The Best of Chicago

Since my parents were Chicago fans I have enjoyed their music for most all my life. I became a big fan in 1985 after getting to know the Chicago 17 album on tape when I was in the 6th grade. At that time I began collecting most all their albums. Today I am not as big of a fan as I once was. Some of their albums haven't held up well over time and I had lost interest. One thing that I never lost interest was Chicago's radio hits. That was the Chicago I first knew before I bought any of their albums. So that brings me to their new greatest hits album that came out today (Oct 2nd, 2007) celebrating 40 years of service.Chicago has become famous for releasing more hits collections than albums over the past decade upsetting a lot of fans who feel the compulsion to buy anything that features the Chicago logo. I can't blame them, especially when they release two new songs on each collection to get the fans to buy yet another copy of "If You Leave Me Now". This collection, though it features the same songs featured on most of the other recent compilations, deviates from the formula a bit. The goal here was to present all the hits in the form they were released to the radio back in the day in the order they were released. The single edits. That means songs that were extended suites on the album were cut back to become more acceptable for radio play in the decade they were released. For example the song "Beginnings" in unedited form runs 7:51, on this collection it is 2:49. At first this was frustrating to me that they could use butchered versions of these songs. But after thinking about it as a fan I already own the 7:51 minute version and so it is interesting that I now have a digital representation of what new fans purchased on 45s back in the early 70s. This is a goldmine for collectors and completists.The Liner notes. This collection features special one or two sentence commentary by the original band members who are still in the band. This in some cases is very informative and in other tracks the band members share their frustrations with different periods/songs in the bands history. Surprisingly honest on some of the 80s tracks.Some nice surprises. The last track "Love Will Come Back" from their 2006 album "XXX" is actually better than the album version. The album version features Rascal Flatts on vocals and it isn't a bad song but was far from my favorite. Presented here for the first time on CD is the version without the Flatts. This version has much more punch to it and I am finding myself actually enjoying it. Another plus is the song "Feel" presented here not as the single version but as the album version with the prominent horn section (the original single version did not feature the horn section). This was the version that was released to radio stations so it made sense. This song was my favorite off of their 2006 album and features heart felt vocals by Robert Lamm who hasn't been featured on a hit Chicago single since the 70s. It is very touching to read his opinions of this song in the liner notes.The mastering. The mastering of this album sounds much warmer than the 2002 Very Best of Collection. That was my biggest complaint with the 2002 collection that made it hard to listen to. Not that they did a bad job but when I was used to the warm sound of the vinyl and older CDs it didn't feel the same to me.If you are a casual fan and don't have any Chicago collections this could be the one to get. Rhino managed to keep the tracks down to 30 and have released it at a very reasonable price that is just as inexpensive as many single disk collections. If you are a completists for the radio edits alone this will be an interesting collection. Also this album is the perfect length that doesn't overstay it's welcome; perfect for playing in the background. If you already have a Chicago best of collection that you enjoy I would recommend you pass on this. You may be disappointed in what is missing.For me this collection is perfect background music for a road trip or just a lazy weekend day. I found the Very Best of from 2002 just way too long and I could never get through both CDs without getting tired of listening. This collection is short and concise. If I am in the mood for the extended versions of these songs all I have to do is pull out the albums from my collection.

I love the words to the songs. They mean so much to any relationship

My mom has always loved Chicago. This was the perfect Mother’s Day gift. She loves it!

The Mrs. and I went through some tough years and had to sacrifice a lot of our CD's though (thank you God) many did not sell. All our Chicago went. This is a terrific compilation that gives those wonderful years when we heard them regularly on the radio.As for the criticisms by other reviews about getting shorter versions than longer versions of songs. Yes, there are longer versions but they didn't get radio play because of that length. So these shorter versions are what the CD claims to be the songs you heard on the radio - Chicago's radio hits - 30 top 40 hits.Back in the 60's/70's/80's top/pop 40 playlists dominated the airwaves - whether rock or country it didn't matter. Until the advent of what we called album rock stations which even in 1970's were relatively scarce (I grew up in Atlanta - not a small town, o.k.)There was where you found being played: Stairway To Heaven, the full six minute plus version of Jefferson Starship's Miracles - the radio version was only about 3.5 minutes. Harry Chapin's Taxi as well as Bloodrocks DOA. Another is Layla by Derek & The Domino's (Eric Clapton)which the full version is much longer than the version you hear on a lot of stations, still (certainly not all, though.)So many of these shorter versions (of Chicago songs) are actually what this Cd's label claims - radio hits. Many songs, repeat many songs were cut/edited because they had to - to get on the playlist.Now a days AM radio is virtually dead and FM is king - FM pioneered playing full albums and longer cuts off of groups albums. If Guns & Roses - November Rain came out back then it would've never been heard - unless it was on FM radio. If you want to collect all 30 or so of Chicago's albums to get those full length songs - go for it but this is what it is: a fine sampling of a great and often under mentioned long lasting band.

I had to laugh when I started to read the reviews here prior to ordering a copy of the CD. As a collector of hit SINGLES, I have often bemoaned the fact there are so many CDs out there blaring "greatest hits" and "best of" - which to most of us collectors means those renditions that were heard often enough on radio and in juke boxes, and which sold sufficient 45 rpm SINGLE records, to get the artists on the various charts - which instead offer up album cuts, some of them grinding on for upwards of 9 minutes (Boston jumps to mind).Now here's one that offers the single hits versions (and says so) of a band that racked up 52 of them from 1969 to 2006, and some are panning it because it doesn't include the album cuts. Whoever first said that you can't please everyone was bang on.I'm not about to go into details about the contents here. For that I would refer you to the excellent review by Saxburn in September 2011. That says it all. What I would like to add is to point out the detailed insert which contains two opening pages by Bill DeYoung, followed by the text of conversations, over the next 10 pages, between DeYoung and members of the band on each selection in the 2-CD set. Off to the side margin for each selection are discography details showing dates, label information and chart positions for both the Billboard Pop Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary (AC) charts. Illustrations, however, are at a minimum, with just the one small shot of all 8 members of Chicago, and two pages showing the covers of their many albums. The sound quality is perfect.As for the band itself, it fairly boggles the mind that, year after year, their name does not appear amongst the annual inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame! They must have ticked off someone fairly high up in that body's board of governors.

All the old favorites

It's a CD, new. This product is as expected and described. Great price point.

Ótima coletânea e entrega super rápida.

Un best équilibré entre un seul cd et la compilation de quatre. L'essentiel du groupe. A ne pas rater.

Non c'è molto da dire, o ti piace quel cantante, quel gruppo o non ti piace.Per tutto il resto AMAZON è sempre AMAZON

Really great CD