The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997
Encyclopedia
The Heart of Chicago 1967–1997 is a greatest hits
album
by American
rock
band Chicago
and was released in 1997. It was compiled to commemorate the group's 30th anniversary of their formation.
The idea was to bridge their two eras - the James William Guercio/Columbia Records
period of the 1970s and the David Foster
/Warner Bros. Records
period of the 1980s - on one CD. In addition, the band added two new songs, "The Only One" produced by Lenny Kravitz
- a big fan of Chicago, and another, "Here In My Heart" by James Newton Howard
. Both of these new tracks were successful in the adult contemporary market; "Here In My Heart" topped the AC charts, and "The Only One" was a top 20 AC hit.
While the album was a gold certified success upon its April 1997 release, many critics and fans bemoaned the concept, finding the disparate styles of both decades clashing with each other, and with the lack of significant hits (i.e. "25 Or 6 To 4", "Call On Me" and "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?", etc...) detracting from the album's enjoyment. To counter this, a sequel, The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II
would appear the following year to fill in some of the missing gaps. Rhino Records' 2002 two-CD release The Very Best of: Only the Beginning
- with chronological sequencing - is generally considered to supersede both volumes of The Heart of Chicago.
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 (Reprise 46554) reached #55 in the US during a chart stay of 27 weeks. It also peaked at #21 in the UK.
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
and was released in 1997. It was compiled to commemorate the group's 30th anniversary of their formation.
The idea was to bridge their two eras - the James William Guercio/Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
period of the 1970s and the David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
/Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
period of the 1980s - on one CD. In addition, the band added two new songs, "The Only One" produced by Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
- a big fan of Chicago, and another, "Here In My Heart" by James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard is an American composer best known for his scores to motion pictures. He is one of the most popular and respected composers for cinema, and has scored over 100 films...
. Both of these new tracks were successful in the adult contemporary market; "Here In My Heart" topped the AC charts, and "The Only One" was a top 20 AC hit.
While the album was a gold certified success upon its April 1997 release, many critics and fans bemoaned the concept, finding the disparate styles of both decades clashing with each other, and with the lack of significant hits (i.e. "25 Or 6 To 4", "Call On Me" and "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?", etc...) detracting from the album's enjoyment. To counter this, a sequel, The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II
The Heart of Chicago 1967–1998 Volume II is a greatest hits album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1998. As the successor to 1997's The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997, this edition also features a mixture of songs from Chicago's entire 30-year career thus far.Again, The Heart of...
would appear the following year to fill in some of the missing gaps. Rhino Records' 2002 two-CD release The Very Best of: Only the Beginning
The Very Best of: Only the Beginning
The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning is a two-CD greatest hits album by American rock band Chicago. Released in 2002, this collection marked the beginning of a long-term partnership with Rhino Records which, between 2002 and 2005, would go on to remaster and re-release Chicago's 1969–1980...
- with chronological sequencing - is generally considered to supersede both volumes of The Heart of Chicago.
Track listing
- "You're the InspirationYou're the Inspiration-Charts:-Cover versions:*"You're the Inspiration" was covered by UK singer Elkie Brooks on her 1989 album, Inspiration, and by David Foster as an instrumental-piano version on his 1991 album, Rechordings...
" (Peter CeteraPeter CeteraPeter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
/David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
) – 3:49 - "If You Leave Me NowIf You Leave Me Now"If You Leave Me Now" is the title of a popular hit ballad by the American rock group Chicago, from their album Chicago X. It was written and sung by bass guitar player Peter Cetera and released as a single in July 1976....
" (Peter Cetera) – 3:55 - "Make Me SmileMake Me Smile"Make Me Smile" is a song written by James Pankow for the rock band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...
" (James PankowJames PankowJames Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
) – 2:59 - "Hard Habit to BreakHard Habit to Break"Hard Habit to Break" is a song written by Steve Kipner and John Lewis Parks produced and arranged by David Foster and recorded by the group Chicago for their 1984 album Chicago 17, with Bill Champlin and Peter Cetera sharing lead vocals. Released as the second single from the album, it reached...
