Chicago II - Definition and Overview

Chicago, unofficially titled Chicago II, is the second album by Chicago-based rock band Chicago. It was released in 1970 as a double-LP.

The official title of the album is Chicago. However, many fans refer to it as Chicago II, after the naming scheme Chicago would follow for their next several albums.

Chicago is considered by many to be Chicago's breakthrough album, yielding a number of top 40 hits, including "Make Me Smile", "Colour My World", and "25 Or 6 To 4". The centerpiece of the album was the 15-minute long song cycle Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon, consisting of the songs "Make Me Smile" through "Now More Than Ever" (the second side of the first record on the LP release and tracks 6-12 on the later CD release).

Another highlight of the album is the four-part "It Better End Soon". Both "Buchannon" and "Soon" showcase the band's talent for multi-part works.

Track listing

1. "Movin' On" (Pankow) 4:05
2. "The Road" (Kath) 3:10
3. "Poem for the People" (Lamm) 5:30
4. "In the Country" (Kath) 6:33
5. "Wake Up Sunshine" (Lamm) 2:29
6. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "Make Me Smile" (Pankow) - 3:16
7. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "So Much to Say, So Much to Give" (Pankow) - 1:12
8. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "Anxiety's Moment" (Pankow) - 1:01
9. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "West Virginia Fantasies" (Pankow) - 1:33
10. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "Colour My World" (Pankow) - 2:39
11. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "To Be Free" (Pankow) - 1:15
12. Ballet for Girl in Buchannon: "Now More Than Ever" (Pankow) - 1:26
13. "Fancy Colours" (Lamm) - 5:10
14. "25 or 6 to 4" (Lamm) - 4:50
15. "Prelude" (Kath, Matz) - 1:10
16. "A.M. Mourning" (Kath, Matz) - 2:03
17. "P.M. Mourning" (Kath, Matz) - 1:58
18. Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon: "Memories of Love" (Kath) - 3:58
19. "It Better End Soon 1st Movement" (Lamm) - 2:33
20. "It Better End Soon 2nd Movement" (Lamm, Parazaider) - 3:41
21. "It Better End Soon 3rd Movement" (Kath, Lamm) - 3:18
22. "It Better End Soon 4th Movement" (Lamm) - 0:51
23. "Where Do We Go from Here" (Cetera) - 2:34

Bonus tracks on Rhino re-issue

1. "Make Me Smile" [single version] (Pankow) - 3:00
2. "25 or 6 to 4" [single version] (Lamm) - 2:53

Personnel

• Peter Cetera - bass, vocals
• Terry Kath - guitar, vocals
• Robert Lamm - keyboards, vocals
• Lee Loughnane - trumpet, vocals
• James Pankow - trombone
• Walter Parazaider - woodwinds, vocals
• Daniel Seraphine - drums

Production

• Producer: James William Guercio
• Engineers: Chris Hinshaw, Don Puluse, Brian Ross-Myring
• Mixing: Paul Klingberg
• Remix producer: John Kellogg
• Remixing: Paul Klingberg
• Orchestration: Peter Matz for "Prelude"
• Cover design: John Berg
• Cover art: Nick Fasciano
• Photography: Herbert Greene
• Liner notes: David Wild

Charts

Album

Singles