Chicago's Saturday in The Park- Should've charted higher than No. 3 in 1972

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Dougd, Mar 19, 2017.

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  1. Hokeyboy

    Hokeyboy Nudnik of Dinobots

    IMO Like A Rolling Stone and I Got You Babe are infinitely better songs than California Girls, but that's just me.

    And why do the charts matter anyhow? Wasn't the #1 song of 1966 The Ballad of the Green Berets? Who really cares?
     
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  2. audiotom

    audiotom I can not hear a single sound as you scream

    Location:
    New Orleans La USA
    great song
    SITP was all over the airwaves that summer

    How are Go All the Way, Long Cool Woman and Brandy not at the top of this?
     
  3. videoman

    videoman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lake Tahoe, NV
    Charts and record sales matter when it's a band you like and they make no difference when it's a band you don't.

    For much of this forum, the huge commercial and chart success of The Beatles is a testament to their greatness while the huge commercial and chart success of, say, Rihanna, is simply evidence of how stupid and shallow the American public is.
     
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  4. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Lots of junk has been number 1. And vice versa.
     
  5. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Lots of great songs never hit #1 - many falling short behind less timeless songs in retrospect.
     
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  6. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    "Beginnings" helped lay the foundation for CHICAGO's brassy, jazz-influenced sound. Like "Introduction", "Questions 67 And 68" and the suite "Ballet For a Girl in Buchannon" , it's an amalgam of different musical styles that the band have recorded later. Although the lyrics is about love, I don't consider it as a soft song because of its distinctive guitar intro, the wild epic dialogue / interplay between Pankow's trombone and Loughnane's trumpet, the brilliant jazz-influenced drumming chops of Seraphine, the Latin-esque groove at the end that always reminds me of another classic song of the same era, CSN's "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", and the chant of "Only the Beginning" at the end which is the only part of the song where the song title was mentioned (another example is "Questions 67 And 68").
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2017
  7. SoporJoe

    SoporJoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    I love that this is being discussed 45 years after the fact.
     
  8. Maggie

    Maggie like a walking, talking art show

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Can this be made a sticky post that everyone has to look at before browsing the forum? Gorts?
     
  9. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fla.
    Yes, for good reason. Great song. It sounded like a No. 1, as did Back Stabbers.
    Ben, that silly song about A RODENT, sounded more like a Top 20 song. Not in the same league, imo.

    They did well on the charts. Look at this one, about a month earlier:

    Long Cool Woman peaked @ No. 2 a week or so later.
    That's another song that sounds like a No. 1.

    US Top 40 Singles Week Ending 26th August, 1972
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    TW LW TITLE –•– Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak To Date)

    1 2 BRANDY (You’re a Fine Girl) –•– Looking Glass (Epic)-11 (1 week at #1) (1)
    2 1 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally) –•– Gilbert O’Sullivan (MAM)-11 (1)
    3 3 LONG COOL WOMAN (In a Black Dress) –•– The Hollies (Epic)-10 (3)
    4 5 I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU –•– Al Green (Hi)-8 (4)
    5 8 HOLD YOUR HEAD UP –•– Argent (Epic)-11 (5)
    6 4 (If Loving You Is Wrong) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT –•– Luther Ingram (KoKo)-13 (3)
    7 10 GOODBYE TO LOVE –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-7 (7)
    8 9 COCONUT –•– Nilsson (RCA)-12 (8)
    9 12 YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM –•– Jim Croce (ABC)-9 (9)
    10 18 BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME –•– Mac Davis (Columbia)-9 (10)

    11 11 THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WHOLE U.S.A. –•– Donna Fargo (Dot)-14 (11)
    12 16 MOTORCYCLE MAMA –•– Sailcat (Elektra)-12 (12)
    13 17 THE GUITAR MAN –•– Bread (Elektra)-5 (13)
    14 26 BACK STABBERS –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-6 (14)

    15 7 DADDY DON’T YOU WALK SO FAST –•– Wayne Newton (Chelsea)-19 (4)
    16 20 LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS –•– Jackson 5 (Motown)-7 (16)
    17 21 ROCK AND ROLL (Part 2) –•– Gary Glitter (Bell)-6 (17)
    18 6 WHERE IS THE LOVE –•– Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway (Atlantic)-14 (5)
    19 19 SEALED WITH A KISS –•– Bobby Vinton (Epic)-12 (19)
    20 33 SATURDAY IN THE PARK –•– Chicago (Columbia)-4 (20)

