Chicago at Carnegie Hall | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | October 25, 1971 [1] | |||
Recorded | April 5–10, 1971 | |||
Venue | Carnegie Hall (New York City) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 1971: 2:48:33 2005: 3:43:59 2021: 14:34:00 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | James William Guercio | |||
Chicago chronology | ||||
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Chicago live chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | C− [4] |
Chicago at Carnegie Hall (also known as Chicago IV) is the first live album, and fourth album overall, by American band Chicago. It was initially released on October 25, 1971 by Columbia Records as a four-LP vinyl box set, and was also available for a time as two separate two-record sets. A quadraphonic mix of the album was proposed, but was never made, possibly due to the band's objection to the album being released in the first place. This is the only Chicago album of the group's first ten releases not to have a quadraphonic release in any format.
The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) two weeks after its release, and was certified platinum in 1986. [5]
While touring in support of Chicago III , Chicago played Carnegie Hall for a week in April 1971 and recorded all of their shows. A four-LP box set for release as Chicago's fourth album (that distinction being responsible for the album's nickname of Chicago IV) was the result. Walter Parazaider told writer William James Ruhlmann that "The reason behind the live record for Carnegie Hall is, we were the first rock 'n' roll group to sell out a week at Carnegie Hall, and that was worth rolling up the trucks for, putting the mikes up there, and really chronicling what happened in 1971." [6]
Columbia were very skeptical on the risk the extended set posed,[ citation needed ] and with a decrease in royalties to counter that fear (a similar situation befell their 1969 debut, Chicago Transit Authority ),[ citation needed ] Chicago released Chicago at Carnegie Hall that October to a mixed reaction. While the set sold very well, reaching No. 3 in the US [7] (but failing to chart in the UK), [8] the critics found the album too long—and even indulgent with its inclusions of tune-ups.[ citation needed ]
The band themselves have remained divided through the years over the merits of the album. Robert Lamm and Walter Parazaider defended the album to William James Ruhlmann, while James Pankow and Peter Cetera were not happy with the result. [6] Pankow told Ruhlmann, "I hate it. ... The acoustics of Carnegie Hall were never meant for amplified music, ...the brass after being miked came out sounding like kazoos." [6] [9] Lee Loughnane said that although he thinks the album is good, there were many things he didn't like about it and that he didn't think the album should have been released. [10]
In recognition of setting Carnegie Hall records and the ensuing four LP live recordings, the group was awarded a Billboard 1972 Trendsetter Award. [11] Despite poor sound quality, Chicago at Carnegie Hall, according to William James Ruhlmann, went on to become "perhaps" the best-selling box set by a rock act until the release of the Live/1975-85 five-LP live box set by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band in 1986. [6] It is still the best-selling four-LP set.[ citation needed ]
In 2005, Chicago at Carnegie Hall was remastered and re-issued on three CDs by Rhino Records with improved sound quality, a bonus disc of eight tracks of alternate takes and songs not on the 1971 edition, and recreations of nearly all the original posters and packaging.
On Monday April 5th, 2021, 50 years to the day of their first Carnegie Hall show, Rhino Records announced a 50th Anniversary 16-CD box set called Chicago Live At Carnegie Hall Complete. The collection includes all six shows in their entirety which were performed from April 5 through April 10, 1971, plus two matinee performances. The set was produced by engineer Tim Jessup along with band member Lee Loughnane, and was released on September 10, 2021.
The original LP release of this set contained two giant posters of the band, a poster of Carnegie Hall's exterior, an insert about voting information, and a 20-page softcover booklet; this last contained photos of the band members playing during the concert, and on the back bore a full touring schedule from their first tour through their 1971 US tour. [12] The band's official web site labels the cover design "white tile". [1]
Side one | |||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "In the Country" | Terry Kath |
| 10:35 | |
2 | "Fancy Colours" | Robert Lamm | Cetera | 5:15 | |
3 | "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (Free form intro) | Lamm | — | 6:20 | |
4 | "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" | Lamm | 3:47 | ||
Side two | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "South California Purples" | Lamm | Lamm | 15:35 | |
2 | "Questions 67 and 68" |
| 5:36 | ||
Side three | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "Sing a Mean Tune Kid" | Lamm | Cetera | 12:54 | |
2 | "Beginnings" | Lamm | 6:27 | ||
Side four | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "It Better End Soon – 1st Movement" | Lamm | Kath | 2:54 | |
2 | "It Better End Soon – 2nd Movement" (Flute solo) |
| — | 5:00 | |
3 | "It Better End Soon – 3rd Movement" (Guitar solo) |
| 2:42 | ||
4 | "It Better End Soon – 4th Movement" (Preach) | Kath | 3:09 | ||
5 | "It Better End Soon – 5th Movement" | Lamm | 2:09 | ||
Side five | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "Introduction" | Kath | Kath | 7:10 | |
2 | "Mother" | Lamm | Lamm | 8:21 | |
3 | "Lowdown" |
| Cetera | 3:58 | |
Side six | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "Flight 602" | Lamm | Lamm | 3:31 | |
2 | "Motorboat to Mars" | Seraphine | — | 3:00 | |
3 | "Free" | Lamm | Kath | 5:15 | |
4 | "Where Do We Go from Here?" | Cetera | Cetera | 4:08 | |
5 | "I Don't Want Your Money" |
| Lamm | 5:23 | |
Side seven | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "Happy Cause I'm Going Home" | Lamm |
| 7:56 | |
2–8 | "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" (total length: 15:25) | "Make Me Smile" | James Pankow | Kath | 3:30 |
"So Much to Say, So Much to Give" | Lamm | 1:00 | |||
"Anxiety's Moment" | — | 1:08 | |||
"West Virginia Fantasies" | 1:31 | ||||
"Colour My World" | Kath | 3:26 | |||
"To Be Free" | — | 1:21 | |||
"Now More Than Ever" | Kath | 3:25 | |||
Side eight | |||||
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length | |
1 | "A Song for Richard and His Friends" | Lamm | Lamm | 6:58 | |
2 | "25 or 6 to 4" | Cetera | 6:35 | ||
3 | "I'm a Man" |
| 8:51 |
Chart (1971-1972) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [14] | 26 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [15] | 3 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [16] | 21 |
US Billboard 200 [17] | 3 |
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [18] | 29 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [19] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [20] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Chicago is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1967. The group began calling themselves the Chicago Transit Authority in 1968, then shortened the name to its current one in 1969. Self-described as a "rock and roll band with horns," their songs often also combine elements of classical music, jazz, R&B, and pop music.
