I'll bet I danced to this a hundred times when I was in college: Chicago's Beginnings. It's from their first album, the one entitled "Chicago Transit Authority". The name was soon truncated; the city of Chicago objected. 30-some albums later, I wonder if the CTA regrets that complaint.
There's a lot of good musicianship here; pay particular attention to Peter Cetera's bass.
I'm pretty sure that's not Cetera on bass. I *think* it's Jason Scheff, who replaced him in the band when he left to make Karate Kid soundtracks. Not sure who that is singing (I don't know much about Chicago other than that Cetera has relatively short blonde hair and sings slightly higher that Geddy Lee and Michael McDonald).
Posted by: Scott at March 12, 2008 02:57 PMCetera was a founding member,
recruited by another aspiring group, then called Chicago Transit Authority, to play bass. By the early 1970s, Chicago was among the most popular acts in America, their brand of muscular jazz-rock spawning such major hits as "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Saturday in the Park," many of them featuring Cetera on vocals. In 1976 he penned the gossamer ballad "If You Leave Me Now," and when it hit number one, most of Chicago's subsequent work followed in the same soft-rock style. Although the band's fortunes dwindled over the remainder of the decade, in 1982 they returned to the top of the charts with "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"; several more smashes, including "Hard Habit to Break" and "You're the Inspiration," were to follow. Although Cetera recorded his eponymously titled solo debut in 1981, he remained with Chicago full-time until 1985.
And then he went off to do Karate Kid and other stuff.
As far as I'm concerned, once that ballad phase hit them in 1976 they stopped being really innovative. The first few albums were excellent.
Posted by: Linkmeister at March 12, 2008 03:24 PMOh, and Lamm composed "Beginnings," but Terry Kath sang lead on it.
Posted by: Linkmeister at March 12, 2008 03:31 PMHot Damn, the singer is gorgeous.
Remind to be a groupie in my next lifetime..it's too late for me now... :^{
How sad..I just read about Terry Kath. I vaguely remember the incident about him accidently shooting himself. What a talented person.
What a great shame...