Poll: Rate Chicago’s “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”

I’ve always loved this song, and I’m not that much of a Chicago fan. It might be my favorite rock song with brass, or should I call it pop-rock? I might like “5:15” by The Who better as rock with kickass brass. Anyway, killer tune by Chicago.

The Allmusic.com review:

The funky Peter Cetera (bass/vocals) and James Pankow (trombone) ballad “Feelin' Stronger Every Day” is one of two Top Ten a-sides from Chicago VI (1973). The tune perfectly captures the fresh pop sound that made Chicago’s mid 1970s material so divergent from their early hard rocking sides and their post Terry Kath (guitar) middle-of-the-road Adult Contemporary hits. Robert Lamm (keyboards) and Danny Seraphine (drums) prominently drive the melody during the opening verses and then take a back seat as Kath and the dynamic three-piece horn section of Pankow, Lee Loughnane (trumpet) and Walter Parazaider (woodwinds) kick into overdrive during the song’s double-time conclusion. This is a similar effect to what the band would accomplish with the chart-topping “Hard To Say I’m Sorry”/“Get Away” from Chicago 16 (1982). In a 1991 interview, Cetera told this reviewer that the lyrics deal with “both healing and moving on after the end of a relationship.” Although far from sombre, the more staid opening section is also a musical contrast to the freedom and abandon of the ending. “Feelin' Stronger Every Day” quickly worked its way into the live repertoire and is included on their Chicago XXVI - The Live Album (199) -- which accurately represents their post-Kath sound. Although the side became an unabashed classic, it has yet to be covered by a major label artist -- which is, to say the least, unusual.

 

I love the song ! takes me back to bein' a kid in the 70s .... seemed like Chicago was ever present .

 

Great song. Hooky. Inspirational, lively and life affirming. Good singin' and good playin'. What's not to love?

 

I listened to Beginnings three times in a row today. I like most of the hits in the Kath era.

 

Original audio:

 

That amazing coda could be four times as long as far as I'm concerned. When I heard the last 1:30 of REM's "It Happened Today", this was the first song I thought of.

 

The Best thing to happen to you is
The best thing that happened to me

 

4/5

 

How is this a ballad,it's a straight up Rocker especially when it goes into the double time feel.

 

Can’t stand Cetera’s whiny nasal voice. He ruined Chicago and he ruined FM radio in the 80s. A bad man!

 

What's not to love?
What's not to love?
What's not to love?
What's not to love?
What's not to love?
What's not to love?
What's not to love-love-love?
What's not to love-love-love?
What's not to love-love-love?
What's not to love-love-love?


(In other words, I just can't help wondering how much more time radio could have made for a better Chicago song, if they'v only faded this one down three minutes sooner...)

 

One of my absolute favorites by them.
Their last gasp as far as I’m concerned. The second half of the song after the piano breakdown is magic to me.

 

I love the funky electric piano.

 

I feel that way about Michael McDonald. I'm not a Cetera fan either but until Kath died, I could deal with him fine. I really like Dialog parts 1 and 2 for example. Once he became THE ballads man afterward, not so much.

 

Have you seen the Netflix documentary ' Chicago Now More Than Ever '? Check it out.

 

Yeah, the keys are so key. Kath gives it a lot of rhythm support, but does take a back seat to the horns, keys, etc.

 

Yeah, the allmusic review I think gets it wrong on that point and also its notion that Terry Kath is part of the lead somehow. He’s providing substantial backup, but to me this song is about the keys, the horns and Cetera’s vocal.

 

Great song! Peter Cetera is perfect.

 

Along this line, when Cetera went solo, well, not a fan.

 

Great song. One of my favorites from them.

 

I love early Chicago up to Hot Streets (song). The Cetera hits kept me from listening for far too long. Glad I wised up.

 

totally agree.....the outro is more than ridiculously long........when i burn this on a chicago comp, i fade it out about 2 minutes early. boringly repetitive and totally unnecessary.

 

Great song.

 

Love this song. Love it when the pace picks up near the end before the titular line is sang numerous times. Great songwriting.

 

One of my favorite Chicago tracks. Great song!