More Chicago: List your five favorite Chicago album COVERS

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Chicago Transit Authority (1969)
Nick Fasciano, type designer.



Chicago X (1976)
John Berg, art director;
Nick Fasciano, graphic designer;
Columbia Records Photo Studio, photography.



Chicago IX Greatest Hits (1975)
John Berg, art director;
Reid Miles, photographer.



Chicago III (1971)
John Berg, art director;
Natalie Williams, sewing/production;
Sandy Speiser, photographer.



Chicago 13 (1979)
Tony Lane, art director;
Gary Meyer, illustrator.



While I very much like the concept for Chicago XIV, (1980, John Berg, A.D., Gerry Huerta, Illustrator), I didn't care for the execution. For that matter, I really like all of the John Berg and Nick Fasciano album designs from 1969 through 1980 (of course that does not include Hotstreets).

Honorable mention for 17, 18, 33 and 36, but after John Berg and Nick Fasciano of Columbia Records were out of the picture, the magic was gone. Even Tony Lane was an understudy of John Berg.

 

For Hot Streets and the Tanglewood gig from 1970 I made substitution artwork replicating the logo concept. Not sure if I can post it here, as this is semi-off topic.

 

It's definitely okay by me if you post it. I already threw my own thread a bit off-topic with my "Fancy Colours" box set.

 

Okay, here they are.
The green one is for Live At Tanglewood 1970 and is based on the 'silver bar' cover from the band's second album (which was the recent album during that concert). I call that pic 'rusty door sign'.
And the neon bar sign one is for Hot Streets, renamed it Chicago XII (Hot Streets). I posted it on the 'fan made alternative album covers' thread few days earlier.

 

This is what I came up with as a "fantasy cover" for my super deluxe box...

 

Very nice! I like those! The fantasy cover for "Hot Streets" would indeed have been much better.

 

Favorite covers . . . I suppose:

III
VII
IX/Greatest Hits
X
13


VI would have been my sixth choice, appropriately enough.

 

I recently picked up a near mint copy of VII on vinyl, and was really appreciating that one even more. I already had it in my Top Five (and have only previously owned the Rhino CD), but it truly comes to life when you can see the detail and embossing close-up. Love the album too! Arguably my very favorite alongside the first two. And III. And V. And VIII...

 

I'd have to go with the following for my favorite covers:

X
II
XI (the map)
13
VIII

As for my least favorite, there's no question! Hot Streets, without a doubt!

I did something similar, but restricted myself to what I consider the group's "Golden" era -- 1969 to 1978, ending with Jim Guercio's departure and Terry Kath's death. I compiled two CDs, a total of 30 tracks plus one "bonus" track. The big difference between my effort and yours is that I leaned a bit more towards the group's commercial side, so we only duplicate 15 songs. But like you, I wanted the full-length album versions of songs in chronological order (the exceptions being "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" and "I'm A Man," which I dropped into the chronology where they fell as belated singles).

This is what I put together:

Disc 1 (67:17)
1. Beginnings - 7:52 (Chicago Transit Authority)
2. Questions 67 And 68 - 5:01 (Chicago Transit Authority)
3. Listen - 3:22 (Chicago Transit Authority)
4. Make Me Smile [including "Now More Than Ever"] - 4:26 (Chicago II)
(Note: I used the edit that was first released on The Very Best Of Chicago: Only The Beginning.)
5. Colour My World - 3:00 (Chicago II)
6. Wake Up Sunshine - 2:29 (Chicago II)
7. 25 Or 6 To 4 - 4:50 (Chicago II)
8. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? - 3:18 (Chicago Transit Authority)
9. Free - 2:16 (Chicago III)
10. Lowdown - 3:35 (Chicago III)
11. I'm A Man - 7:39 (Chicago Transit Authority)
12. Saturday in the Park - 3:56 (Chicago V)
13. Dialogue (Part I & II) - 7:10 (Chicago V)
14. Feelin' Stronger Every Day - 4:14 (Chicago VI)
15. Just You 'n' Me - 3:42 (Chicago VI)

