Chicago transit authority

I used to listen to the music of that seven-man American band, Chicago, but not anymore. I bought their first few albums but stopped after their seventh or eighth. I just couldn't stand their soppy middle-of-the-road pop love songs. Over time, they lost their grittier jazz-rock style, and that completely turned me off.

That said, Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, released in 1969, remains a monumental debut in rock history. This two-record set, which I'd call a double album, wasn’t just a collection of songs—it was a bold statement, a fusion of rock, jazz and pop that introduced a band brimming with talent and innovation.

From the explosive opening of Introduction, I was captivated. Terry Kath’s electrifying guitar riffs, combined with the powerful and sophisticated horn section of Lee Loughnane, James Pankow and Walter Parazaider, created a sound that was both unique and exhilarating. Danny Seraphine’s drumming was equally impressive. This wasn’t just another rock band—it was a musical powerhouse.

One of the album’s greatest strengths was its diversity. It seamlessly blended genres, moving from the rock of Robert Lamm’s Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? to the ballad Beginnings. Tracks like Liberation and South California Purples highlighted their instrumental virtuosity, with extended jams that leaned heavily into jazz and showcased their improvisational skills.

The horn section wasn’t just a gimmick; it was the band’s defining element. The intricate, dynamic arrangements wove melodies and harmonies into the fabric of each song, complementing Kath’s guitar and Seraphine’s complex rhythms perfectly.

With such a wealth of material, a single record wouldn’t have been enough for their debut. Most bands wouldn’t have dared attempt a double album right out of the gate, but Chicago did—and their label, Columbia, let them. While its sprawling length could be a challenge for some listeners, that ambition was part of its charm. It marked the start of their creative energy, which carried over into their second and third studio albums—both also two-record sets.

But their excess didn’t stop there. Their fourth release, a live album recorded at Carnegie Hall, took things to quite another level. It was marketed as a double-double album, spanning four long-playing records! It took me a while to buy that, but I eventually did.

Lyrically, this first album reflected the spirit of the late 1960s, encompassing themes of social consciousness and personal relationships. Songs like Questions 67 and 68 and Someday added depth to the musical landscape which resonated with the era's counter-culture movement and its focus on peace, love and social change.

I might be mistaken, but I’ve noticed brief melodic similarities between certain sections of this album’s songs and earlier pop tunes from the 1950s and 1960s. Could the band have drawn inspiration from existing melodies? Musical influence is a complex process, and I’m not sure if these similarities warrant detailed musicological analysis by experts. Maybe they already have. But ultimately, Chicago’s distinctive arrangements, instrumentation and overall sound make this album a groundbreaking and innovative work in its own right.

Side 1: Introduction, Does anybody really know what time it is, Beginnings
Side 2: Questions 67 and 68, Listen, Poem 58
Side 3: Free form guitar, South California purples, I'm a man
Side 4: Prologue August 29 1968, Someday (August 29 1968), Liberation