Chicago XI explained

Chicago XI
Type:studio
Artist:Chicago
Cover:Chicago - Chicago XI.jpg
Released:September 12, 1977
Recorded:April – June 1977
Studio:Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado
Genre:Rock, jazz fusion, pop rock
Length:44:33
Label:Columbia
Producer:James William Guercio
Prev Title:Chicago X
Prev Year:1976
Next Title:Hot Streets
Next Year:1978

Chicago XI is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on September 12, 1977, through Columbia Records. It was both the last to feature guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath prior to his death in a gun accident just over four months later, and the last to be produced by longtime associate of the band James William Guercio.

Chicago XI was a commercial and critical success for the band, reaching the top 10 in the US and garnering generally positive reviews. Three singles were released from the album—"Baby, What a Big Surprise", "Little One", and "Take Me Back to Chicago"—with the former reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Chicago XI would become the band's last album to make the top 10 until Chicago 16 in 1982.

The cover design for the album is called "Regional Map" on the group's official website.[1]

Background

According to the web site Ultimate Classic Rock, Chicago XI seems like a collection of solo songs rather than the work of the ensemble whole Chicago had been earlier in the 1970s.[2] Peter Cetera aimed to replicate the success of the Grammy-winning "If You Leave Me Now" with "Baby, What a Big Surprise", which proved to be the album's biggest hit, going to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] This was his only writing contribution to the album and, quite atypically, the only song with him on lead vocals. Terry Kath revived his old live favorite "Mississippi Delta City Blues" for the album, while turning in a touching vocal on Danny Seraphine's "Little One." Seraphine also co-wrote "Take Me Back to Chicago", which charted at No. 63.[4]

Kath, who was planning a forthcoming solo album,[5] [6] may have intended "Takin' It On Uptown" — which, besides some uncredited backup singers, possibly features only Kath himself — as a solo album "preview" along the lines of Lamm's "Skinny Boy" on Chicago VII. James Pankow sang lead on his own "Till the End of Time," as did Lee Loughnane on his original, "This Time." The once prolific Robert Lamm contributed only two songs, "Policeman" and "Vote For Me."

Upon its September 1977 release, Chicago XI (Columbia 34860) reached No. 6 in the US on the Billboard 200,[7] stayed in the charts for 20 weeks and went platinum in October the same year.[8] It did not chart in the UK.[9]

While recording Chicago XI, longtime producer James William Guercio's smothering artistic control had reached its breaking point, with the band deciding to take their career into their own hands and strike out on their own after finishing the album with him.[10] However, as big a change in their career as Guercio's dismissal would be for Chicago, it would be minor in comparison to the tragedy that awaited them.

On January 23, 1978, a few months after Chicago XIs release, Terry Kath, regarded by many as the "soul" of Chicago, accidentally and fatally shot himself during a party at roadie Don Johnson's house. A gun enthusiast, Kath attempted to calm the guests' surprise when—while reportedly inebriated—he pulled out his gun to clean it by demonstrating that it was unloaded and promptly pointed the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, not realizing a bullet was in the chamber. The remaining members of Chicago were shocked and devastated by Kath's death, and even considered breaking up. After a few weeks of mourning, they decided to move on, thus beginning a new era in the band's history. They would recruit singer/guitarist Donnie Dacus for the follow-up, Hot Streets.[11] [12]

In 2002, Chicago XI was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with rehearsal recordings of Pankow's "Wish I Could Fly" (backing track) and Lamm's "Paris" as bonus tracks.

Critical reception

In her review of the album for The Sydney Morning Herald, Christine Hogan said, "If there had never been a Chicago X, this album would have been the best ever made by these perennials."[13] Writing for The Evening Journal, Hugh Cutler called the album a "critical and commercial triumph" and said it even drew a "rave review" from Rolling Stone.[14]

Record World described the single "Little One" as "a mid-tempo love song," saying that "the brass and vocal arrangements stand out as always."[15]

Personnel

Chicago

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[16] 7
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[17] 15
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[18] 37

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chicago XI. www.chicagotheband.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20180703221344/http://chicagotheband.com/albums/chicago11.html. July 3, 2018. July 5, 2018. dead.
  2. Web site: Chicago Albums Ranked Worst to Best. Ultimate Classic Rock. 12 February 2016 . en. July 6, 2018. July 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180707005731/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/chicago-albums-ranked/. live.
  3. Chicago Baby, What A Big Surprise Chart History. Billboard. July 6, 2018. July 14, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180714185827/https://www.billboard.com/music/chicago/chart-history/hot-100/song/336374. live.
  4. Chicago Take Me Back To Chicago Chart History. Billboard. July 6, 2018. July 14, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180714201611/https://www.billboard.com/music/chicago/chart-history/hot-100/song/336642. live.
  5. News: Room for Individuality in Chicago. Mieses. Stan. December 8, 1976. Playground Daily News. Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA. 6B. Newspapers.com. June 10, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142924/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20838679/playground_daily_news/. live.
  6. Web site: Terry Kath's Official Bio Pages. Wood. Tim. 2017-10-02. 2021-01-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210108033859/http://www.terrykath.com/bio-official/. live.
  7. Chicago Chicago XI Chart History. Billboard. July 5, 2018. July 13, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180713122104/https://www.billboard.com/music/chicago/chart-history/billboard-200/song/315766. live.
  8. News: Gold & Platinum - RIAA. RIAA. July 5, 2018. en-US. October 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211010045156/https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Chicago&ti=Chicago+XI&lab=&genre=&format=Album&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section. live.
  9. Web site: CHICAGO full Official Chart History Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com. The Official UK Charts Company. en. July 5, 2018. December 4, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171204115420/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/13861/chicago/. live.
  10. Chicago Group Portrait (Box Set). Ruhlmann. Willam James. 1991. CD booklet archived online. 7. July 5, 2018. Columbia Records. February 13, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160213222057/http://aln3.albumlinernotes.com/Chicago_Box_Set_-_Page_7.html. dead.
  11. News: Chicago's 'Alive Again'!. Jerome. Jim. October 16, 1978. PEOPLE.com. July 5, 2018. en. April 4, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404200254/https://people.com/archive/cover-story-chicagos-alive-again-vol-10-no-16/. live.
  12. Chicago Group Portrait (Box Set). 1991. 8. July 5, 2018. William James. Ruhlmann. CD booklet archived online. Columbia Records. New York City, NY. March 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190328134228/http://aln3.albumlinernotes.com/Chicago_Box_Set_-_Page_8.html. dead.
  13. News: Hogan. Christine. A mellow Chicago. The Sydney Morning Herald. October 24, 1977. 3, The SMH Monday Guide section. Sydney, Australia. Newspapers.com. July 5, 2018. July 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180705233051/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20838049/the_sydney_morning_herald/. live.
  14. News: Cutler . Hugh . Chicago Brings It Back at the Spectrum . Evening Journal . November 9, 1977 . 48 . Wilmington, Delaware, USA . . July 5, 2018 . July 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180706024119/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21590675/the_news_journal/ . live .
  15. Record World. February 4, 1978. 2023-02-15. Hits of the Week. 1.
  16. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 62.
  17. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e Dischi. it. June 20, 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Chicago".
  18. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 . . Roppongi, Tokyo . 2006 . 4-87131-077-9 . ja.

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