Listen… The Songs Of Robert Lamm 1969-2007 (2007)
Choice Promo-Only 2CD Retrospective
40 years after Chicago Transit Authority’s first album, it’s all too easy to remember Chicago now as a middle-of-the-road radio act. Hardly the case. Along with Al Kooper’s Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago trail-blazed the fusion of horns and rock and, along the way, created some first rate combinations of harmony and composition, jazz and pop, and memorable rock and roll. My own favorite is still Chicago VII, filled with the glorious harmonies of The Beach Boys. You probably have your own, even if you no longer own any of their albums. Robert Lamm was one of the band’s chief songwriters and this promo-only, never-sold-in-stores collection is a righteous gathering of Lamm’s glory years with Chicago and his solo work (not to mention a nod to the highly underrated Beckley-Lamm-Wilson). For fanatics, this set boasts plenty of rare radio edits, a few unreleased tracks and even some special edits by Lamm exclusive to this compilation. Listen to one of those below, “Life Saver,” which stylistically echoes the late, great Carl Wilson. You don’t have to be a fan of Chicago to appreciate Lamm’s work, but those that do will surely dig this rare retrospective.
CHICAGO
Beginnings (Single Edit) (2:49)
Listen (3:22)
25 Or 6 To 4 (Single Edit) (2:53)
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (Radio Edit) (2:53)
Free (Single Edit) (2:16)
Questions 67 and 68 (Single Edit) (3:26)
At The Sunrise (2:46)
Mother (4:28)
Saturday In The Park (3:52)
All Is Well (3:45)
Dialogue Part I & II (Single Edit) (5:00)
Hollywood (3:52)
Life Saver (Special Edit By Robert Lamm) (3:43)
Harry Truman (3:00)
Never Been In Love Before (4:08)
Another Rainy Day In NYC (2:59)
Love Was New (3:29)
We Can Stop The Hurtin‘ (4:11)
Here With Me (Candle In The Dark) (Previously Unreleased) (4:09)
Back To You (3:39)
90 Degrees And Freezing (3:53)
Get Away (Special Edit By Robert Lamm) (1:32)
ROBERT LAMM
The Mystery Of Moonlight (4:23)
Somewhere Girl (4:44)
Another Sunday (3:57)
I Could Tell You Secrets (4:19)
It’s A Grove This Life (5:02)
Feel The Spirit (Beckley-Lamm-Wilson) (5:06)
The Heart Of Me (with Chris Botti) (4:55)
The Love Of My Life (3:28)
Sad Old House (3:37)
Swept Away (with Phoebe Snow) (4:16)
If Everybody Knows (4:22)
My Neighborhood (Version B) (4:17)
When The Rain Becomes (5:07)
Can’t Believe My Eyes (4:50)
Skinny Boy (4:30)
Love Song (3:12)
One Step Forward (3:10)
Heaven In My Eyes (Unreleased Demo) (3:51)
Where You Think You’re Goin‘? (Public Service Announcement) (1:15)
18 Comments
Amazing !!! Robert Lamm , great !!
thanks !!
This is a nice collecion of a long history of music that Robert has either written and/or performed. Thanks
never seen this before. thanks.
Your right. I liked the first Chicago albums but dont have them anymore. THis looks perfect. Thanks for posting and for all your posts.
Dear Cap'n – Agree with most all you write – they WERE trailblazers – their early stuff especially and how it has NOT dated. I do still have many of their albums vinyl and cd and this post is just so staggeringly juicily a surprise feast for me
You just excelled your own amazingly high standard of choice quality posts with this gem -Bless you
Censusloss
I see Chicago downloads all the time and never think to get them but this looks good. I liked VI and VII in the days of yore too. Thanks
I thought the same thing when I first got my grubby mitts on it. It looked good! It is good, too! With a lot of stuff I knew and a lot I didn't. Focusing in on one songwriter takes away a lot of obvious 'best of' Chicago choices, so the selection instantly becomes more interesting. Thanks for all the comments.
Thanks
Our friend at the late lamented Research Garage turned me on to what I've been missing out on all these years with some wonderful Chicago posts. Thanks for filling in some gaps.
The Album Sleeves are very clever look at the interpretation of the logo I must admit they really didn't have much impact in the UK we seemed to get the tail end of them but I always trust your taste I look forward to listening…I think I would draw the line at Bread and the like….Regards
Thank you very much. This makes me want to dig out "Live at Carnegie Hall" after all this time.
Most of these have a really great production quality. I only have rips from vinyl of most of the Chicago songs, but songs like "Never Been in Love Before" really sound awesome. Was this a remaster?
I'd categorize Chicago as a guilty pleasure of mine, although I believe I began losing interest in them a little sooner than Robert. But yet there were always a few gems to be found up through about VI or VII maybe. The spotlight concept is an interesting one with regard to this band. I think a Terry Kath collection would make an even better set.
Bastardo!
Now I will have to re-evaluate Chicago (The Group)
These seem to be different mixes. This is good stuff, Thanks as always.
Don't think I ever even heard a Bread album. I can only assume these tracks are from the best available in 2007. This was made by the same place that made the two, excellent Songs of Nilsson CDs we have over at For The Love Of Harry (Perfect Day and Life Line).
The only thing that could make this better is to have this in Flac. But I will appreciate this post. Thanks!
thank you captain willard.
the first two were faves. after that? i don't remember why it ceased being an obsession. perhaps it was the lack of the occasional kath incendiary bomb, or the loss of the afro-cuban element. at least, that's what i thought before this.
i now think it was they were replaced in my affections by steely dan, until i audited this collection, i never saw the similarities before, but their charts and choice of key signatures and changes are really very alike.
then, it may be also that, at the time, i was much more into cynicism and acerbic arcana that love croons and pop positivism.
in any event, the re-acquaintance at this time is most welcome.
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