Disc 2 (66:17)
1. (I've Been) Searchin' So Long - 4:29 (Chicago VII)
2. Call On Me - 4:02 (Chicago VII)
3. Wishing You Were Here - 4:37 (Chicago VII)
4. Life Saver - 5:18 (Chicago VII)
5. Happy Man - 3:14 (Chicago VII)
6. Harry Truman - 3:01 (Chicago VIII)
7. Old Days - 3:31 (Chicago VIII)
8. Brand New Love Affair, Part I & II - 4:27 (Chicago VIII)
9. Never Been In Love Before - 4:10 (Chicago VIII)
10. Another Rainy Day In New York City - 3:01 (Chicago X)
11. If You Leave Me Now - 3:56 (Chicago X)
12. You Are On My Mind - 3:12 (Chicago X)
13. Baby, What A Big Surprise - 3:04 (Chicago XI)
14. Prelude (Little One)/Little One - 6:34 (Chicago XI)
15. Take Me Back To Chicago - 5:17 (Chicago XI)
Bonus track:
16. No Tell Lover - 4:10 (Hot Streets)

I included "No Tell Lover" from Hot Streets (the group's first album without Kath and Guercio), because it followed right on the heels of the years I was compiling and was Chicago's last single to chart in Billboard's Top 40 for nearly four years.

For later period Chicago (1982-89), I just re-sequenced the group's Greatest Hits 1982-1989 compilation into chronological order and added "You're Not Alone," the one Top 40 hit from the era that was left off the set for some reason. With 13 tracks, that produced almost a 60-minute disc.

 

Thanks for sharing the compilation. That looks like a good one!

I like that you included "No Tell Lover" to close it out. I really love that song. It has a sort of "looking ahead" feel to it. It works well with Chicago's prior ballads and sound (at least since "If You Leave Me Now") and yet it sounds a bit modern too, hinting at the coming decade.

 

Chicago X Good enough to eat!
Chicago III You can almost feel the texture; wonderfully tactile.
Chicago V If it was relief embossed would be the greatest cover ever.
Live In Japan I cannot post a photo; official 1972 Japanese Columbia 2xLP with a great 'orange' faux leatherette (?) cover.
Chicago II So simple and effective.

 

___________________
John Berg
John Berg, Art Director Who Made Album Covers Sing, Dies at 83

John Berg (art director) - Wikipedia

___________________
Nick Fasciano
albums (website)

___________________
Tony Lane
Remembering Tony Lane's Iconic Music Design Work from the 1970s

Tony Lane - Wikipedia

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VII
XI
X
VI
13

 

Worked in leather - Chicago VII (1974) cover by the late great John Berg, the Grammy-winning art director for Columbia Records

 

Next up: List your five favorite Chicago album TITLES.

 

...Is there an alternate universe where they never stopped being Chicago Transit Authority?

 

Molded in chocolate - Chicago X (1976)

 

Chicago 13 (1979) - Chicago logo skyscraper

 

Printed on a sepia-toned map - Chicago XI (1977)

 

Flag - Chicago III (1971)

 

The incredible John Berg was yet another reason that owning Chicago albums on LP was better than any other format.
He only won a Grammy for Chicago X (chocolate bar,) but they were all winners IMHO.

I can't choose.

 

Paper money - Chicago VI (1973)

 

Woodcut - Chicago V (1972)

 

Chicago V
Chicago VII
Chicago VI
Chicago III
Chicago (II)

Really, everything up to and including Chicago VIII I really liked, never liked IX (Greatest Hits) or X, but I liked XI.

From Greatest Hits through XI, the silly gatefolds and attempts at humour didn't gel with my image of the band.

And then of course there was Hot Mess... I mean Hot Streets...