Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon

Chicago: Walter Parazaider (saxes, flute, clarinet, vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, vocals), James Pankow (trombone), Terry Kath (electric guitar, vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards, vocals), Peter Cetera (electric bass, vocals) and Danny Seraphine (drums). From the album Chicago II (1970).

In 1974 Chicago published the double album Chicago VII, introducing ingredients of jazz-rock to their pop songs and from which three singles were produced. The first was Pankow’s “(I’ve Been) Searching So Long”, which begins with the involvement of string and wind instruments, and Lamm’s electric keyboard, then sounds a Pankow arrangement followed by Cetera’s voice, and ends with a rock guitar solo by Kath along with an impressive interpretation of the wind section.

The second was “Call on Me”, Loughnane’s first composition recorded by the group and sung by Cetera. Both singles were in the top ten of the charts. And the third “Whishing You Where Here” by Cetera with Kath as lead singer, but Cetera intervening on the bridge. This album stands out because all the songs were written by some member of the band and everyone tried to expand the limits of their musical abilities. In 1975 Chicago VIII came out, where jazz shades are replaced by rhythm and blues, and where we can find Pancok’s rock song “Old Days” sung by Cetera, which reached fifth place on the Billboard Hot 100.

In it also appears Lamm’s political allegory “Harry Truman” sung by himself and whose lyrics are a homage to an ex-president who he thought had done a good job. Chicago VI, VII and VIII achieved first place on the Billboard 200 and were certified gold records, and later platinum. Chicago VI was certified twice multiplatinum in 1986 and Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits was the fifth successive album to reached the top on the Billboard 200.