Chicago VIII | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 24, 1975 | |||
Recorded | August – September 1974 | |||
Studio | Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:18 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | James William Guercio | |||
Chicago chronology | ||||
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Singles from Chicago VIII | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago VIII is the seventh studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on March 24, 1975 by Columbia Records. Following the experimental jazz/pop stylings of Chicago VII, the band returned to a more streamlined rock-based sound on this follow-up.
Background
[edit]After five consecutive years of constant activity, the members of Chicago were feeling drained as they came to record Chicago VIII at producer James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch in Colorado in the summer of 1974. While the variety in styles explored on Chicago VIII were reminiscent of Chicago VI, this particular album had a more distinct rock feel, as exemplified on Peter Cetera's "Anyway You Want" (later covered by Canadian singer Charity Brown) and "Hideaway", as well as Terry Kath's Hendrix tribute "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" and James Pankow's hit "Old Days" (#5). The ballad "Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II" charted at #61.
Preceded by Lamm's "Harry Truman" (#13) as lead single, Chicago VIII was held over for release until March 1975 as Chicago VII was still riding high in the charts. While it easily reached #1 in the US, the album had a lukewarm critical reception — still commonly considered, by some, as one of their weakest albums from the original lineup, resulting in the briefest chart stay of any Chicago album thus far. It was also the first album to feature session percussionist Laudir de Oliveira as a full-fledged band member rather than merely a sideman, the first addition to the original lineup.
Inside the original LP package was an iron-on t-shirt decal of the album cover and a poster of the band in a station wagon being pulled over by a policeman.
On the RPM Canada charts, confusion endured when the LP was mis-identified during its chart run as Chicago VII; the catalog number listed proved it was really VIII.
This album was mixed and released in both stereo and quadraphonic. In 2002, Chicago VIII was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with two unreleased songs: "Sixth Sense" (an instrumental, or possibly a backing track) by Kath and "Bright Eyes" by Lamm, as well as a version of "Satin Doll" recorded for a Dick Clark's "Rockin' New Year's Eve" special - all as bonus tracks.
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocalist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Anyway You Want" | Peter Cetera | Cetera | 3:37 |
2. | "Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II" | James Pankow | Kath & Cetera | 4:28 |
3. | "Never Been in Love Before" | Robert Lamm | Cetera | 4:10 |
4. | "Hideaway" | Cetera | Cetera | 4:44 |
5. | "Till We Meet Again" | Terry Kath | Kath | 2:03 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocalist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Harry Truman" | Lamm | Lamm | 3:01 |
7. | "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" | Kath | Kath | 7:19 |
8. | "Long Time No See" | Lamm | Lamm | 2:46 |
9. | "Ain't It Blue?" | Lamm | Kath & Cetera | 3:26 |
10. | "Old Days" | Pankow | Cetera | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocalist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
11. | "Sixth Sense (Rehearsal)" | Kath | Instrumental | 5:07 |
12. | "Bright Eyes (Rehearsal)" | Lamm | Lamm | 3:41 |
13. | "Satin Doll (Live)" | Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer | Instrumental | 2:48 |
Personnel
[edit]Chicago
- Peter Cetera – bass, lead and backing vocals
- Terry Kath – electric and acoustic guitars, lead and backing vocals
- Robert Lamm – keyboards, lead and backing vocals
- Lee Loughnane – trumpet, backing vocals
- James Pankow – trombone, brass arrangements
- Walter Parazaider – saxophones, flute, clarinet
- Danny Seraphine – drums
- Laudir de Oliveira – percussion
Additional personnel
- Caribou Kitchenettes – vocal chorus on "Harry Truman" (John Carsello, Donna Conroy, Laudir de Oliveira, Bob Eberhardt, Steve Fagin, Kristy Ferguson, Linda Greene, Lee Loughnane, Brandy Maitland, Katherine Ogden, James Pankow, Walter Parazaider, Joanne Rocconi, Richard Torres and Angele Warner)
- String orchestrations on "Brand New Love Affair", "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit", "Long Time No See" and "Old Days" – Patrick Williams
Production
[edit]- James William Guercio – producer
- Wayne Tarnowski – engineer
- Jeff Guercio – engineer
- Mark Guercio – engineer
- Phil Ramone – mixing
- John Berg – cover design
- Nick Fasciano – cover design
- Anthony Maggiore – artwork and handwriting
- Reid Miles – poster photography
Charts
[edit]Chart (1975) | Position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[2] | 27 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[3] | 3 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[4] | 40 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[5] | 30 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[6] | 6 |
US Billboard 200[7] | 1 |
Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[8] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[9] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r3850/review
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 62. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3978a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Chicago – VIII". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Chicago – VIII". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Chicago Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Chicago – Chicago VIII". Music Canada. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "American album certifications – Chicago – Chicago VIII". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 21, 2023.