @olafaalop1188 Рік тому +5

      The current music paradigm is tone deaf

  • @joshuahek4564
    @joshuahek4564 Рік тому +38

    I don't think I could pick a greatest 70's Chicago song. They have so many great songs!

  • @bikeman9419
    @bikeman9419 3 місяці тому +9

    Thank you Rick, finally there is someone out there that gets as excited about Chicago as I do. I bought their first album in 1969 when I was 11 years old. I used my lawn mowing money to buy it. I have been hooked for 55 years. I used to be in the school band so I understand a little about how music is put together. The complexity of their music sucks you in and doesn’t let you go. People used to say that Chicago’s songs run a little long, I say that many of their songs aren’t long enough. It’s like making love to a wonderful woman, you never want it to end. I have never been bored listening to Chicago. I believe that it was Devine intervention that brought these musicians together. The song “I’ve been searching so long” is extremely religious. If I ever get to heaven, I hope Chicago’s music is piped in. I totally believe that those little UFO spacecrafts are hanging around just to listen to Chicago’s greatest hits on FM.

    • @ricricciardi7086
      @ricricciardi7086 Місяць тому

      I feel the same but I didn't hear Robert lamms name one time he wrote almost all the first few years of Chicagos songs. And Rick's favorite song was written and song by R.L. he gets no respect up and down the comments section either I can't understand it.

  • @vibezforall99
    @vibezforall99 Рік тому +46

    chicago was insane 1969-1977. powerhouse of the era. 1980’s chicago is another pop beast in and of itself but the 1970’s original lineup is hard to top overall. great american band.

    • @deantait8326
      @deantait8326 Рік тому +3

      Agreed. I lost interest after Terry’s passing. I wasn’t a fan of their ballads w/o him. Of course-their radio hits were so overplayed I grew tired of those songs. Of course they had 6-7 great writers, so …

    • @MichaelM-to4sg
      @MichaelM-to4sg Рік тому +3

      Terry was the bands soul, Robert was the choreographer. When Terry passed, Robert went into deep depression. Somehow Peter took over the leadership which led to the bad bubblegum ballads.

    • @wheatonna
      @wheatonna Рік тому +1

      @@deantait8326 I had a photo of Kath on my wall and was heartbroken when I heard he was gone. But in fact by 1978 I was losing interest in the group.

  • @vincelucas5722
    @vincelucas5722 Рік тому +74

    Terry Kath was so underrated. What a talent - - voice and guitar! I saw Chicago the summer of 1970 at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and was blown away. I played drums and was so impressed with Danny Seraphine's playing. What a great band!

    • @1pianorock
      @1pianorock Рік тому +4

      Terry Kath, who Jimmy Hendrix called the best guitarist he ever heard 🏆

    • @jakemitchell1671
      @jakemitchell1671 Рік тому +10

      Why do you think Terry was "underrated?" Musicians the world over recognized his talent. Some of the most iconic guitarists mentioned him as one of the best. As a member of a "horn band" he was never going to get the type of spotlight attention afforded to guitarists in 3- and 4-piece bands. But Terry's talent has been acknowledged since Chicago put our their first successful albums. Terry Kath was never going to be featured as "THE" main player, because Chicago was a multi-faceted, multi-talented group. I miss him greatly, and only our imagination can lead us to what might have been.

    • @cooper2270
      @cooper2270 Рік тому +6

      Right on. Underrated?!? Underrated by who? Lol

    • @veryfriendlyok
      @veryfriendlyok Рік тому +3

      Color my World is part of the make me smile Suite

    • @veryfriendlyok
      @veryfriendlyok Рік тому +1

      I agree. I think Chicago Vll is when the band was in their best, the bands climax, imho

  • @walleyeman50
    @walleyeman50 Рік тому +42

    Love the Beatles, love Journey , love the Eagles, but Chicago is the band of my life. Greatest time period, greatest memories, of love and laughter.

  • @frankd1682
    @frankd1682 Рік тому +18

    Rick’s reference to Leonid & Friends is on point. What Chicago did with 7 band members, Leonid uses twice that. They are a great tribute to Chicago, but what Chicago produced over 50 years ago is simply amazing!

    • @jamesparker1063
      @jamesparker1063 2 місяці тому

      not fair.....L/F recreates "live", what Chicago did, "studio", which (obviously) needs more personell, to duplicate....

