CHICAGO


VII

(1974)



1. Prelude To Aire 2'47
(Danny Seraphine)
2. Aire 6'30
(Danny Seraphine / Walter Parazaider / James Pankow)
3. Devil's Sweet 10'04
(Danny Seraphine / Walter Parazaider)
4. Italian From New York 4'15
(Robert Lamm)
5. Hanky Panky 1'53
(Robert Lamm)
6. Life Saver
* 5'20
(Robert Lamm)
7. Happy Man 3'33
(Peter Cetera)
8. (I've Been) Searchin' So Long
* 4'28
(James Pankow)
9. Mongonucleosis
* 3'30
(James Pankow)
10. Song Of The Evergreens 5'23
(Terry Kath)
11. Byblos 6'20
(Terry Kath)
12. Wishing You Were Here 4'36
(Peter Cetera)
13. Call On Me
* 4'04
(Lee Loughnane)
14. Woman Don't Want To Love Me
* 4'37
(Robert Lamm)
15. Skinny Boy 5'11
(Robert Lamm)

Total Time: 72:31


  • Peter Cetera - Bass
  • Danny Seraphine - Drums
  • Robert Lamm - Melotron, Keyboard, Fender Rhodes, ARP Synthesizer, Clavinet, Piano
  • Lee Loughnane - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
  • Terry Kath - Guitar, Bells
  • Walter Parazaider - Flute, Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax
  • James Pankow - Trombone
  • Laudir Soares De Oliviera - Percussion, Congas
  • David J. Wolinski - ARP Synthesizer, Melotron ("Devil's Sweet", "Byblos")
  • James William Guercio - Acoustic Guitar, Bass ("Happy Man", "Song Of The Evergreens")
  • Jinnie Haskell - Strings ("(I've Been) Searchin' So Long")
  • Wayne Tarnowski - Piano ("Song Of The Evergreens")
  • Guille Garcia - Congas ("Byblos")

    Additional Vocals on "Wishing You Were Here":

  • Al Jardine
  • Carl Wilson
  • Dennis Wilson

    Additional Vocals on "Skinny Boy":

  • The POINTER SISTERS

    Produced By James William Guercio
    Engineered by Wayne Tarnowski and Jeff Guercio
    Mixed by Phil Ramone
    Strings Recorded by Armin Steiner
    Cover Design by John Berg and Nick Fasciano
    Photography/Irve Kuusik
    Lettering by Doris Halle

    Brass Arrangements on "Italian From New York" by James Pankow & Robert Lamm

    * Brass Arrangements by James Pankow

    Optional Party Background Noises on "Mononucleosis":
    Camelia Ortiz
    Hank Steiger
    Bobbi Roen
    Julie Nini
    Diane Nini

    "Devil's Sweet" dedicated to Jo and Elvin Jones for their inspiration

    Recorded at CARIBOU RANCH, Nederland, Colorado 80466

    All Compositions ©1974 BIG ELK MUSIC (ASCAP)

    Chart Information:

    May '74 - Chicago VII - Mar. '74 Chart Position 1

  • Apr. '74 - (I've been) Searchin' So Long / Byblos - Mar. '74 Chart Position 9
  • Oct. '74 - Call On Me / Aire - Jun. '74 Chart Position 6
  • Oct. '74 - Wishing You Were Here / Life Saver - Chart Position 11



    1. Prelude To Aire

      (instrumental)

    2. Aire

      (instrumental)

    3. Devil's Sweet

      (instrumental)

    4. Italian From New York

      (instrumental)

    5. Hanky Panky

      (instrumental)

    6. Life Saver

      Just when I found myself
      Back against the wall
      You saved my life
      With a telephone call
      Far across the sea
      The thought of me
      I never thought I'd ever see
      The happy days you brought to me

      Lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Hey lifesaver
      Lifesaver
      Play on

      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      Do anything for you
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      I'd do anything for you

      You're a lifesaver honey
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      You're a lifesaver baby
      Do anything for you
      Do anything for you

      You're a lifesaver honey
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      You're a lifesaver baby
      Do anything for you
      Do anything for you

      You're a lifesaver honey
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      You're a lifesaver baby
      Do anything for you
      Do anything for you

