Chicago VIII

Last updated
Chicago VIII
Chicago - Chicago VIII.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 24, 1975
RecordedAugust – September 1974
Studio Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado
Genre
Length39:18
Label Columbia
Producer James William Guercio
Chicago chronology
Chicago VII
(1974)
Chicago VIII
(1975)
Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits
(1975)
Singles from Chicago VIII
  1. "Harry Truman"
    Released: February 1975
  2. "Old Days"
    Released: April 1975
  3. "Brand New Love Affair"
    Released: July 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

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.

Contents

Background

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

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Vocalist(s)Length
1."Anyway You Want" Peter Cetera Cetera3:37
2."Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II" James Pankow Kath & Cetera4:28
3."Never Been in Love Before" Robert Lamm Cetera4:10
4."Hideaway"CeteraCetera4:44
5."Till We Meet Again" Terry Kath Kath2:03
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Vocalist(s)Length
6."Harry Truman"LammLamm3:01
7."Oh, Thank You Great Spirit"KathKath7:19
8."Long Time No See"LammLamm2:46
9."Ain't It Blue?"LammKath & Cetera3:26
10."Old Days"PankowCetera3:31
Rhino Box Set Bonus Tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Vocalist(s)Length
11."Sixth Sense (Rehearsal)"Kath Instrumental 5:07
12."Bright Eyes (Rehearsal)"LammLamm3:41
13."Satin Doll (Live)" Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Johnny Mercer Instrumental2:48

Personnel

Chicago

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

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

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [8] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [9] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r3850/review
  2. 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.
  3. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3978a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  4. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  5. "Charts.nz – Chicago – VIII". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  6. "Norwegiancharts.com – Chicago – VIII". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  7. "Chicago Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  8. "Canadian album certifications – Chicago – Chicago VIII". Music Canada . Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  9. "American album certifications – Chicago – Chicago VIII". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 21, 2023.