  • @Gitman333
    @Gitman333 Рік тому +39

    How can you pick the best. What a phenomenal contribution to music Chicago was.

    • @gregbates2844
      @gregbates2844 Рік тому +3

      @@thomastimlin1724 Agreed. Though Rick is obviously having fun with it, just to highlight how great so many of the songs were. In that sense, I really enjoyed his piece here. Watching Rick talk about this stuff is insanely enjoyable, in my opinion. :)
      But overall, I completely agree with your point. The talking heads in sports are forever launching into forced conversations about GOATs just to stimulate clicks and conversation. Such a waste of time. Jordan was great, Kareem was great, LeBron is great, etc. That's enough for me.

  • @FreeManOutpost
    @FreeManOutpost Рік тому +97

    Danny Seraphine is fantastic! One of the most underrated drummers ever. It’s a shame that he was let go.

    • @jhamler1
      @jhamler1 Рік тому +2

      Seriously. His beats and fills just hit different. Four on the floor jazzrock. The other Dude, whoever he was, that played drums with Blood Sweat and Tears, though? That dude coulda sat on that Chicago drum stool too

    • @kennethmills5470
      @kennethmills5470 Рік тому +4

      It was the END for Chicago as we Know them

    • @ronc4500
      @ronc4500 Рік тому +1

      @@jhamler1 do you mean Bobby Colomby?

    • @daveyelverton6287
      @daveyelverton6287 Рік тому +2

      Respectfully, I believe his tempo issues and overplaying didn't fit where the band wanted to go. JMO. Still love his playing, particularly on Chicago 2. I have spent countless hours learning that stuff and know every note!

    • @PlymouthVT
      @PlymouthVT Рік тому +1

      Fantastic drummer.

  • @chrismcgady4978
    @chrismcgady4978 Рік тому +81

    “Old Days” is my favorite. A wonderfully nostalgic song about nostalgia.

  • @mikemaegly2521
    @mikemaegly2521 4 місяці тому +7

    Sorry. I just found this. I played this album every day and drummed along when I was in junior high school. Danny shaped my music forever.

  • @souldavidthompson4854
    @souldavidthompson4854 Рік тому +42

    I think Wishing You Were Here is on par with Brian Wilson's In My Room or God Only Knows.
    The songwriting and production never failed to transport me to a special place when I was a teen in the '70s, and still does.

    • @metathoughts732
      @metathoughts732 Рік тому +7

      The Beach Boys sang on the backroound vocals on Wishing You were Here.

    • @paulastiles5507
      @paulastiles5507 Рік тому +3

      "Feeling Stronger Every Day" is also amazing.

    • @souldavidthompson4854
      @souldavidthompson4854 Рік тому +2

      @@paulastiles5507
      Yes! Inspired songwriting.
      One of the best to lift me up 👍

    • @metathoughts732
      @metathoughts732 Рік тому +2

      @@paulastiles5507 for sure. I thought of that after I poster but definitely top 10

  • @vanessawinans4245
    @vanessawinans4245 Рік тому +29

    "I've Been Searchin' So Long" has been my favorite Chicago song since I first heard it as a teen. It inspired me to restring my guitar as a bass so I could learn that great line! And the lyrics spoke to a young girl who was trying to figure out life. A fantastic song, and I'm glad someone else loves it as much as I do.

  • @bigjaygrizzly2389
    @bigjaygrizzly2389 Рік тому +31

    Thank you for this video. Chicago's first two albums are always overlooked and they're amazing. Terry Kath is criminally underrated

    • @patrickhanly7458
      @patrickhanly7458 Рік тому +6

      Kath is not underrated by players who grew up in the 70's. He's an icon.

  • @mrcryptozoic817
    @mrcryptozoic817 Місяць тому +4

    The entire VII album may be the best demonstration that Rock can have “big band” qualities. It’s incredible.

  • @utha2665
    @utha2665 Рік тому +33

    What I love about Chicago are their horn section, their tight vocals and tight rhythms. A timeless band with so many great songs.

  • @stantheman5163
    @stantheman5163 Рік тому +41

    Listening to Chicago just always puts a smile on my face. The depth and breadth of their playlist is just fantastic.

    • @darwinswrong
      @darwinswrong Рік тому

      @@michellemonet4358 did you win a Gibson Trini Lopez Guitar too ?