    21 14 SCHOOL’S OUT –•– Alice Cooper (Warner Brothers)-13 (7)
    22 23 JOIN TOGETHER –•– The Who (Decca)-6 (22)
    23 47 BLACK & WHITE –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-3 (23)
    24 29 BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY –•– Daniel Boone (Mercury)-13 (24)
    25 27 BABY LET ME TAKE YOU (In My Arms) –•– The Detroit Emeralds (Westbound)-13 (25)
    26 15 HOW DO YOU DO –•– Mouth and MacNeal (Philips)-18 (8)
    27 37 POWER OF LOVE –•– Joe Simon (Spring)-8 (27)
    28 40 GO ALL THE WAY –•– The Raspberries (Capitol)-9 (28)
    29 31 SMALL BEGINNINGS –•– Flash (Capitol)-10 (29)
    30 13 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW –•– Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose (United Artists)-14 (2)

    31 25 LEAN ON ME –•– Bill Withers (Sussex)-19 (1)
    32 32 WHEN YOU SAY LOVE –•– Sonny and Cher (Kapp)-8 (32)
    33 39 POPCORN –•– Hot Butter (Musicor)-8 (33)
    34 36 POP THAT THANG –•– The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)-9 (34)
    35 24 GONE –•– Joey Heatherton (MGM)-14 (24)
    36 41 YOU’RE STILL A YOUNG MAN –•– The Tower Of Power (Warner Brothers)-7 (36)
    37 43 RUN TO ME –•– The Bee Gees (Atco)-5 (37)
    38 38 SWEET INSPIRATION / WHERE YOU LEAD (Medley) –•– Barbra Streisand (Columbia)-10 (38)
    39 45 THIS WORLD –•– The Staple Singers (Stax)-4 (39)
    40 44 HONKY CAT –•– Elton John (Uni)-3 (40)

    THIS WEEK’S DROPS

    41 22 HAPPY –•– The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones)-7 (22)
    43 30 HOLD HER TIGHT –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-9 (14)
    45 28 BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO –•– The Partridge Family (Starring Shirley Jones and Featuring David Cassidy) (Bell)-9 (28)

    POWER PLAYS

    42 51 EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL –•– The Main Ingredient (RCA)-6 (42)
    44 55 PLAY ME –•– Neil Diamond (Uni)-3 (44)
    46 49 THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS –•– Arlo Guthrie (Reprise)-5 (46)
    47 69 NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN –•– The Moody Blues (Deram)-4 (47)
    48 50 THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (Part 1) –•– The Chi-Lites (Brunswick)-7 (48)
    49 57 SPEAK TO THE SKY –•– Rick Springfield (Capitol)-4 (49)
    50 52 STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN –•– Mel and Tim (Stax)-8 (50)

    DEBUTS THIS WEEK

    80 — USE ME –•– Bill Withers (Sussex)-1 (80)
    82 — TIGHT ROPE –•– Leon Russell (Shelter)-1 (82)
    84 — SWEET CAROLINE (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) / HARRY HIPPIE –•– Bobby Womack and Peace (United Artists)-1 (84)
    85 — WHY / LONELY BOY –•– Donny Osmond (MGM)-1 (85)
    87 — YOU WEAR IT WELL –•– Rod Stewart (Mercury)-1 (87)
    89 — FROM THE BEGINNING –•– Emerson, Lake and Palmer (Cotillion)-1 (89)
    90 — I WILL NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN –•– Glen Campbell (Capitol)-1 (90)
    95 — TOAST TO THE FOOL –•– The Dramatics (Volt)-1 (95)
    99 — A PIECE OF PAPER –•– Gladstone (ABC)-1 (99)
    100 — I’VE GOT TO HAVE YOU –•– Sammi Smith (Mega)-1 (100)
     
  10. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fla.
    Go All The Way peaked @ No. 5, the week BEN toipped the chart, in October. Another victim of that rodent :)

    US Top 40 Singles Week Ending 14th October, 1972
    1 2 BEN –•– Michael Jackson (Motown)-11 (1 week at #1) (1)
    2 6 USE ME –•– Bill Withers (Sussex)-8 (2)
    3 4 EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL –•– The Main Ingredient (RCA)-14 (3)
    4 7 BURNING LOVE –•– Elvis Presley (RCA)-9 (4)
    5 5 GO ALL THE WAY –•– The Raspberries (Capitol)-16 (5)
    6 1 BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME –•– Mac Davis (Columbia)-16 (1)
    7 9 MY DING-A-LING –•– Chuck Berry (Chess)-9 (7)
    8 12 NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN –•– The Moody Blues (Deram)-11 (8)
    9 3 BACK STABBERS –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-13 (3)
    10 10 POPCORN –•– Hot Butter (Musicor)-15 (10)
     
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  11. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Cool - I'm jealous! 1981 was right on the cusp of my concert-going days - I was 14 and didn't start to actively attend shows until early 1982.

