Isn't it crazy that a big selling rock band was allowed the freedom to explore any style they felt could convey their musical ideas! It's so nice that you are open to this

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

They’re awesome! 😊

Chicago 2 was basically the whole package, demonstrating Chicago's whole musical repertoire: jazz, hard rock, progressive rock, soft rock, R&B, Psychedelic, and as shown here, even classical!

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely!

This piece of sweetness was placed on the album in between "25 or 6 to 4" and the "It Better End Soon" suite. Odd contrasts but so effective. Peter Matz was staff orchestral arranger at Columbia Records in the 60s and he did orchestration work for Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand. Terry Kath had this entire idea put together in his head and communicated it to Matz who turned it into the beautiful arrangement we're hearing.

It's pretty rare for Chicago to bring in additional studio help, but the strings and additional winds and horns are really lush in this piece. Hard to tell it's Chicago until you hear Terry Kath's voice. Still an amazing composition.

They can play any genre and make it their own.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Truth!

today is a perfect day for this reaction. It's raining cats and dogs and I've got a fire and coffee. Now Terry Kath soothes my soul with his haunting singing

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

😊

Love Terry Kath’s voice! ❤️

You're talking about how different this song is than 25 or 64 way to get the next song but that also shows you just how great this band is in fact in my opinion they're the most diverse band ever even more diverse than The Beatles and that's saying a lot but I'm telling you these guys are some of the most amazing musicians raising musicians and Terry Kath his soulful voice just gets to me every time he has a voice like Ray Charles and he plays guitar like Jimmy Hendrix so doesn't get much better than that but that's why this is my favorite band of all time these guys are amazing It don't get the credit that they deserve

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed

This is something we will never see again. A record company giving an artist carte blanche to record a double album (approx. 80 minutes of material) and the artist having a completely blank canvas to record whatever.

For a bit of context, the story is that the late guitarist/vocalist Terry Kath wrote this in response to the passing of his Grandmother -- The music was all in his head and needed help from trombonist James Pankow & keyboardist Robert Lamm to transpose his ideas onto sheet music -- Indeed, the guys in Chicago were a mixture of "schooled college cats", bluesy street players, rock guys and jazzers who listened to and were inspired by classical Bach, early 1900s avante guard composer Edgard Varèse (see Chicago V [wood] "A Hit By Varèse"), big band orchestras, cool west coast jazz, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Hendrix, Zappa all popped into a blender and BOOM = Chicago

@laurietauchus8006

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for mentioning who this was that Terry was referring to; I have been mystified and now I have the answer! 🙂

This song is a bit of Perfection!!!

Almost impossible to believe this is the same band that did 25 or 6 to 4, isn’t it? And the next suite (“It Better End Soon”) is as angry as this is sweet and sensitive.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously

@henryhernandez7281

Жыл бұрын

It Better End Soon was Viet Nam era, but so relevant to what's been happening today!

Chicago II is one of my all time favorite albums. But I admit that I don't often listen to this one. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed listening with you guys. Terry Kath, the hard rockin', funkified guitarist wrote this piece and sings it beautifully.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a beautiful piece of music!

It was once possible to have hard rock & classical music on the same album. As for cellos, you ought to listen to Harry Chapin. He always had a cello player in his band.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Aaron!

Chicago 2 is my favorite album.

Haven't heard this for decades. Great reaction!👍👍

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

The beginning of this is definitely showing the classically trained side of Walt and the band - He plays flute but I think he plays clarinet, too! It may be the only track in ALL Chicago albums where he plays Clarinet. The French Horns and Oboe, strings then the introduction of the Chicago horn section is so cool! Jimmy Pankow's Trombone solo is remarkable and soulful. Then, the transition to a jazzy style with classical mix makes this composition one of the most unique of Chicago's music. Terry's vocals.....Siffa, how could you not like this? An absolutely incredible ending.

@SightAfterDark

Жыл бұрын

Ok so Sifa’s words were: this was so epic. This was so nice, horns were amazing, but my faves were the other strings and wind instruments, love when music reminds me of old movies, this was cool for me. Trying to figure out what part of those words translated into- Sifa doesn’t like this- for you Henry

@henryhernandez7281

Жыл бұрын

@@SightAfterDark mea culpa for not making the context of my feedback clear....it really was about Sifa's preference for Peter's voice for most part! I know she liked this cut and her comments were spot on. It's an incredible cut for sure. Sorry, I met no diss and love you guys! You'll get to know me better and see how cheeky I can be, but feel free to jibe me at will!!

@SightAfterDark

Жыл бұрын

@@henryhernandez7281 Thanks for clearing that up Henry! We love cheeky and glad you're here!

Only today, June 21, 2024, listening to this song with decent headphones on, did I notice that Terry's voice cracked very slightly with emotion on the very last word that he sang (9:35)...

@SightAfterDark

19 күн бұрын

Amazing performer lost way too soon 😔

Yes, a lover mourning his loss. Introduced by the dissonants in the orchestral intro. From a time where the band (were) allowed themself lots of artistic freedom. Later they fell more for mainstream with all its commercial succes.

I've always wondered exactly which instruments Lee, Walt, and James played on this. For instance, I assume that Walter played the flute and possibly the clarinet parts, but did he also play the oboe and English horn?

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Possibly!

@apooyosucks

2 жыл бұрын

James likely provided the Trombone solo, but for Lee I'm not sure. The cornet or flugelhorn?

Another arrow in their vast quiver . Broad appreciation for subleties . Against the backdrop of what Miles Davis/John McLaughlin /Chick Corea /Blood Sweat & Tears & others were cookin up , this dip into the less 'electric' - makes perfect sense .

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

True!

BTW Nice t-shirt Dan!

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 😊

And to think this stuff was written by guys in their early 20’s. . .

I felt cheated when they left this out of their "playing Chicago II in its entirety concert" a few years ago, though I can see why. They didn't have the instrumentation and it might have slowed the concert down a bit, though they did a short acoustic version of Memories of Love, just not the suite before it. I don't think they even wrote the orchestral movements, or even played on them, though suspect the James, Lee and Walter may have played some parts.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Makes sense

I didn't know if you guy's were going to make it through this 🤣Not one of my favorites.

@SightAfterDark

2 жыл бұрын

Lol glad we made it through