Chicago III is the third studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on January 11, 1971, through Columbia Records.
The album was produced by James William Guercio and was the band's third consecutive double album in less than two years.
Much like the previous year's Chicago (many times referred to as Chicago II), Chicago III is made up of both multi-part suites and more conventional individual songs.
The album saw the band integrate a number of different genres including folk and country ("What Else Can I Say", "Flight 602"), free improvisation ("Free Country"), and musique concrète ("Progress?") into their sound, while also continuing in their trademark jazz-rock style.
Chicago III was a critical and commercial success. It peaked at number two in the US, their highest chart placement at that point, and received positive reviews.
While neither of its singles ("Free" and "Lowdown") matched the success of the band's previous and following singles, both managed to make the top 40, peaking at numbers 20 and 35, respectively.
After the release of the album, Chicago would become the first rock band to play the famous Carnegie Hall; performances from this run would be released on the following album, Chicago at Carnegie Hall.
The band had used up its storehouse of original material on its first two albums. It needed new material for Chicago III, and the songwriters worked "nonstop" Danny Seraphine said the band "took the opportunity to experiment with instrumentals and showcase our skills as musicians."
Their long hours on the road gave the principal songwriters, Robert Lamm, Terry Kath and James Pankow, much food for thought, resulting in more serious subject matter, which contrasted with the positivity of their first two sets.
In his retrospective review of the album, Jeff Giles writes that Lamm's "Travel Suite" was "inspired by the boredom, loneliness, and beauty of the road," and characterizes Pankow's "Elegy" suite is an "ecologically minded composition", (an issue Lamm also touches upon in "Mother").
While Kath's multi-part "An Hour in the Shower" provides a reprieve from the sobering explorations elsewhere, Chicago III was undeniably the result of a band who had seen the flip side of the world over the last several months.
"Lowdown", co-written by Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine, was Seraphine's first co-writing credit, and he was appreciative of the support Cetera gave him during the writing process.
Tracklist
A1. Sing A Mean Tune Kid - 9:15
A2. Loneliness Is Just A Word - 2:35
A3. What Else Can I Say - 3:11
A4. I Don't Want Your Money - 4:48
Travel Suite
B1. Flight 602 - 2:45
B2. Motorboat To Mars - 1:30
B3. Free - 2:12
B4. Free Country - 5:50
B5. At The Sunrise - 2:42
B6. Happy 'Cause I'm Going Home - 7:25
C1. Mother - 4:28
C2. Lowdown - 3:34
An Hour In The Shower
C3. A Hard Risin' Morning Without Breakfast - 1:58
C4. Off To Work - 0:45
C5. Fallin' Out - 0:48
C6. Dreamin' Home - 0:56
C7. Morning Blues Again - 1:03
Elegy
D1. When All The Laughter Dies In Sorrow - 1:02
D2. Canon - 1:05
D3. Once Upon A Time... - 2:35
D4. Progress? - 2:32
D5. The Approaching Storm - 6:33
D6. Man Vs. Man: The End - 1:33
Chicago
- Peter Cetera – bass, lead and backing vocals
- Terry Kath – guitars, lead and backing vocals
- Robert Lamm – keyboards, lead and backing vocals, spoken word on "When All the Laughter Dies in Sorrow".
- Lee Loughnane – trumpet
- James Pankow – trombone
- Walter Parazaider – saxophone, flute
- Danny Seraphine – drums, percussion
Production
- Producer – James William Guercio
- Engineering – Don Puluse and Sy Mitchell
- Recording – Lou Waxman and Willie Greer
- Logo design – Nick Fasciano
- Album design – John Berg
- Flag design – Natalie Williams
- Photography – Sandy Speiser
- Poster photo – Steve Horn and Norm Griner
- Lettering – Annette Kawecki and Melanie Marder for Poseidon Productions
Notes
Released: January 11, 1971
Recorded: June – December 1970 Studio CBS 30th Street (New York City)
Genre: Soft Rock, jazz fusion
Length: 71:29
Producer: James William Guercio
Label: Columbia Records
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