Chicago VII
Encyclopedia
Chicago VII is the seventh album
by American
rock
band Chicago
and was released in 1974. It is notable for being their first double album
of new material since 1971's Chicago III
, and remains their final studio release in that format.
While touring in support of Chicago VI
in 1973, the band began getting restless and started integrating some lengthy jazz
instrumentals into their sets. While audiences were somewhat mixed in their reaction, Chicago greatly enjoyed the experience and decided, after years of talking about it, to record a pure jazz-influenced album, and headed straight to producer James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch
studios to cut their ambitious new album.
While the sessions started off well, there was soon dissension within the group about the jazz project, with, reportedly, Peter Cetera
and Guercio both leery at the commercial risk of such an undertaking. While the band reasoned that some of the jazzy material was too good to throw away, the others finally relented to including the more pop
and rock
-oriented songs that the band had composed in the meantime. Almost by accident, Chicago had another double album on their hands.
Of the more conventional material, Chicago once again turned in a varied set of songs, with Terry Kath
's "Byblos", named after a club in Osaka, Japan that Chicago had played, ranking among his best efforts. Robert Lamm
, who was presently recording a solo album entitled Skinny Boy, turned in several new songs, even donating his solo album's title track, featuring The Pointer Sisters on backing vocals. While James Pankow
came through with another success, "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
" (#9), and trumpeter Lee Loughnane
got lucky on his first try at songwriting in the hit "Call on Me
" (#6), it was Peter Cetera
who made the biggest strides on Chicago VII, composing "Happy Man" and "Wishing You Were Here
" (#11), a lush ballad (signs of the future) that features three of The Beach Boys
on backing vocals and which became a big hit in late 1974. "Happy Man" was subsequently covered by Tony Orlando and Dawn
on their album To Be With You.
Chicago VII is also notable for featuring Lee Loughnane
's lead vocal debut ("Song of the Evergreens"), and for having writing contributions from all (and only) the members of the band.
Released in March 1974, Chicago VII - despite its first disc being almost exclusively jazz instrumentals - shot to #1 anyway in the US becoming another big success for Chicago.
In 2002, Chicago VII was remastered and reissued on one CD by Rhino Records with one bonus track: an early rehearsal of Kath's "Byblos".
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 1974. It is notable for being their first double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
of new material since 1971's Chicago III
Chicago III
-Personnel:*Peter Cetera - bass, vocals*Terry Kath - guitar, vocals*Robert Lamm - keyboard, vocals*Lee Loughnane - trumpet, vocals*James Pankow - trombone*Walter Parazaider - woodwinds, vocals*Danny Seraphine - drums...
, and remains their final studio release in that format.
While touring in support of Chicago VI
Chicago VI
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...
in 1973, the band began getting restless and started integrating some lengthy jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
instrumentals into their sets. While audiences were somewhat mixed in their reaction, Chicago greatly enjoyed the experience and decided, after years of talking about it, to record a pure jazz-influenced album, and headed straight to producer James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch
Caribou Ranch
Caribou Ranch was a recording studio built by producer James William Guercio in 1972 in a converted barn on ranch property in the Rocky Mountains near Nederland, Colorado, on the road that leads to the ghost town of Caribou...
studios to cut their ambitious new album.
While the sessions started off well, there was soon dissension within the group about the jazz project, with, reportedly, 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...
and Guercio both leery at the commercial risk of such an undertaking. While the band reasoned that some of the jazzy material was too good to throw away, the others finally relented to including the more pop
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...
and 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...
-oriented songs that the band had composed in the meantime. Almost by accident, Chicago had another double album on their hands.
Of the more conventional material, Chicago once again turned in a varied set of songs, with Terry Kath
Terry Kath
Terry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
's "Byblos", named after a club in Osaka, Japan that Chicago had played, ranking among his best efforts. 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...
, who was presently recording a solo album entitled Skinny Boy, turned in several new songs, even donating his solo album's title track, featuring The Pointer Sisters on backing vocals. While 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:...
came through with another success, "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
(I've Been) Searchin' So Long
" Searchin' So Long" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII . The first single released from that album, it reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100....
" (#9), and trumpeter Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane
Lee 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 :...
got lucky on his first try at songwriting in the hit "Call on Me
Call on Me (Chicago song)
"Call On Me" is a song written by Lee Loughnane for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII , with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The second single released from the album, it reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart."Call On Me" was...
" (#6), it was 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 made the biggest strides on Chicago VII, composing "Happy Man" and "Wishing You Were Here
Wishing You Were Here
"Wishing You Were Here" may also refer to a different song by Deborah Gibson."Wishing You Were Here" is a song written by Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII , with lead vocals by Terry Kath , while Cetera sang the song's bridge...