  • @Dethfeast
    @Dethfeast Рік тому +96

    One thing that gets overlooked a lot is their 3 lead singers of Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera and Terry Kath. Three different sounds, all could easily carry the lead.

    • @edlawn5481
      @edlawn5481 Рік тому +3

      The harmonies were so good, especially on "All Is Well".

    • @phishphan5732
      @phishphan5732 Рік тому +3

      James Pankow was good too !

    • @jhnstn1
      @jhnstn1 Рік тому

      what's this world coming to is a fine example of that.

    • @jhnstn1
      @jhnstn1 Рік тому +1

      @@casparuskruger4807: He has a man crush on Kath and Seraphine. 😎

    • @marcweissman5752
      @marcweissman5752 Рік тому +2

      @@casparuskruger4807 very weird especially since Saturday in the Park is his #1 song and Bobby sings lead on it. Strange indeed?

  • @prokastinatore
    @prokastinatore 3 місяці тому +6

    I appreciate that Rick talks about ChicagoTheBand...One of the legendary groups who gave music a new face. I will never forget the early 1970th and before "If you leave me now" or "Hard to say I'm sorry"....Great job! Thank you so much!

  • @RockyMtnRebecca
    @RockyMtnRebecca Рік тому +20

    The tempo change in "Feeling Stronger" has always been one of my favorite things ever. ♥

    • @J_Angel
      @J_Angel Рік тому +2

      The other important change they make at that point in the song is Lou plays the trumpet. At the beginning of the song he plays the flugelhorn, which is softer and slightly mellow. So when he goes to the trumpet it sounds brighter and more aggressive to match the tempo that finishes the song.

  • @davidenorth
    @davidenorth Рік тому +60

    Leonid and Friends renewed my love for classic Chicago songs. The fact that Danny Seraphine likes them too says it all.

    • @robertkroberjr.157
      @robertkroberjr.157 Рік тому

      @davidenorth I discovered them last year through the comments section. They are awesome! Have you seen them play Stormbringer by Deep Purple! If not, check it out!

    • @74bshs
      @74bshs Рік тому +1

      Go see L&F in concert, it is well worth it!

    • @PlymouthVT
      @PlymouthVT Рік тому

      There great. The drummer is powerful. Still love Danny though.

    • @gregoryleo4640
      @gregoryleo4640 Рік тому

      P.O.S. tribute band ripping off songs performed and written by the real Chicago. Not even worth discussing

  • @terryjones7616
    @terryjones7616 Рік тому +20

    My wife and I were married in 1978, I was a music major vocal principle. I sang 'Colour My World' in the wedding. Beautiful song...but the main reason I chose it was it only had 39 words. I knew I'd be nervous and was afraid I'd forget the words. I hope everyone has a special song from their wedding. This is ours.

    • @timwood6115
      @timwood6115 4 місяці тому

      Frank Sinatra wanted to record Colour My World, but wanted it to have a second verse. James Pankow didn't write a second verse because he couldn't bring himself to mess with the song. Good call.

  • @johnboutet7560
    @johnboutet7560 11 місяців тому +11

    There's five songs that really have a claim: 25 or 6 to 4, Saturday in the Park, I've Been Searching So Long, Feeling Stronger Every Day and Make Me Smile. You could throw Old Days, Alive Again, Does Anybody Know What Time it Is, and Dialogue in the second tier. Their soundtrack is stuck in my head forever, and I love it.

    • @joepawlosky7911
      @joepawlosky7911 7 місяців тому

      Wow Old Days & Alive again are two more of my favorites, play them all the time. Going into the 80’s & Chicago 17, Prima Donna another great musical combination they are made of. Along Comes a Woman also has great horns, drums, base guitar and Peters voice. Luv it!

    • @spencer9836
      @spencer9836 Місяць тому +1

      Does anybody know what time it is can be tier one and then everyone will be happy

  • @TheGoldbunny198711
    @TheGoldbunny198711 Рік тому +45

    I recently watched on a loop the live performance of Chicago in Tanglewood from 1970, they played two of my favourite songs "25 or 6 to 4" and "I'm a Man". Terry's guitar playing is incredible.

    • @Weshopwizard
      @Weshopwizard Рік тому +1

      That guy was a monster!!!!

    • @edlawn5481
      @edlawn5481 Рік тому +9

      IMHO that Tanglewood Concert is the best concert video on YT. They were a machine in those days.

    • @JK-js2td
      @JK-js2td Рік тому

      Im a Mqn is badass!!!

