The Three Best Songs By Chicago
Let’s establish the ground rules: in judging the three best songs by Chicago, we’re not talking at all about the intensely muscular, beautifully wrought experimental pieces that filled the better part of their first three albums (which were great). Nor are we talking about anything that came after the”chocolate bar” album because most of that generally sucked. Here, we are focused on albums I through X and on the better known hits, when the band was at their creative and commercial peak.
Beginnings was not the first song I remember hearing from Chicago. That honorific goes the 25 or 6 to 4. But, for me Beginnings was the song the defined their early Chicago sound. Bobby Lamm’s soulful vocals, Danny Seraphine’s drums that go from sedate the simply incredible, the trombone solo and the extended percussion jam at the end were all indicative what Chicago was saying in the early seventies.
I still have my original copy of Chicago VI, which featured the imitation money imprint engraved on the cover. Thought I listened to that record until it was so warn you could see through the vinyl, it was the two hits — Just You N’ Me and Feelin’ Stronger Every Day — that were my favorites. Here, Feelin’ Stronger wins because it starts so funky and closes with such drive. It is still one of my all-time favorites.
Those who disagree somewhat enthusiastically to my first two choices will cringe and complain about my third: If You Leave Me Now. Saccharine though it might be, and a long distance from the early years (though they did sing Colour My World), If You Leave Me Now is still one of the prettiest ballads ever written. And real men can like ballads…and admit it!
These are the three best songs by Chicago:
Chicago – Beginnings
Chicago – Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
If you leave me now is my all-time favourite from Chicago. I remember it becuase I was quite young and tried to sing it and my siblings would always make fun of me. I just played it on my mp3 a few days ago and it still sounds great and not dated.
I agree with you though, it is one of the best ballads ever written. Sometimes when I play it – it makes me sad.
For me (and probably for a lot of people), Chicago’s music tends to blur together (and just using roman numerals for album titles didn’t help with that).
So while I like “If You Leave Me Now” (quite a bit), I sometimes confuse it with “Wishing You Were Here” (which has the gorgeous Beach Boys backing vocals). I also could make a case for including “Call on Me,” a song that most people seem to have forgotten.
I agree with the Beginnings and If You Leave Me Now, but I would replace the other with 25 Or 6 To 4, essential in my opinion.
I would say in fact replace all three with “Saturday in The Park”, and you’ve nailed it.
Yep, “If You Leave Me Now” is a beautiful song, despite it’s all too obvious vulnerabilities. Good show, MJ. I’ve almost posted that one on a couple of occasions now, myself. In the end I just could not bring myself to do it.
digging those FUSION 45 lenses.
Boy, I think I’d drop “If You Leave Me Now” and put “Make Me Smile” on the list. Great call on “Beginnings,” though!
man there are so many better songs that Chicago has than these three. “Wishing You Were Here” w/ the Beach Boys is so much better than any of those songs. Just because “25 or 6 to 4″&”Saturday in the Park” are a bit played out does not make them worse. Those are amazing Chicago songs compared to the songs put up there. Saccharine indeed.