    I probably wouldn't have seen the Jacksons anyway - although I owned/liked "OtW", I was so firmly into Beatles/Stones in 1981 that I doubt I would've been interested.

    Will always regret not going, though. I love the "Jacksons Live" album and dearly wish they'd put out a high-quality video of the concert. There's footage of the show on YT but it's spotty quality - as that clip I linked shows...
     
  12. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Yeah, I can see caring about something being #1 when you're a kid - and in the heat of the moment.

    But to still be upset about it 45 years later??? :wtf:
     
  13. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    This is already my pick for "head-scratchingest thread of 2017"! :D
     
  14. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    From this, I have #1 - 6, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 - 22, 24 - 26, 30, 31, 33 - 36, 40, 432, 44, 46 - 48, 80, 81, and 87. "Weak"? I don't think so . . .

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Looking Glass tune (the label for which, from CBS Pitman, is from my own collection) appears to have (You're A Fine Girl) amended as a subtitle to their "Brandy" due to Scott English's number of the same name having reached #93 on the chart earlier in the year. Especially when you consider on the Glass' S/T LP, neither the back cover nor the label mention the subtitle in connection with their "Brandy."
     
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  15. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    I read it slightly differently, not to take anything away from The Beatles. Their huge commercial and chart success was a testament to the diversity of record companies and radio station ownership, plus the "local" flavor of area stations that was prevalent then. Rihanna's is more a testament to how tightly both industries have become consolidated (with fewer and fewer companies of each to choose from), and how "top-down" their emphasis has become - something the late Ben Bagdikian might've attested to.
     
  16. audiotom

    audiotom I can not hear a single sound as you scream

    Location:
    New Orleans La USA
    to think early 70s singles were that great and timeless

    and that's not even hitting the aor rock all over the fm airwaves
     
  17. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    One thing the early 70s threads about singles charts have shown me: there's a LOT of crap from that era!

    As there is in any era...
     
  18. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    The band members even named their kids the same way - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

    There was a set of twins that were named 2-a and 2-b, kind of like homeroom classes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2017
  19. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    Well, the forum was still in Beta when it came out... :)
     
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  20. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
  21. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    CHICAGO proved to be jazz pop's longest-running success story, racking up twenty-two Top 40 hits during the seventies (second only to Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney). Their signature sound, an impossibly crisp three- horn unison with James Pankow's trombone at its center, punctuated songs whose easy charm belied their complex structures.
    According to Don and Jeff Breithaupt, authors of the book "Precious And Few -Pop Music in the Early '70's," "SATURDAY IN THE PARK" changes key eleven times in under four minutes, skittering from a rock feel to a shuffle then back again, yet comes off as downright relaxing. Later feel-good hits like "Feelin" Stronger Every Day" "Call On Me," and "Old Days" were similarly ambitious---and effective.
     
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  22. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    Good point :):)
     
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  23. Terry

    Terry Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee
    The first time I heard this song I knew that Chicago's creative peak had passed.
     
  24. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fla.
    Pankow's writing on the mid-70s hits after V was good, as was Cetera's writing contributions, but Lamm was the heart of Chicago (Terry Kath was the "soul").
     
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  25. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    I don't see anything wrong if or when a band records or releases a more commercial song and in the case of "Saturday In the Park", it's a feel-good song but it's still as musically ambitious as their longer songs from the first three albums. I don't think Chicago passed their prime artistically either by 1972. In fact, Chicago V was as avant-garde as the first three but in a more concise form. The band had just decided to balance their musical output by mixing the more avant-garde tracks with the more commercial ones hoping to improve further their record sales and expand their fan base but not compromising their roots. (Unfortunately, the band would evantually succumb to this much later in the early 80's with producer David Foster but it's a different story). In the 70's, Chicago continued to release more ambitious tracks for the next 5 years (1973-1977) after 1972 but I think they peaked in 1974 with the double album Chicago VII.
    When their two most prolific songwriters (Lamm and Pankow) started to dry up a little bit, they had other writers like Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine and Lee Loughnane) to pick up the slack when necessary.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2017
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