Chicago Transit Authority is the debut studio album by the American rock band Chicago, known at the time of release as Chicago Transit Authority. This double album was released on April 28, 1969 and became a sleeper hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard 200 by 1971. Chicago Transit Authority spawned several successful singles, including "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "Questions 67 and 68" and "Beginnings". The album stayed on the Billboard chart for 171 weeks, beating the previous record for a rock album's longevity of 155 weeks and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). For this inaugural recording effort, the group was nominated for a Grammy Award for 1969 Best New Artist of the Year. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Chicago is the second studio album by the American rock band Chicago, released on January 26, 1970, by Columbia Records. Like their debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, it is a double album. It was their first album released under the name Chicago—the band's prior name, Chicago Transit Authority, was changed due to a threatened lawsuit from the actual mass-transit operator bearing the same name—and the first to use the now ubiquitous cursive Chicago logo on the cover.
Chicago III is the third studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on January 11, 1971, through Columbia Records. The album was produced by James William Guercio and was the band's third consecutive double album in less than two years.
Chicago V is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on July 10, 1972, by Columbia Records. It is notable for being the group's first single album release, after having released three consecutive double albums and a four-disc box set of live material.
Chicago VII is the sixth studio album by American rock band Chicago. It was released on March 11, 1974 by Columbia Records. It is notable for being their first double album of new material since 1971's Chicago III and remains their final studio release in that format. It features session percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, who would become a full-fledged band member for the release of Chicago VIII the following year.
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.
Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album, and ninth album overall, by the American band Chicago and was released in 1975 by Columbia Records in both stereo and SQ quadraphonic versions.
Chicago X is the eighth studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was recorded at Caribou Ranch and it was released by Columbia Records on June 14, 1976. The album made it to number three on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 21, 1976, a week after its release. It was the band's first album to be certified platinum, on September 14, 1976, and has since been certified multi-platinum. In honor of the group's platinum album achievement, Columbia Records awarded the group a 25-pound bar of pure platinum, made by Cartier.
Chicago XI is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on September 12, 1977, through Columbia Records. It was both the last to feature guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath prior to his death in a gun accident just over four months later, and the last to be produced by longtime associate of the band James William Guercio.
Lee David Loughnane is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass/woodwind section alongside James Pankow and Walter Parazaider.
"Beginnings" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago Transit Authority and recorded for its debut album Chicago Transit Authority, released in 1969. The song is the band's second single, but failed to chart on its initial release.
"Lowdown" is a song written by Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine for the rock band Chicago and recorded for their third album Chicago III (1971). It was the second single released from this album, and peaked at No. 35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Cetera provided lead vocals while guitarist Terry Kath used a fuzzbox and wah-wah pedal for his guitar solo and Robert Lamm made prominent use of the Hammond organ.
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" is a song written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI (1973). The first single released from that album, it reached #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Call on Me" is a song written by Lee Loughnane for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974). Peter Cetera sang lead vocals and the arrangement makes prominent use of conga drums played by Guille Garcia.
"Wishing You Were Here" is a song written by Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974), with lead vocals by Terry Kath, while Cetera sang the song's bridge. The third single released from that album, it reached No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, No. 9 on the Cash Box Top 100, and hit No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.
"Old Days" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VIII (1975). It was the second single released from that album with lead vocals by Peter Cetera.
Live in Japan is a live album by American rock band Chicago, released in November 1972. It was recorded over the course of three days at the Osaka Festival Hall on the band's tour in support of Chicago V in 1972. The group recorded Japanese-language versions of "Lowdown" and "Questions 67 And 68" to coincide with their Japan performances. They performed both songs in Japanese during their stay, which are documented on this album.
"Colour My World" is a song written by American musician James Pankow, one of the founding members of the rock/jazz fusion band Chicago. Part of Pankow's "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago, also called Chicago II (1970). Terry Kath sings the lead vocal, and Walter Parazaider performs the memorable flute solo.