Chicago captures much of the essence of the early to mid-seventies era, making them one of my all-time favorite bands. They first came together in 1967 as The Big Thing, renaming themselves in 1968 as Chicago Transit Authority. That didn’t work out so well for them when the actual CTA sued and they were forced to rebrand for a second, final time.However, it was too late to change the name of their self-titled first album which had already been released. Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68, I’m a Man, and Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, were all on that first album, Chicago Transit Authority, in 1969, but didn’t chart as singles until the dates indicated below.
Of course, Chicago had hits in the eighties as well, but the seventies were the band’s best years, in my opinion, in large part because of Terry Kath’s world class guitar work. One of the greatest questions of rock music is, what other awesome tunes would Chicago have turned out if not for the tragic, accidental death of Terry Kath in 1978? It’s a shame that we will never know. At least we can still enjoy what the early Chicago did create.
1970
Make Me Smile (3:03)
1970
25 or 6 to 4 (4:53)
1970
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (3:20)
1971
Beginnings (7:54)
1971
Colour My World (3:02)
1971
Questions 67 and 68 (5:02)
1971
I’m a Man (7:43)
1972
Saturday in the Park (3:56)
1972
Dialogue (Part I & II) (7:29)
1973
Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (4:17)
1973
Just You ‘n’ Me (3:46)
1974
(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long (4:35)
1974
Call on Me (4:04)
1974
Wishing You Were Here (4:37)
1975
Old Days (3:25)
1976
If You Leave Me Now (3:59)
1977
Baby, What a Big Surprise (3:04)
1978
Alive Again (3:53)
1978
No Tell Lover (3:50)