" (#11), a lush ballad (signs of the future) that features three of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
on backing vocals and which became a big hit in late 1974. "Happy Man" was subsequently covered by Tony Orlando and Dawn
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Tony Orlando and Dawn was a pop music group that was popular in the 1970s. Their signature hits include "Candida", "Knock Three Times", "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", and "He Don't Love You ".-History:...
on their album To Be With You.
Chicago VII is also notable for featuring Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane
Lee 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 :...
's lead vocal debut ("Song of the Evergreens"), and for having writing contributions from all (and only) the members of the band.
Released in March 1974, Chicago VII - despite its first disc being almost exclusively jazz instrumentals - shot to #1 anyway in the US becoming another big success for Chicago.
In 2002, Chicago VII was remastered and reissued on one CD by Rhino Records with one bonus track: an early rehearsal of Kath's "Byblos".
Side one
- "Prelude to Aire" (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...
) – 2:47 (instrumental) - "Aire" (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:...
/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...
/Danny Seraphine) – 6:27 (instrumental) - "Devil's Sweet" (Walter Parazaider/Danny Seraphine) – 10:07 (instrumental)
Side two
- "Italian From New York" (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...
) – 4:14 (instrumental) - "Hanky Panky" (Robert Lamm) – 1:53 (instrumental)
- "Life Saver" (Robert Lamm) – 5:18 (lead singer: Robert Lamm)
- "Happy Man" (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...
) – 3:34 (lead singer: Peter Cetera) On the original LP & CD this song begins with a false start, and about 20 seconds of studio chat/noise. This is omitted on the greatest hits albums and the Rhino remaster.
Side three
- "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" Searchin' So Long" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII . The first single released from that album, it reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100....
" (James Pankow) – 4:29 (lead singer: Peter Cetera) - "Mongonucleosis" (James Pankow) – 3:26 (instrumental)
- "Song of the Evergreens" (Terry KathTerry KathTerry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
) – 5:20 (lead singer: Lee Loughnane) - "Byblos" (Terry Kath) – 6:18 (lead singer: Terry Kath)
Side four
- "Wishing You Were HereWishing You Were Here"Wishing You Were Here" may also refer to a different song by Deborah Gibson."Wishing You Were Here" is a song written by Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII , with lead vocals by Terry Kath , while Cetera sang the song's bridge...
" (Peter Cetera) – 4:37 (lead singers: Terry Kath & Peter Cetera) - "Call on MeCall on Me (Chicago song)"Call On Me" is a song written by Lee Loughnane for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII , with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The second single released from the album, it reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart."Call On Me" was...
" (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 :...
) – 4:02 (lead singer: Peter Cetera) - "Women Don't Want to Love Me" (Robert Lamm) – 4:35 (lead singer: Peter Cetera)
- "Skinny Boy" (Robert Lamm) – 5:12 (lead singer: Robert Lamm) The same track appears on Robert Lamm's 1974 solo album Skinny Boy, but without horns and a fade-out at 4:30.
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, guitar (12) - Terry KathTerry KathTerry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
- guitars, vocals, bass (07,11,12,15) - 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...
- keyboards, 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...
, flugelhorn (03,05), vocals (lead on 10), - 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 (08), timbales (09), backing vocals (08,09) - 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...
- fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
(01,02), soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
(03), tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - 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 ....
- Brass Arrangements : 04 by James Pankow/Robert Lamm ; 06,08,09,13,14,15 by James Pankow
Additional personnel
- Laudir de Oliveira - percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
on 1 3 4 6 9 11 12 13 16, congas on 2 4 6 8 - David WolinskiHawk WolinskiDavid J. "Hawk" Wolinski is an American keyboardist, songwriter and record producer probably best known for his work with the funk band Rufus and their lead singer Chaka Khan....
- ARP synthesizer, MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
on 3, 4 - James William Guercio - acoustic guitar and bass on 7, 10
- Jimmie HaskellJimmie HaskellJimmie Haskell born Sheridan Pearlman 1936 in Brooklyn, New York is a prolific American composer and arranger for a variety of popular singers and motion pictures.-Biography:...
- strings on 8 - Wayne Tarnowski - piano on 10
- Guille Garcia - congas on 11
- Al JardineAl JardineAlan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
- additional vocals on 12 - Carl WilsonCarl WilsonCarl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
- additional vocals on 12 - Dennis WilsonDennis WilsonDennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983...
- additional vocals on 12 - The Pointer Sisters - additional vocals on 15
- Ross Salomone - drums on 15
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" | Billboard Pop Singles | 9 |
| 1974 | "Call on Me" | Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| 1974 | "Call on Me" | Billboard Pop Singles | 6 |
| 1974 | "Wishing You Were Here" | Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| 1974 | "Wishing You Were Here" | Billboard Pop Singles | 11 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – USA | Gold Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a... |
March 18, 1974 |
| RIAA – USA | Platinum Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal... |
November 21, 1986 |