      You're a lifesaver honey
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby
      You're a lifesaver baby
      Do anything for you
      Do anything for you

      You're a lifesaver honey
      You're a lifesaver honey
      I'm a lot braver too
      I'm a lot braver too
      You're a lifesaver baby

    7. Happy Man

      Merely by chance
      Very unsuspected
      You caught my heart
      Unprotectin' me
      Now I'm fallin in love with you

      Just when I thought
      I was free and easy
      You came along
      To me soft and breezy
      Now I've fallen in love with you
      Woo hoo
      I've fallen in love with you

      And for the first time in my life
      I know what it's like to be a happy man
      Happy man
      And for the first time in my life
      You've given me something I can understand
      Bein' a happy man

      Be with me now
      Love me forever
      Leavin' you lady
      Was something that I'd never do
      I've fallen in love with you

      All of my life it seems I have waited
      Now I can say all these words I have stated untrue
      I've fallen in love with you
      Woo hoo
      Fallen in love with you
      Woo hoo

    8. (I've Been) Searchin' So Long

      As my life goes on I believe
      Somehow something's changed
      Something deep inside
      Ooh a part of me

      There's a strange new light in my eyes
      Things I've never known
      Changin' my life
      Changin' me

      I've been searchin'
      So long
      To find an answer
      Now I know my life has meaning
      Ow oh

      Now I see myself as I am
      Feeling very free
      Life is everything
      Ooh it's meant to be
      When my tears have come to an end
      I will understand
      What I left behind
      Part of me

      I've been searching
      So long
      To find and answer
      Now I know my life has meaning
      Woah woah

      Searching
      Don't you know I'm hell yeah
      For an answer
      To the question
      Oh yeah
      For our minds
      Baby
      Baby it's true
      It's only natural
      It's only natural baby, yeah
      Good things
      In life
      Take a long time
      yeah yeah

    9. Mongonucleosis

    ok, this is what the words sound like. :)

      Que pe chesa
      Que pe chesa
      Que pe chesa
      Que pe chesa

    10. Song Of The Evergreens

      Listen to the briskly whistling winter evergreen
      Whispering through the frozen morning light
      And tell me what's to come
      Saying my time is near
      Never fear
      How close each year
      I'm winter
      Reminding me to trade my t-shirts for my woven wools
      Trade my sandals for my skis
      Whispered warnings in the wind
      Saying soon come the dancing snowflakes
      They're kissing every tree
      They're kissing you and me
      Please hurry
      Falling
      Dazzling dancing diamonds from the sky
      Prisms
      Rainbow sparkled flurries in our eyes

      Whipping across the frozen crystal metal pines of ice
      Race the snow
      We'll spend the mornings by our bed
      They cuddle close and wine and dine
      The setting sun
      The morning light will blind those eyes
      Shooting down the glistening
      Outside
      Screaming through the whispering pines
      The freedom of each day
      Will cleanse our minds
      I can hardly wait for winter
      I can hardly wait for the snow
      I can hardly hardly wait for winter
      I can hardly wait for the snow

      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow

      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
      Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow ......

    11. Byblos

      I saw her once before; she didn't turn me on.
      One night she stopped to talk to pass the time.
      And then I saw her eyes; her softly smiling glow,
      We sat and talked all night at Byblos.
      She talked of feelings that I knew were true.
      She painted me a picture using ev'ry shade of blue
      It was light with laughter, At times it made me cry,
      And now I'll never know just why I didn't ever try to hold her;
      to squeeze her; to kiss her all night long, I never tried to pleaseher.

      Then, soon she had to go;
      I sat there all alone
      And thought of things she said
      The whole day through.
      And then I realized,
      I never took the time
      To find out where she lived
      Or where to call.
      I thought that I would see
      Her the next night,
      Anticipating how I'd set myself right.

      Then, I went back to Byblos;
      I sat there and waited,
      Feeling just a little nervous
      And a little frustrated.

