I have a love-hate relationship with the band Chicago. Mostly love, mixed with an unpleasant memory.
The band itself is as old as I am, formed in 1967 as “The Big Thing”, then ”Chicago Transit Authority”, and finally just “Chicago”. Self-described as “a rock band with horns”, their unique sound provided many hits in the 1970s including “25 or 6 to 4”, “If You Leave Me Now”, “Colour My World” and “Saturday in the Park”.
I first became aware of them in 1982 with the David Foster-produced album “Chicago 16” (they had a long tradition of numbered albums). After the death of founding member Terry Kath in 1978, the band had been sliding towards a pop sound and away from jazz, and Foster really accelerated that.
”Hard to Say I’m Sorry” was the lead single and hit #1 on Billboard for two weeks in a row. I loved that song, and indeed most of the album. It was on heavy rotation on my record player, along with Journey’s “Escape” and Supertramp’s live album “Paris”.
”Chicago 17” followed in 1984 with the monster hits “Hard Habit to Break” and “You’re the Inspiration”. I liked that album too – not quite as much as 16 – but there were a few stinkers on 17. Lead song “Stay the Night”, written by Foster and Peter Cetra, features the very questionable lyrics
I want you to know one thing’s for certain
I surely love your company
And I won’t take no if that’s your answer
At least that’s my philosophy
No means no, Peter.
Here’s where the love ends.
Peter Cetera left Chicago in mid 1985 to pursue a solo career. You probably know his first and biggest hit, “The Glory of Love”, featured on the soundtrack of the massive hit movie “The Karate Kid”.
Foster replaced Cetera with Jason Scheff, who was and is a serviceable singer, but he’s not Peter Cetera.
To be honest, Chicago was on the “struggle bus” (as my kids say) before Cetera left. By abandoning their horns for mainstream pop rock, they lost their identity and their way. They went “all in” on ballads and sold their soul to radio and MTV.
Anyway. The unpleasant memory.
Chicago, minus Peter Cetera, came to Fredericton, New Brunswick and played at the Aitken Centre on campus, on February 11, 1987. I still have the ticket stub.
I asked a “friend” of mine if she was interested in going with me. She said yes, so I bought our tickets.
“Friend” is not the right word for her, but it’s too complicated to get into here. Let’s say that in my mind it was a date but it might not have been that in her mind.
The band started playing and I started singing along, as I do at concerts. I quickly noticed that my friend was not singing along.
It turns out that she liked Chicago well enough, but she wasn’t a fan.
I’m sorry to say that I backed off on my enthusiasm for the concert, and lost out on the experience. It wasn’t the same.
I’m also sorry that I didn’t put two and two together, and realize that she probably liked me more than I thought, since she went to the concert with me despite not being a big fan of Chicago.
After a lot of ups and downs, things never really clicked for the two of us. I have many regrets but it’s ancient history by now.
I hope she’s doing well.
At least I got a cool sweatshirt out of the concert!
I still love Chicago songs from “17” and before.
They were a great band.
What’s your favourite Chicago song?