    • @keef7224
      @keef7224 Рік тому

      Tanglewood also hosted incredible shows that year by The Who, Santana and Jethro Tull. 🎸

    • @artkincell
      @artkincell Рік тому +2

      Tanglewood, for an outdoor place, has GREAT sound. I live about a hour from there. One of the greatest sounding performances I've ever heard there is John Denver, believe it or not.

  • @drumlover1687
    @drumlover1687 Рік тому +29

    "Introduction" is a phenomenal piece of music.

    • @ga0425
      @ga0425 Рік тому +1

      From beginning to end. Indeed!

    • @michaelhavas87
      @michaelhavas87 2 місяці тому

      Terry's Opus. 4 Genres. The king is dead. Long live the king!

  • @Killtheballmedia
    @Killtheballmedia Рік тому +44

    24:45 Feeling Stronger Everyday is my personal favorite. incredibly positive theme, every note holds your interest, etc. I’ve put the song on a loop many times while I’m working and it’s almost supernatural how it never gets old.

    • @gregbates2844
      @gregbates2844 Рік тому +3

      Amen. Great post. :)

    • @nancy9478
      @nancy9478 Рік тому +2

      Mine too. Great summer memories are wrapped around that song.

    • @paulastiles5507
      @paulastiles5507 Рік тому +1

      It's a wonderful rainy day song.

  • @LP5369GT
    @LP5369GT Рік тому +28

    This is why Chicago concerts were awesome. Every tune was a familiar friend, some a pleasant surprise you haven't seen in a while.

    • @DianeLake-sw3ym
      @DianeLake-sw3ym 11 місяців тому

      You saw Chicago in concert? so did I. It was a great one. They were so good.

    • @GeraldWalker-p6l
      @GeraldWalker-p6l Місяць тому

      Likewise when I saw him live I was stupefied at how incredibly perfect they sounded almost better than the albums

  • @djd31289
    @djd31289 Рік тому +26

    You can't possibly listen to Make Me Smile or Saturday in the Park without feeling wonderful. Love this channel, love your take on all of this timeless, phenomenal music.

  • @bladeofzorro1932
    @bladeofzorro1932 Рік тому +22

    It has to be 25 or 6 to 4. Not just the brilliance of the individuals but put them all together and WOW! that song blew me away when I first listened to it, and it still does now. Everyone in the band compliments each other and for its time it was cutting edge. That recognisable riff and those horns. The galloping drums and bass. Nothing comes close.

    • @kimmitchell7239
      @kimmitchell7239 Рік тому

      The whole song is just soooo cool! The musical rifts and the change in beats and the strange words! LOVE IT!!

  • @Pooneil1984
    @Pooneil1984 Рік тому +21

    Feelin Stronger is what I love about so many longer rock songs of the time. The build up in layers that seeming is about to lose control at the end but pulls it all together. Radar Love is another example of this.

  • @nogoodhandlesareleft
    @nogoodhandlesareleft 6 місяців тому +9

    Rick, your enthusiasm is contagious. I need to get the vinyl Chicago vi now.

  • @vt6020
    @vt6020 Рік тому +44

    I’ve listened to Chicago since I was a little kid in the ‘70’s. My dad would throw the record on his turntable while he was working around the house. I’ve always loved “Introduction” on their first album. It has so much energy and the lyrics provide a background on the band and what they can do to entertain their audience. The horn lines are incredible and the whole band sounds like a well oiled machine.

  • @robpool7814
    @robpool7814 Рік тому +38

    Much of Chicago’s music is on my Spotify favorites. I still remember in 1970, on a bus ride back from San Diego playing in an orchestra festival, hearing the second album for the first time. Which leads me to my thinking why they became such a massively huge band (besides the great songs and players). In the 60’s and 70’s so many of us played orchestral and band instruments. When we heard Chicago it was what so many band instrument players wanted to be like. The arrangements were so advanced for the time. And Terry Kath. Oh my goodness!

  • @bebecatanzaro9362
    @bebecatanzaro9362 Рік тому +24

    Chicago still gives me goosebumps after all these years ❤
    When they hit the airwaves, we played the hell outta those albums - a bazillion times!!
    Searching for an Answer is miraculous!

