Chicago VIII

Chicago VIII
Studio album by Chicago
Released	March 24, 1975
Recorded	August – September 1974, Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO
Genre	Rock
Length	39:18
Label	Columbia
Producer	James William Guercio
Chicago chronology
Chicago VII (1974) Chicago VIII (1975) Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits (1975)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Chicago VIII is the eighth album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1975. Following the experimental jazz/pop stylings of Chicago VII, the band returned to a more streamlined sound on this follow-up.

After five consecutive years of constant activity, the members of Chicago were feeling drained as they came to record Chicago VIII at producer James William Guercio's Caribou Ranch in Colorado in the summer of 1974. While the variety in styles explored on Chicago VIII were reminiscent of Chicago VI, this particular album had a more distinct rock feel, as exemplified on Peter Cetera's "Anyway You Want" and "Hideaway", as well as Terry Kath's Hendrix tribute "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" and James Pankow's hit "Old Days" (#5). The ballad "Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II" charted at #61.

Preceded by Lamm's nostalgic "Harry Truman" (#13) as lead single, Chicago VIII was held over for release until March 1975 as Chicago VII was still riding high in the charts. While it easily reached #1 in the US, the album had a lukewarm critical reception - still commonly considered, by some^{[by whom?]}, as one of their weakest albums, resulting in the briefest chart stay of any Chicago album thus far. It was also the first album to feature session percussionist Laudir de Oliveira as a full-fledged band member, the first addition to the original lineup.

Inside the original LP package was an iron-on t-shirt decal of the album cover and a poster of the band in a station wagon being pulled over by a policeman.

In 2002, Chicago VIII was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with two unreleased songs: "Sixth Sense" (an instrumental, or possibly a backing track) by Kath and "Bright Eyes" by Lamm, as well as version of "Satin Doll" recorded for Dick Clark's "Rockin' New Year's Eve" special - all as bonus tracks.

Track listing

1. "Anyway You Want" (Peter Cetera) (lead singer: Peter Cetera) – 3:37
2. "Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II" (James Pankow) (lead singers: Terry Kath & Peter Cetera) – 4:28
3. "Never Been in Love Before" (Robert Lamm) (lead singer: Peter Cetera) – 4:10
4. "Hideaway" (Peter Cetera) (lead singer: Peter Cetera) – 4:44
5. "Till We Meet Again" (Terry Kath) (lead singer: Terry Kath) – 2:03
6. "Harry Truman" (Robert Lamm) (lead singer: Robert Lamm) – 3:01
7. "Oh, Thank You Great Spirit" (Terry Kath) (lead singer: Terry Kath) – 7:19
8. "Long Time No See" (Robert Lamm) (lead singer: Robert Lamm) – 2:46
9. "Ain't It Blue?" (Robert Lamm) (lead singers: Terry Kath & Peter Cetera) – 3:26
10. "Old Days" (James Pankow) (lead singer: Peter Cetera) – 3:31

The band

• Peter Cetera - bass, vocals
• Terry Kath - guitar, vocals
• Robert Lamm - keyboards, vocals
• Lee Loughnane - trumpet, vocals
• James Pankow - trombone
• Walter Parazaider - woodwinds
• Danny Seraphine - drums
• Laudir de Oliveira - percussion

Additional personnel

• Caribou Kitchenettes - vocal chorus on "Harry Truman"
  • John Carsello
  • Donna Conroy
  • Bob Eberhardt
  • Steve Fagin
  • Kristy Ferguson
  • Linda Greene
  • Lee Loughnane
  • Brandy Maitland
  • Katherine Ogden
  • James Pankow
  • Walter Parazaider
  • Joanne Rocconi
  • Richard Torres
  • Angele Warner

Charts

Album - Billboard (United States)

Year	Chart	Position
1975	The Billboard 200	1

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1975	Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II	The Billboard Hot 100	61
1975	Harry Truman	The Billboard Hot 100	13
1975	Old Days	The Billboard Hot 100	5
1975	Old Days	Easy Listening	3

References

1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r3850/review

Preceded by Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin

Billboard 200 number-one album May 3–16, 1975

Succeeded by That's the Way of the World by Earth, Wind & Fire