The Chicago Transit Authority

PAGE INITIATED:  NOVEMBER 24, 2002.

LAST UPDATED:  SEPTEMBER 3, 2005!

The Chicago Transit Authority

Originally released as Columbia GP 8 in April, 1969.
Peak Hot 200 Album chart position:  #17.
Reissued as Chicago Records 3001 in 1995.
New remastered edition reissued as Rhino R2 76171 on July 16, 2002.

Produced by James William Guercio for Poseidon Productions.
Engineered by Fred Catero.
Recorded January 20-31, 1969.  Recorded and mixed at CBS Studios, New York, NY.

Cover design by John Berg.  Cover art and logo by Nicholas Fasciano.

THE BAND
Robert Lamm (aka Bobby Charles) -- Keyboard and lead vocals
Terry Kath -- Guitar and lead vocals
Peter Cetera (aka Peter Lawrence) -- Bass and lead vocals
Daniel Seraphine (aka Dan Sera) -- Drums and percussion
Lee Loughnane -- Trumpet and background vocals
James Pankow -- Trombone
Walter Parazaider (aka Walt Perry)-- Woodwinds and background vocals

All brass arrangements by James Pankow with some help from the rest of the boys.

PRODUCER'S NOTE
"The name of this endeavor is simply The Chicago Transit Authority.  For the last thirteen months, these seven individuals have performed in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco as the C.T.A.   So, if for nothing else than practical logic, they have chosen to title this work appropriately after their professional identity.  The purpose of this commentary, however, is an attempt at documenting the complete rejection of any name, title or verbal reference relative to the performance contained herein.  Corporately as well as individually this artist endeavors to be judged in terms of contribution alone rather than through the tag affixed to it.  The printed word can never aspire to document a truly musical experience, so if you must call them something, speak of the city where all save one were born; where all of them were schooled and bred, and where all of this incredible music went down barely noticed; call them CHICAGO."

-- James William Guercio, from the liner notes

REVIEWER'S NOTES

JWG slipped a bit; it should have read "where all save two were born" (Pankow was born in St. Louis, and moved to Chicago at age 8; Lamm was born in Brooklyn, and moved to Chicago at age 15).

You've already read a good portion of the back story as to how this record came to fruition, and the sequence of release of the singles from it.  Now I'll go into more detail about this great American classic album.

JWG's liner notes, in a way, predicted that this album would still captivate listeners for years to come.  He was right.  Rock critics called Chicago's music "Big Band Rock", and Columbia's roster was chock full of it in 1969:  Santana, and Sly & The Family Stone were also there, although horns rarely were included on Santana's albums.  Chicago's varied influences in classical, rock, jazz, pop, real Big Band music, and country would all come to the fore at various times over the next 10 years, resisting any critic's urge to define or 'pigeon-hole' a single, unique existing style.  Chicago had their own!  :-)

The very fact that 4 of the 12 tracks from this album are still played by the band in concert, a full 33 1/3 years after their original release, is a testament to the timeliness of the songs, not just in the writing, but also in the performances and JWG's production excellence, as well.

This album has (and, IMHO, will continue to) stand the test of time and the ever-changing tides and tastes (and even those infamous 'open mouth, insert both feet, echo internationally, and alienate the record-buying public' RIAA presidents) of the music industry.

DID YOU KNOW...?

...that Columbia issued albums by four Chicago-bred rock groups in 1969?  It's true!  Trying to capitalize on the Chicago rock music scene, Clive Davis and company also issued albums in 1969 by The Buckinghams, The Illinois Speed Press, and Aorta, all four bands featuring former members of The Exceptions, and all but the latter produced by JWG.  The Chicago Transit Authority was the best seller of the four.

...that the band members used stage names on the very first issues of this album? Their real names were later added to the liner notes, but look at the band roster above for four of the stage names used.

...that Roy Halee, who engineered the last few Simon & Garfunkel albums, was originally supposed to engineer this album?  It's true!  The band had never been in a professional-grade studio before, and tried to record "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" as a live ensemble, rather than piece by piece as they would eventually do.  Halee left after the first session, and Fred Catero came in to turn the dials.

MY TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW

01) Introduction (Terry Kath) -- 6:34
(Vocal:  Terry Kath)

A most appropriate introduction to the band and some of their musical influences.  This, in many ways, is much like Sly & The Family Stone's "Dance To The Music" with the shifting musical styles, yet is very original.  You start out in a bar listening to the opening verses, then you mosey on over to the lounge for a classical-inspired horn piece, and when you arrive in the next room, it's like a concert hall with Kath delivering an awesome screeching guitar solo, before you return to the bar to finish out the tune.

02) Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (Robert Lamm) -- 4:34
(Lead Vocals and brass arrangement:  Robert Lamm)
Edited version issued as Columbia single #4-45264 on November 4, 1970.  Peak positions:  Pop #7, AC #5.

Few non-Chicago fans who have heard the single have heard the entire track with the classical-inspired piano introduction which would become a free-form introduction on two live albums in 1971 and 1972.  Listen to the spoken word part on the final verse, very hip, and a forgotton bit when they play it live.

03) Beginnings (Robert Lamm) -- 7:50
(Lead Vocals and brass arrangement:  Robert Lamm)
Edited version issued as Columbia single #4-45011 on October 28, 1969.
Edited version reissued as Columbia single #4-45417 on June 11, 1971.  Peak positions:  Pop #7, AC #1.

