Chicago

Released: July 10, 1972

Songwriter: James Pankow

Producer: James William Guercio

[Verse 1]
Take a closer look inside yourself
You may see the love that I left behind
Days were fast but full of life
We laughed at everything
Now you're gone, time's standing still
I don't do anything, I'm so alone
So lonely

[Chorus 1]
Still I can recall
The happy times
Laughing arm and arm
So alive
Was it years ago
Or just a day
When you turned to me
Said goodbye

[Chorus 2]
Now you've gone away
I don't know why (did you really have to go?)
Did you have to lie
Walk away (whoa, I don't know)
How can I go on
In emptiness (I want to run away)
Feeling so alone
Every day (oh, so alone)

Chicago is a rock band hailing from the Illinois city of the same name. With its multitude of certified gold and platinum hits, the band has had enough longevity to last for over fifty years.

Chicago was formed on February 15, 1967, between keyboardist/singer Robert Lamm, trumpeter Lee Loughnane, saxophonist Walter Parazaider, drummer Danny Seraphine, guitarist Terry Kath, and trombonist James Pankow. The group called themselves “The Big Thing,” and played Top 40 hits in nightclubs in Chicago. In 1968, the band relocated to Los Angles, and changed their name to Chicago Transit Authority. They gained massive amounts of exposure to famous musicians of the time by regularly playing at the Whiskey A Go Go nightclub. In 1969, they released a self-titled album which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The next year, the band shortened their name to “Chicago” to avoid a lawsuit from the actual company of the same name.

The band has released a plethora of albums, most of them titled Chicago enumerated with Roman numerals. The band changed its sound in the late 70s and 80s following the death of Terry Kath. Since then, the band has still carried on a legacy for the decades following, but has slowed the release of original music to a trickle.

more tracks from the album

Chicago V

From the album

Chicago V (1972)

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Now That You’ve GoneChicago

Chicago

Chicago V