  • @philipchecchia2755
    @philipchecchia2755 Рік тому +16

    Feeling stronger every day.. the bridge is just too good

  • @Lhuminon
    @Lhuminon Рік тому +31

    Ballet For A Girl In Buchanan is Chicago's best piece of music, in my opinion. Starting with the expanded version of Make Me Smile, transitioning eventually into Color My World and more instrumental sections to wind up back at the great ending of Make Me Smile. Phenomenal.

  • @BillBurnette
    @BillBurnette Рік тому +29

    “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is” is probably my favorite, mainly because of the vocal arrangement, but it’s hard to choose just one. “Questions 67 and 68” is a close second.

    • @BillBurnette
      @BillBurnette Рік тому +5

      “Make Me Smile”, “Saturday in the Park”… never mind- can’t pick my favorite. 😂

    • @dper1112
      @dper1112 Рік тому +2

      The vocals and lyrics of Does Anybody are so amazing. Flippant but serious, and the music fits too, and that's just brilliant.

    • @GreatCircle360
      @GreatCircle360 Рік тому

      And still apropos of now.

    • @arthurbrown2567
      @arthurbrown2567 Рік тому

      That's my choice.
      1. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.
      2. Saturday In The Park
      3. Make Me Smile
      4. Colour My World
      5. Fancy Colours
      6. Beginnings
      7. No Tell Lover

  • @TheClassicalSauce
    @TheClassicalSauce Рік тому +23

    Holy Hell, what a great group of musicians. Total serendipity that these dudes got together.

  • @thetreeoflife6018
    @thetreeoflife6018 Рік тому +4

    “I’ve been searching so long for an answer is the song for my Life, I always come back to it. ❤️🔥

  • @jerryp514
    @jerryp514 Рік тому +19

    What I like about Rick - he’s a music insider, but he’s a FAN. He’s so fun to geek out with, and man am I geeking out from these most excellent songs from my childhood.

    • @ChipTingle
      @ChipTingle Рік тому

      Agreed! Best of both worlds.

  • @joedibble4199
    @joedibble4199 Рік тому +35

    Thank you for comment on Peter’s bass playing. Terribly underrated, he was amazing!

  • @maxcactus7
    @maxcactus7 Рік тому +34

    Feelin' Stronger Every Day is one of my favorite songs of all time!! Makes me feel fantastic inside and saved my insanity after my divorce. Peter C's voice was utter perfection on that track. Chicago's brass in all their early work will forever make them one of my all time favorite bands. Thank you so much for this amazing video, Rick!!

  • @bcask61
    @bcask61 21 годину тому

    Chicago proves that talent is forever. These songs will never get old.

  • @smitlag
    @smitlag Рік тому +32

    I think James Pankow wrote most of their horn arrangements. It is a great lesson as to why keyboards do not do as great of a job on horn parts as opposed to real horns. Dynamically the three players are spread over a couple octaves instead of clustered into a triad. Sonically this is a huge difference in the way a chord sounds. The 70s had a lot of horn parts which added incredible warmth to the already good writing skills bands had.

    • @christophercrommett
      @christophercrommett Рік тому +1

      Pankow indeed did virtually all of the arrangements for the horns. And, actually, sometimes they're clustered tightly together, other times they're spread over a couple of octaves.

    • @smitlag
      @smitlag Рік тому +1

      @@christophercrommett it's interesting in the way that Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears wrote their horn parts. What a majestic sound that has been lost to most modern music.

  • @thedrummersdrummer
    @thedrummersdrummer Рік тому +39

    When FM radio started playing Chicago hits (I was around 17yrs old) I loved Danny Seraphine's playing style. A drummer's playing style is the sum of all the other drummers you've studied over time plus your own contributed style of playing. Danny's style has been a major influence in my playing style and he is my favorite drummer to this day.

    • @todderickson2435
      @todderickson2435 Рік тому +1

      100% the same for me!

    • @turkfiles
      @turkfiles 11 місяців тому +1

      He surely is one of the most underrated drummers of that era. The combination of Terry, Danny and Peter on bass were the rhythm foundation of the band.
      I also agree with others that Peter is another one of the most underrated bassists.