The amazing thing about this track, to me, is that I never really noticed the lack of electric guitar and keyboards until I saw the 1993 In Concert At The Greek Theater video performance.  The only electric instrument here is Peter Cetera's bass; Robert Lamm actually plays 12-string acoustic guitar on this when the band plays it live.

04) Questions 67 & 68 (Robert Lamm) -- 4:59
(Lead Vocals:  Peter Cetera with Robert Lamm; Brass arrangement:  James Pankow and Robert Lamm)
Issued as Columbia single #4-44909 on July 3, 1969.  Peak position:  Pop #71.
Edited version reissued as Columbia single #4-45467 on September 16, 1971.  Peak positions:  Pop #24, AC #34.

"Our first bus hit-bound single that never was a bus hit-bound single." -- Terry Kath (Carnegie Hall, April, 1971).

Kath's quote (which you can hear on Chicago IV) notes to the audience that this song was the very first single originally issued from this album in 1969, and wouldn't crack the Top 30 until Columbia reissued it five months after that Carnegie Hall gig.  A great example of using the brass voicing and vocal interplay between Cetera and Lamm on the chorus, which would become a staple of the best of Chicago's collaborative vocals; also, the horn interlude here is Chicago's successful attempt at an up-tempo tune, a la the 5th Dimension's "Up, Up And Away".

05) Listen (Robert Lamm) -- 3:21
(Lead Vocals and brass arrangement:  Robert Lamm)
Issued as B-side of Columbia single #4-44909 on July 3, 1969.
Reissued as B-side of Columbia single #4-45264 on November 4, 1970.

A short track for the AM-ophiles, yet it was only featured as a B-side (twice!).  Great breath effects by Lamm, great lyric about why they're here, great rockin' bass and sizzlin' guitar solo, and attack horns at the fore...  The first of what would be several industrial-style (read: grunge) songs in their repertoire.

06) Poem 58 (Robert Lamm) -- 8:36
(Lead Vocals and brass arrangement:  Robert Lamm)
Edited version issued as B-side of Columbia single #4-45011 on October 28, 1969.

A very sparse lyric here, this track is mainly a showcase for the instrumental performances.

07) Free Form Guitar (Terry Kath) -- 6:48
(INSTRUMENTAL)

" PRODUCER'S NOTE:  FREE FORM GUITAR was performed on a Fender Stratocaster guitar through a Showman amplifier equipped with a twin 15 bottom utilizing a Bogan P.A. amplifier as a pre-amp.  No electronic gimmics or effects were used in the recording of this selection, the intent being to capture as faithfully as possible the actual sound of the performance as it occurred. " -- James William Guercio, from the liner notes.

Terry made his guitar talk, long before whammy bars were added.  This showcases an underrated guitar master at work.

08) South California Purples (Robert Lamm) -- 6:10
(Lead Vocals and brass arrangement:  Robert Lamm)

Another sparse lyric, this time about the doldrums someone may experience when your love has left you.  Another great showcase for the brass, guitar, and B-3.

09) I'm A Man (Steve Winwood-James Miller) -- 7:41
(Lead Vocals:  Terry Kath, Peter Cetera, Robert Lamm)
Edited version issued as B-side of Columbia single #4-45467 on September 16, 1971.  Peak position:  Pop #49.

Rarely does a band make a cover version of another group's song one of its own signature songs.  Chicago's version of this Traffic song is one of those rareities.  The one lead singer per verse interchange, Danny's drum solo, Terry's sizzling guitar lead-in and lead-back-in after the drum solo, and Robert doing Steve Winwood proud on B-3, what else can this author say?  Sure, it only reached #49 on the Pop chart, but Chicago still closes out their live shows with this one.  'Nuff said!  :-)

(Tracks 10 and 11 - the untitled "Someday" suite)
10) Prologue, August 29, 1968 (James William Guercio) -- 0:57

" PRODUCER'S NOTE:  PROLOGUE, AUGUST 29, 1968 -- Actual recording, Democratic Convention (Chicago, August 29, 1968).  Black Militants exhorting demonstrators:  "God Give Us the Blood to Keep Going"; March begins; Police attempt to disperse marchers; Chant:  "The Whole World's Watching." " -- James William Guercio, from the liner notes.

11) Someday (August 29, 1968) (James Pankow-Robert Lamm) -- 4:11
(Lead vocals:  Robert Lamm with Peter Cetera)

Delving into politics (appropo, since the '68 Democratic convention happened after the band moved to LA), and trying to bring us together.  Another industrial/grunge riff for the horns and introspective lyrics with Robert singing the verses and Peter singing the choruses.

12) Liberation (James Pankow) -- 14:39
(INSTRUMENTAL, with a brief vocal by Terry Kath near the end)

" PRODUCER'S NOTE:  LIBERATION -- This track was recorded entirely live.  The performance embodied in this recording is complete and uncut. " -- James William Guercio, from the liner notes.

Another experimental jam, this time slightly rehearsed, and recorded all at once.  Trying to get everybody playing a tune exactly right the first time is nearly impossible, which is why they recorded the rhythm tracks first, before adding vocals and horns.  This is a gem where they rehearsed the song first, then recorded it without overdubs.  A marvelous showcase for the band's performance as an integrated whole.