Chicago is the second album by the band. It was released in 1970 after the band had shortened its name from The Chicago Transit Authority after releasing their same-titled debut album the previous year. Although the official title of the album is Chicago, it came to be retroactively known as Chicago II, keeping it in line with the succession of roman numeral-titled albums that officially began with Chicago III in 1971. While The Chicago Transit Authority was a success, Chicago is considered by many to be Chicago's breakthrough album, yielding a number of Top 40 hits, including "Make Me Smile" (#9), "Colour My World" (#7), and "25 or 6 to 4" (#4). The centerpiece of the album was the thirteen-minute song cycle "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon". In addition, guitarist Terry Kath also participated in an extended classically styled piece in four separate songs. The politically outspoken Robert Lamm also tackles his qualms with "It Better End Soon", another modular piece. Peter Cetera, later to play a crucial role in the band's music, contributed his first song to Chicago and this album, "Where Do We Go From Here". Released in January 1970 on Columbia Records, Chicago was an instant hit, reaching #4 in the US and #6 in the UK and has gone on to become - perhaps - the band's most revered album. Disc 1 01 - Movin' In 02 - The Road 03 - Poem For The People 04 - In The Country 05 - Wake Up Sunshine 06 - Make Me Smile 07 - So Much To Say, So Much To Give 08 - Anxiety's Moment 09 - West Virginia Fantasies 10 - Colour My World 11 - To Be Free 12 - Now More Than Ever Disc 2 01 - Fancy Colours 02 - 25 Or 6 To 4 03 - Prelude 04 - A.M. Mourning 05 - P.M. Mourning 06 - Memories Of Love 07 - It Better End Soon - 1st Movement 08 - It Better End Soon - 2nd Movement 09 - It Better End Soon - 3rd Movement 10 - It Better End Soon - 4th Movement 11 - Where Do We Go From Here LINK (RS) or LINK (FS)