    • @bradlyscotunes9156
      @bradlyscotunes9156 7 місяців тому

      Hey, Rick! My 1st concert, saw Chicago Transit Authority in June 1968, @ the Fillmore, San Fran., 1 yr. b4 their 1st album, right after I moved to Bay Area @ 13, from 30 miles north of small town, central Wa. state, end of the paved road!
      Opening was Santana, also yr. b4 1st album. Headliner was Big Brother & The Holding Co.with Janis Joplin!
      Wow, as a drummer who loved horns, I was in heaven!
      & there was this strange,, thick, sweet smell (northern Ca. homegrown, i later deduced); not like today! Scene was Eye-opener!
      Dig up Sons of Champlain, Bay Area horn band with radio airplay in 60's. Lead singer/keys Bill Champlain later joined Chicago for years, & wrote & sang several hits! Saw them & Chicago several times + scores of others.
      Also check out spot-on Chicago tribute band Leonid & Friends, from Russia; they do other great horn songs of the era!
      Thanx for all the insight!

  • @markpowers7779
    @markpowers7779 Рік тому +63

    Free is an underrated song in my estimation; that horn section break in the middle is dazzling and hard as hell for even a seasoned player to pull off.

    • @davidcorsi4665
      @davidcorsi4665 Рік тому +5

      The bass on that song and Kath's vocals were absolute killers.

    • @louiebee6745
      @louiebee6745 Рік тому +1

      And it's just barely over 2 minutes!

    • @boydclark3546
      @boydclark3546 Рік тому +1

      yep it was a tuff song to play....

    • @jamesrviar526
      @jamesrviar526 Рік тому +1

      My favorite Chicago tune...

    • @jeffmyers
      @jeffmyers Рік тому

      I have always said that is the baddest horn lick period.

  • @allenboland2481
    @allenboland2481 2 місяці тому +5

    You're killing it Rick.
    Really appreciate your exuberance and love of music.

  • @bobbyshroyer440
    @bobbyshroyer440 Рік тому +27

    25 or 6 to 4 is one of the best solos of ANY era! And I LOVE Beginnings!

    • @proudmoon3
      @proudmoon3 Рік тому +4

      Totally agree. "Beginnings" is a masterpiece--I don't know what Rick has against it, to not even consider it up there with the others!

    • @debrabollas9982
      @debrabollas9982 Рік тому +6

      @@proudmoon3 I agree, if Beginnings comes on while I’m driving, I have pull over or it will get dangerous 😂

  • @gordongood
    @gordongood Рік тому +33

    I’ve always loved James Pankow’s trombone playing. He has such great finesse in his upper register (“Saturday in the Park”) but can also belt it out in the lower register. He’s a hero.

    • @scottr6394
      @scottr6394 10 місяців тому +1

      Questions 67 and 68 we're great

    • @GdeMarco787
      @GdeMarco787 10 місяців тому +1

      Right on! Good call!

    • @bobmoffatt5529
      @bobmoffatt5529 Місяць тому

      The first note of the bone solo in Beginnings!

    • @horacecomegna335
      @horacecomegna335 Місяць тому

      Plus he’s a great composer!

  • @mrsgstd
    @mrsgstd Рік тому +22

    Impossible to pick one but "If You Leave Me Now" is often forgotten. Great song, great arrangement!

    • @RG-hf4et
      @RG-hf4et Рік тому +1

      #1 hit around the world. 🌎

    • @jeffmckinnon5842
      @jeffmckinnon5842 Рік тому +4

      My wife, who passed, over 20 years ago, said it was her favorite song ever. I would play it on an acoustic guitar for her, and she would cry.
      Maybe because I played it so badly!
      It was "our song" She always made me dance to it.

  • @TheLoveSignGuy
    @TheLoveSignGuy 11 місяців тому +7

    The crescendo in "Searching" gives me goosebumps every time.

  • @wadefinklestein6013
    @wadefinklestein6013 Рік тому +39

    I love watching Rick love a song.

  • @sess122
    @sess122 Рік тому +17

    25 or 6 to 4 was SO iconic, especially for every guitarist on the planet, from that driving chord progression to the guitar fills and solos...not to mention the great vocal work, horn lines, etc. This song and "Saturday In The Park" are my personal favorites.
    And as a long time songwriter, I completely agree with you on how hard it is to write really good up tempo songs.

  • @slingblue9470
    @slingblue9470 Рік тому +12

    Make Me Smile is BY FAR my favorite. Can't exactly say why, but it affects my soul in a beautiful way every time I hear it.

  • @michaelspencer2077
    @michaelspencer2077 9 днів тому +1

    Rick, I love your channel. Your commentaries are fantastic and you have got to be one of the most likable guys in the music industry. Thank you for all your work. It is much appreciated.