Chicago: “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” (1970)
Chicago represents different things to different fans.
If you came to this band in the post-Terry Kath 1980’s you might think sappy ballads were their forte. And you wouldn’t be wrong.
But long before that time, boys and girls, there was a time when driving jazz rock, ass-kicking brass and a diversity of musical styles were more their calling card.
And from that time of their “beginnings”–from their second album, to be exact–comes thie classically-inspired 13-minute progressive-jazz-and-pop masterwork.
Trombonist James Pankow wrote the suite originally as an attempt to win back his ex-fiancee who was attending West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia (note the alternate spelling “Buchannon”, deliberate or not, in the song’s title).
I for one am glad he didn’t get the girl, ’cause as a result we got the song.
The 7-part epic song cycle includes two songs–“Make Me Smile” and “Colour My World”–that became top ten pop hits.
But those hits are framed wondrously by authentic jazz and jazz-rock sections sewn together to form a whole that calls to mind progressive rock suites such as Yes’ “Close to the Edge” or side two of Abbey Road.
This is rock from a time of remarkable ambition. And few bands exhibited more creative fertility than Chicago in their heyday.
- “Make Me Smile” (Lead vocals by Terry Kath)
- “So Much to Say, So Much to Give” (Lead vocals by Robert Lamm)
- “Anxiety’s Moment” (Instrumental)
- “West Virginia Fantasies” (Instrumental)
- “Colour My World” (Vocals by Terry Kath)
- “To Be Free” (Instrumental)
- “Now More Than Ever” (Lead vocals by Terry Kath)
See also: Songs You May Have Missed #161 | Every Moment Has A Song (edcyphers.com)
See also: Songs You May Have Missed #301 | Every Moment Has A Song (edcyphers.com)