      Then, soon, in she came,looking just the same
      Oo, I could hardly wait to take her far from the game.
      Then a person came in to the club
      that I had to speak to
      I explained the situation to her
      And i thought she understood
      But I guess she thought I was jiving her around
      Cause when I looked for her, this is what I found
      She was rapping with a real good friend of mine,
      He was happening, I guess it was his time.
      I really couldn't blame him, cause he was sad and lonely too.
      But just talking to her did me so much good, I knew she'd do him good too.
      Then I went home and I got it on,
      Sat down to write these words when I was finally alone.
      And then, about halfway through I wondered if someone knew
      where she was, so I could give her a call,
      And I found out that she was right down the hall,
      Not too far away,
      but that's ok, I'll just wait for the day when I can see
      her again and spend some time.


    12. Wishing You Were Here

      Sleepless hours and dreamless nights and far aways
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here
      Heaven knows and lord it shows when I'm away
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here

      Same old show in a different town on another day
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here
      Even though you're far away, you're on my mind
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here

      And I'd like to change my life, and you know I would
      Just to be with you tonight, baby, if I could
      But I've got my job to do, and I do it well,
      Change my life) So I guess that's how it is.

      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here

      On the road it's a heavy load, but I'll be by
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here
      Pay the price, make a sacrifice, and still I'll try
      Ooo ooo ooo, wishing you were here

    13. Call On Me

      The feelin' was clear
      Clear as a blue sky on a sunday day
      Everything was you
      'Cause no one made me feel
      The way I felt with you
      Call on me 'cause
      I love you
      You know I do
      You love me too

      Then came a change
      When I said I would soon be leavin' you
      Nothin' else to do
      Please remember I never lose the thought of you
      Call on me 'cause
      I love you
      You know I do
      You love me too

      You've got to find
      Someone else to somehow take my place
      Share his life with you
      But if you need a friend
      You can always count on me
      Count on me 'cause
      I love you
      You know I do
      You love me too

      You can count on me oh
      You can count on me
      You can count on me baby
      You can count on me
      You can count on me oh
      You can count on me
      You can count on me baby
      You can count on me
      You can count on me oh
      You can count on me
      You can count on me baby
      You can count on me
      You can count on me oh
      You can count on me

    14. Women Don't Want To Love Me

      Women don't want to love me
      She says it makes her cry
      Women don't want to love me
      That's an alibi
      Lovin' gets complicated
      You have to want to try
      Won't be simply stated
      You gotta look for some perfection
      You're gonna lose some affection
      Cryin' bye

      Women don't want to love me
      She says she wants to go
      Women don't want to love me
      She's tired of feelin' low
      'Cause lovin gets complicated
      Just start with what you know
      Won't be simply stated
      Fill yourself with emotion
      To earn yourself some devotion

      Women don't want to love me
      She hates to be alone
      Women don't want to love me
      She hates the telephone
      'Cause lovin gets complicated
      It's a little bit too fast
      Won't be simply stated
      We gotta fix this situation
      With the final liberation
      Of this man

    15. Skinny Boy

      Ow

      Yeah, yeah

      When I was a young skinny boy
      My momma said to me
      The world out there is hot and dirty
      Mean as it wants to be
      I know there's gonna be times when you're down and out
      So listen now kid
      Listen now son
      I'll tell you what it's all about

      You gotta try to keep your head above the water
      That's what my momma told me
      You gotta try to keep a step ahead of time
      And even though you do some things you shouldn't ought to
      Shouldn't ought to
      If you love your brothers love will come back to you
      Love'll come back to you
      Love'll come back to you
      Love'll come back to you

      Live my life in so many ways
      To find out who I am
      Time's approaching
      I really can say
      Truly I understand
      Got more livin' to do for myself
      So run along now
      Play along later
      Stay up by the shelf
      Sing it girls

      Gotta try to keep your head above the water
      Yes you do yes I do
      You gotta try to keep a step ahead of time
      Even though you do some things you shouldn't ought to
      If you love your sisters love will come back to you
      Love'll come back to you
      Love'll come back to you

      All the world is turnin' to stone
      Slowly it will die
      But that is something I never will see
      I don't know why
      Tryin' to take the world the best I can
      Might be now
      Probably be later
      Stand up like a man
      hey, hey

      Gotta try to keep your head above the water
      Yes you do yes you do yes you do
      Gotta try to keep a step ahead of time
      Even though you do some things you shouldn't ought to
      Love your brothers and sisters, love'll come back to you
      Love'll come back to you
      Love'll come back to you ...