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"...You Can Smile..."
Before they became the slick lurve song unit of the mid to late Seventies
(voiced exclusively by Bassist and Lead Vocalist Peter Cetera) - CHICAGO used
to be called the all-together cooler CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY - and that’s
where this hip little CD reissue comes in (featuring a full double-album on one
CD).
Released July 2002 - "Chicago Transit Authority" by CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY on
Warner Strategic Marketing/Rhino 822-76171-2 (Barcode 081227617127) is a
straightforward CD transfer of their debut –
a double-album released April 1969 in the USA on Columbia GP-8 and September
1969 in the UK on CBS Records S 66221. The CD reissue also comes in card repro artwork...
1. Introduction [Side 1]
2. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
3. Beginnings
4. Questions 67 and 68 [Side 2]
5. Listen
6. Poem 58
7. Free Form Guitar [Side 3]
8. South California Purples
9. I’m A Man
10. Prologue, August 29, 1968 [Side 4]
11. Someday (August 29, 1968)
12. Liberation
The gatefold card digipak on the inside repros
the inner gatefold of the original American double-album – while the nicely
laid-out 16-page booklet has detailed liner notes by Rolling Stone’s one-time
editor DAVID WILD. There are a few publicity photos and a great colour repro of
a Fillmore West poster with the Windy City’s finest
proudly supporting The Moody Blues. This CD is like the Yes issues of
"Fragile" and "Close To The Edge" by Rhino in that it also
comes in a fetching card slipcase.
But the best news is the superb DAVID DONNELLY
remaster – giving the brass of JAMES PANKOW and LEE LOUGHNANE real prominence
and clarity. This is a fantastic sounding CD – full of life and punch.
With Peter Cetera’s voice now so synonymous with
the band’s sound – it’s almost disconcerting to hear both Robert Lamm and Terry
Kath as lead vocalists. After the brassy Rock’n’Roll of “Introduction” we get
the excellent proper songs “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?” and
“Beginnings”. Cetera arrives on “Questions 67 and 68” while “Listen” is frankly
a bit of a Sixties mini-masterpiece (lyrics above). I can frankly live without
the guitar workouts that are “Poem 58” and “Free Form Guitar” - but I’ve always
loved their fabulously funky-rock cover of the Spencer Davis/Steve Winwood
classic “I’m A Man”. What a winner and a damn shame the rare 7” single edit of
it isn’t included as a bonus track (see Niggles below). Politics and courage
come into the fore with “Prologue” and “Someday” complete with their protesting
student chants - while the fourteen and half minute “Liberation” instrumental
became a showstopper at gigs – Jazz Rock meets Prog whilst channelling Jimi
Hendrix and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Niggles – with a total playing time of 76:36
minutes - it’s frustrating that time constrictions disallowed the inclusion of
no less than SIX seven-inch single ‘edits’ across the following five 45s around
and after the album’s release:
1. "Questions 67 And 68" b/w
"Listen" on Columbia 4-44909 (June 1969)
2. "Beginnings" b/w "Poem
58" on Columbia 4-45011 (October 1969)
3. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It
Is?" b/w "Listen" on Columbia 4-45264 (November 1970)
4. "Beginnings" b/w "Colour My
World" on Columbia 4-45417 (June 1971)
5. "Questions 67 And 68" b/w "I'm
A Man" on Columbia 4-45467 (September 1971)
You can get "Colour My World" on the
CD reissue/remaster of their 2nd album
simply called "Chicago" on Warner Strategic Marketing/Rhino
8122-76172-2 which has two bonus tracks – the single edits of the big hits
"Make Me Smile" and "25 Or 6 To 4" – while some of the
other single edits are available on the July 2002 "Very Best Of"
double-Cd compilation.
Live and in your studio face - their 2nd and third albums were just as good –
but “Chicago Transit Authority” has a freshness and vitality about it (despite
their acknowledged lack of recording experience) that is still kicking to this
day. A very cool little CD reissue indeed…
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