" (Steve KipnerSteve KipnerSteve Kipner is a multi-platinum-selling songwriter and record producer with hits spanning over a 40 year history, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Chicago's Grammy-nominated "Hard Habit to Break", "Genie In A Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, for which he won an...
/Jon Parker) – 4:44 - "Saturday in the ParkSaturday in the Park (song)"Saturday in the Park" is a song written by Robert Lamm and recorded by the group Chicago for their 1972 album Chicago V, with Lamm on piano and lead vocals and Peter Cetera on bass and backing vocals. The single version hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's highest-charting single...
" (Robert LammRobert LammRobert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
) – 3:55 - "Wishing You Were HereWishing You Were Here"Wishing You Were Here" may also refer to a different song by Deborah Gibson."Wishing You Were Here" is a song written by Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII , with lead vocals by Terry Kath , while Cetera sang the song's bridge...
" (Peter Cetera) – 4:35 - "The Only One" (James Pankow/Greg O'Connor) – 5:59
- A new recording produced and featuring backing vocals by Lenny KravitzLenny KravitzLeonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
- A new recording produced and featuring backing vocals by Lenny Kravitz
- "Colour My WorldColour My World (Chicago song)"Colour My World" is a song written by American musician James Pankow, one of the founding members of the rock/jazz fusion band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...
" (James Pankow) – 2:59 - "Look AwayLook Away"Look Away" is the name of a 1989 #1 Billboard Hot 100 Chart hit written by Diane Warren. It was recorded by the band Chicago for their 1988 album Chicago 19, with Bill Champlin singing lead vocals. When released as a single that year, the song proved successful, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for...
" (Diane WarrenDiane WarrenDiane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
) – 4:00 - "Here in My HeartHere in My Heart (Chicago song)""Here in My Heart" is a 1997 #1 Billboard hit song written by Glen Ballard and James Newton Howard and performed by Chicago. It was one two new songs from the band's "The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997" CD. "Here in My Heart" was the groups eighth and thus far, final number one on the Adult...
" (Glen BallardGlen BallardGlen Ballard is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill , which won Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year" amongst others, and is ranked by the Rolling Stone amongst The 500 Greatest Albums of...
/James Newton HowardJames Newton HowardJames Newton Howard is an American composer best known for his scores to motion pictures. He is one of the most popular and respected composers for cinema, and has scored over 100 films...
) – 4:15- A new recording produced by James Newton HowardJames Newton HowardJames Newton Howard is an American composer best known for his scores to motion pictures. He is one of the most popular and respected composers for cinema, and has scored over 100 films...
- A new recording produced by James Newton Howard
- "Just You 'N' MeJust You 'N' Me"Just You 'N' Me" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI , with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached #4 on the U.S...
" (James Pankow) – 3:42 - "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" is a song written and sung by Robert Lamm while in the rock band Chicago and recorded for their debut album The Chicago Transit Authority ....
" (Robert Lamm) – 3:19 - "Will You Still Love Me?Will You Still Love Me? (Chicago song)"Will You Still Love Me?" is a song written by David Foster, Tom Keane and Richard Baskin for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago 18 . The second single released from that album, it reached number three on the U.S...
" (David Foster/Tom Keane/Richard Baskin) – 5:41 - "BeginningsBeginnings (song)"Beginnings" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago and recorded for their debut album The Chicago Transit Authority, released in 1969. Lamm also provided lead vocals...
" (Robert Lamm) – 7:54 - "Hard to Say I'm SorryHard to Say I'm Sorry"Hard to Say I'm Sorry" is a 1982 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit ballad performed by American rock group Chicago, written by band member Peter Cetera and producer David Foster from the album Chicago 16, released in 1982. The song hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on September 11...
/Get Away" (Peter Cetera/David Foster/Robert Lamm) – 5:05
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 (Reprise 46554) reached #55 in the US during a chart stay of 27 weeks. It also peaked at #21 in the UK.