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Rating: The second album by Chicago, released at the beginning of 1970, is still fully in the varied and progressive style, only occasionally commercial, with which this septet intended to start their career. The four composers of the group were still fraternally competing for exposure, with the result that the LP was released as a double album just like their debut, and as will also be the case for the subsequent third work (later they will go overboard with a fourth live work spread over four vinyls, eight sides!).
The tracklist includes the masterpiece "25 or 6 to 4", an episodic but groundbreaking sortie into hard rock that can be seen as the mother of all the LA-SOL-FA-MI harmonic descents. There are many similar riffs in rock music, but this riff (which actually also sneaks in a F#) beats all its brothers, also thanks to the fact that in the bridges between verses, it is enriched by a dramatic, stunning fanfare of exquisite jazz harmonization, boldly played by the three horn players (saxophone, trumpet, and trombone) of the group.
The lead vocal for the occasion is by bassist Peter Cetera, endowed with a powerful and tenor-like timbre. Meanwhile, the expansive and highly inspired guitar solo, full of stupendous half-jazz, half-blues swing, starts calmly with the closed sound of the bass pickup, ignites as it moves to the more penetrating high pickup, and explodes with the insertion of the wah-wah pedal. These are two minutes of epochal quality, grit, fluidity, and instinct, enough to make the good Jimi Hendrix exclaim (directly to the incredulous Terry Kath, reached in the dressing room just after a concert) "You know you're better than me, right?".
Kath wasn't maybe as skillful as Hendrix, but he was even more reckless than him: he killed himself playing Russian roulette still at the age of thirty-one, in '78. Besides his abundant instrumental skills, poor Terry also possessed a magnificent soul voice, which can be admired here and there in the album and especially on the other two hits he performed, titled "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World". The first has a progressive jazz introduction (completely removed in the single edition) but soon consolidates into a pop-rhythm & blues sung by God and enriched with beautiful harmonies; the second is a slow ballad marked by a pianistic arpeggio in a vague Bachian style, a bit boring. The funny thing is that both of these pieces are taken from a suite in seven different movements titled "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon", put together by the septet's trombonist James Pankov... Good portions of the rest of the composition are decidedly less commercial, among flute flights, drum breaks, and brass fanfares.
A second, abundant progressive release is constituted by another suite, this time divided into four movements, titled "Memories of Love". This time it's the guitarist Kath who composes and exercises himself on the decidedly progressive side, assisted by a classical musician, namely conductor Peter Matz. It was, after all, the era when Deep Purple, Nice, Pink Floyd, and others were going all out in an attempt to combine rock with real orchestral scores (not just the usual background strings and woodwinds) of symphonic flavor.
All this constitutes an enormously varied album, oscillating from Beatles-like nuances to jazz, from orchestral pomp to hard rock, from moderate rhythm & blues (because executed by whites...) to the first signs of "adult" and sweet American pop which later became the predominant genre of the formation over the many years of its career. For those who only know Chicago superficially, even this work, just like all their first six or seven records, certainly provides a reason for great wonder.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Movin' In (04:05)
We know it's hard for you to see
That this is all we want to be
A constant urge within us grows
We know it
To do the thing that we propose
We know it
We tried so hard to make the grade
Yes we know it
By making music day to day
Yes we know it
Although our task is never done
You know we know it
You ought to know it's just begun
You know we know it
And now it's time for us to say
But most of all we like to play
A song or two that makes you feel
We know it
Like all the good in you is real
We know it
Together now we've lots to hear
Yes we know it
To warm my heart to shed a tear
Yes we know it
So come and listen if you choose
You know we know it
And feel a joy you'll never lose
You know we know it
So everybody listen
Yeah
Everybody please give a listen
02 The Road (03:10)
If you'd like to get together
Then come right over to me
Ooh, We can do anything
That you like to do
If you'd like to give your love
Then please just feel free
Because I may be gone tomorrow
And not even know your name
Now please don't misunderstand my loneliness
Let's never ever talk of time
Cause friends may fade away
And our hopes will say goodnight
And our friendship would be lost
It would be such a waste of time
So let's just
Let's have a good thing girl
And let's not worry
Let's do everything we want
And let's not cry
When it's over
When I leave
Our thing won't die
If you really understand
Then come right over to me
We can play together for a while
And still be free
04 In the Country (06:36)
Oh my reasons
And my ways
Keep on changing
From day to day
As I grow
It becomes so clear
Why I'm here
It's all here
for you and me
The beauty of life
Someday you'll see
Then you'll join in
And sing along
And you'll understand why I sing this song
Let me tell you now
I do love you
I do love you
I do love you
Well I'm talkin' bout life
And livin'
And the beautiful earth
And givin'
Talkin 'bout the natural things we've had since birth
That's lovin'
Well I'm talkin' 'bout a walk in the country
'Bout an angel's sweet charm
The smell of her perfume
And they both comin' on
Let me tell you now
I do love you
I do love you
I do love you
Well it's a beautiful day
And I'm on my way
Oooh, thank you lord, for the country
Well my thoughts
Are like ripples in a stream
I see myself so free
My eyes and spirit say hello
My soul goes dancing by, oh hello
The clean fresh air
Goes jumping through my head
The sun is smilin' down
If you have ever lived out here
Then you know why I say
I do love you
I do love you
I do love you
So come on let's move
Out to the country
Yeah, let's go live out there
Let's get funky
Come on people
Come on people
Yeah, let's be free
We got to be free
In the country
You and me
Come on people
Come on people
Better have a good time (background: oh baby, good)
We'll have a good time (background: let's give 'em life (?)
We got to be free (background: come on now)
05 Wake Up Sunshine (02:33)
Wake up sunshine
Open up your sleepy eyes for me
Can't have you hidin'
I've been waiting all the night
People waiting for the light
Sunshine, sunshine
Wake up sunshine
Let me feel your warm sunlight on me
Can't have you hidin'
Night was long and night was cold
But today we're one day older
Sunshine, you make my life sunshine
You know I'm talkin' to you
I know you're knowin' it too
So just stop hidin' your face
Just open your eyes
Just smile your smile
I'm talkin' to you
Wake up sunshine
Ooh it's good to have you here with me
Can't have you hidin'
Can't imagine what I'd do
But feel too lonely without you
Sunshine, sunshine
You got to wake up girl
And face the day ahead
06 Make Me Smile (03:15)
Children play in the park
They don't know
I'm alone in the dark
Even though
Time and time again I see your face
Smiling inside
I'm so happy
That you love me
Life is lovely
When you're near me
Tell me you will stay
Make me smile
Living life is just a game
So they say
All the games we used to play
Fade away
We may now enjoy the dreams we shared
So long ago
Oh my darling
Got to have you
Feel the magic
When I hold you
Cry sweet tears of joy
Touch the sky
Now I need you
More than ever
No more crying
We're together
Tell me you will stay
Make me smile
10 Colour My World (02:59)
As time goes on
I realize
Just what you mean
To me
And now
Now that you're near
Promise your love
That I've waited to share
And dreams
of our moments together
Colour my world.
With hope
Of loving you.
12 Now More Than Ever (01:26)
Now I need you
More than ever
No more cryin'
We're together
Tell me you will stay
Make me smile
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