Chicago VI
Encyclopedia
Chicago VI is the sixth album
by American
rock
band Chicago
and was released in 1973. Following the streamlined character of Chicago V
, this successor would see the group follow more of a pop music
approach, relying less on their trademark horns and exploring varied music forms.
After recording all of Chicago's first five albums in New York City
, producer James William Guercio had his own Caribou Studios built in Nederland, Colorado
during 1972, finished in time for the band to record their sixth album the following February. It would remain their recording base for the next four years.
While Robert Lamm
maintains his songwriting prowess on Chicago VI (authoring half of the album's tracks, including his response to some of Chicago's negative reviewers in "Critics' Choice"), it is James Pankow
who is responsible for the album's two hits, "Just You 'N' Me
" (#4) and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day
" (#10), the last of which was co-composed with Peter Cetera
, who, himself landed another track on Chicago VI, the country-influenced "In Terms Of Two".
Released in June 1973, Chicago VI was another commercial success, spending five weeks at #1 in the US, while failing to chart in the UK at all, beginning a dry spell there that would last until 1976's Chicago X
.
On August 23, 1989, just before 7:00pm local time, "Just You 'N' Me" was the last song played on WLS Chicago
before switching to an all-talk format.
The original US CD release(Columbia CK #32400) was mastered for CD by Joe Gastwirt
. In 2002, Chicago VI was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records, with two bonus tracks: a Terry Kath demo called "Beyond All Our Sorrows", and a recording of Al Green
's "Tired Of Being Alone", taken from the 1973 TV special, "Chicago In The Rockies".
Single
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
and was released in 1973. Following the streamlined character of Chicago V
Chicago V
Chicago V is the fourth studio album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1972. It is notable for being the group's first single full-length release, after having released three consecutive double albums and a box set of live material.-History:Following the release of Chicago III in...
, this successor would see the group follow more of a pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
approach, relying less on their trademark horns and exploring varied music forms.
After recording all of Chicago's first five albums in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, producer James William Guercio had his own Caribou Studios built in Nederland, Colorado
Nederland, Colorado
The Town of Nederland is a Statutory Town established in 1885 located near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains of southwest Boulder County, Colorado....
during 1972, finished in time for the band to record their sixth album the following February. It would remain their recording base for the next four years.
While Robert Lamm
Robert Lamm
Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
maintains his songwriting prowess on Chicago VI (authoring half of the album's tracks, including his response to some of Chicago's negative reviewers in "Critics' Choice"), it is James Pankow
James Pankow
James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
who is responsible for the album's two hits, "Just You 'N' Me
Just You 'N' Me
"Just You 'N' Me" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI , with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached #4 on the U.S...
" (#4) and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day
Feelin' Stronger Every Day
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" is a song written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI . The first single released from that album, it reached #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100....
" (#10), the last of which was co-composed with Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
, who, himself landed another track on Chicago VI, the country-influenced "In Terms Of Two".
Released in June 1973, Chicago VI was another commercial success, spending five weeks at #1 in the US, while failing to chart in the UK at all, beginning a dry spell there that would last until 1976's Chicago X
Chicago X
Chicago X is the tenth album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1976. The album is notable for its soulfulness, and it ended up being a turning point in the band's career thanks to one song....
.
On August 23, 1989, just before 7:00pm local time, "Just You 'N' Me" was the last song played on WLS Chicago
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
before switching to an all-talk format.
The original US CD release(Columbia CK #32400) was mastered for CD by Joe Gastwirt
Joe Gastwirt
Joe Gastwirt is an audio engineer, known for digitally remastering hundreds of CDs for famous artists, including the Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Yes. His remasters have been critically acclaimed.-References:...
. In 2002, Chicago VI was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records, with two bonus tracks: a Terry Kath demo called "Beyond All Our Sorrows", and a recording of Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
's "Tired Of Being Alone", taken from the 1973 TV special, "Chicago In The Rockies".
Track listing
- "Critics' Choice" (Robert LammRobert LammRobert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
) – 2:49 - "Just You 'n' MeJust You 'N' Me"Just You 'N' Me" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI , with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached #4 on the U.S...
" (James Pankow) – 3:42 - "Darlin' Dear" (Lamm) – 2:56
- "Jenny" (Terry Kath) – 3:31
- "What's This World Comin' To" (Pankow) – 4:58
- "Something in This City Changes People" (Lamm) – 3:42
- "Hollywood" (Lamm) – 3:52
- "In Terms of Two" (Peter Cetera) – 3:29
- "Rediscovery" (Lamm) – 4:47
- "Feelin' Stronger Every DayFeelin' Stronger Every Day"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" is a song written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI . The first single released from that album, it reached #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100....
" (Cetera, Pankow) – 4:15
The Band
- Peter CeteraPeter CeteraPeter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Terry KathTerry KathTerry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Robert LammRobert LammRobert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Lee LoughnaneLee LoughnaneLee Loughnane , born 21 October 1946 in Elmwood Park, Illinois to Juanita Wall and Philip Louis Loughnane, is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago.- Biography :...
– trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, background vocals, percussion - James PankowJames PankowJames Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
– tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, percussion - Walter ParazaiderWalter ParazaiderWalter Parazaider is best known for being a founding member and saxophone player for the rock band Chicago. He also plays the flute and other woodwind instruments in the band, including clarinet. On the hit "You're Not Alone," he played backing rhythm guitar.Parazaider began playing the clarinet...
– woodwinds, percussion - Danny SeraphineDanny SeraphineDaniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer and film producer, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.-Early life:Danny Seraphine was born in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, antique bells, congas
Additional personnel
- Laudir de Oliveira – congas
- Joe LalaJoe LalaJoe Lala is an actor and voice actor, notable for his dubbing of Kun Lan of the video-game Killer7.He also played drums and percussion on 32 gold and 28 platinum albums. His credits include Blues Image, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Manassas, The Bee Gees, Whitney Houston, and many...
– congas - J. G. O'Rafferty – pedal steel
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
1 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" | Billboard Pop Singles | 10 |
| 1973 | "Just You 'N' Me" | Billboard Adult Contemporary | 7 |
| 1973 | "Just You 'N' Me" | Billboard Pop Singles | 4 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – USA | Gold | July 18, 1973 |
| RIAA – USA | Platinum | November 21, 1986 |
| RIAA – USA | Double Platinum | November 21, 1986 |