Chicago - Greatest Hits 2 (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

Chicago Compiled Carelessly

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 03/21/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The year of this CD's original release (1981) was Chicago's floundering year. CBS dropped them after signing a seven-year deal in 1980, while their future label, Full Moon, had only released the first Peter Cetera solo album. "Greatest Hits Vol. II" represents how much the group meant to Columbia then. It is cut, pasted, and badly tossed together to reflect the band's falling fortune.Don't be fooled by the top-selling ballads (the 1976 #1 "If You Leave Me Now" and its 1977 follow-up, "Baby What A Big Suprise.") The rest of the disc flounders with one song too many from "Hot Streets," and half of the epic "Dialogue" (that couldn't have been extended considering the potential length of CDs?) We get neither early chart hits like "Free" and "Lowdown" (both from 1971's criminally disregarded Chicago III) or even should-have-beens like "You Are On My Mind" or "Little One." Instead, we get VII's fluffy "Happy Man." Chicago's fortunes would change the next year thanks to the new label, new producer (David Foster) and Chicago 16's top-selling single, "Hard To Say I'm Sorry." But "Greatest Hits II" works neither to continue their career timeline nor fill in their original one. Thus, while not the worst selection is their catalogue, "GHII" is certainly the least relevant."

Essential, but flawed compilation for the casual fan

S. Lyons | Pleasantville, USA | 06/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"GH1 is among the great "best of" albums, both in sales and in content. It ranks with the Eagles' GH1, the Beatles' red and blue albums, Elton's GH1, and others. GH2 is a continuation for those who thought Chicago had played out after GH1 (often this is the case, being that a "best of" album so frequently comes toward the end of a group's career/label contract). GH2 I first bought in a cool record shop as a promo copy; I didn't need it, because I'd purchased every Chi album anyway (I was by then in college). As it stands, GH2 contains the mega-radio hits of the era, "Big Surprise", "Old Days", "Leave Me Now", and "Alive Again" (a fitting hit after the death of Terry Kath); it also contains the neglected "Questions" which, according to the band on the Carnegie Hall album was their "...boss hit-bound single which wasn't a boss hit-bound single". Happily, the album also contains strong tracks from the Hot Streets release and DannySeraphine's overlooked "Take Me Back". Sadly, the compilation leaves out the quintessential Chi track "Introduction", "Lowdown", and perhaps a few others to make it a fuller package. This is a far superior "best of" in comparison to the mellow rock of GH3, which highlights the band's years as Pete Cetera went solo, a couple of new guys were added, and the horn players seemed to be relegated to playing cards (or synths) during the Warner Bros. albums."

I guess the intern who compiled this did not like "Dialogue"

S. Lyons | 06/19/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album contains a fair grouping of Chicago's hits from the late 1970's. Later compilations such as Group Portrait and Heart of Chicago Volumes I and II have now made this volume redundant. Let the buyer beware. This package contains only the second half of "Dialogue". Part I which contains the verbal exchange between Kath and Cetera is strangely absent. Someone must have fallen asleep at the switch."

What Were The Suits Thinking?

Gord o' The Books | SE Michigan | 06/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Extreme Chicago fans like me most likely get frustrated and angry listening to this. First, on the heels of Columbia's break with Chicago, it looks, feels, and smells like one last dip into the till for some extra Chi-dollars. Having decided to do a greatest hits, they go on to give us this half-baked, half-hearted effort.

First - they include abbreviated versions of almost every song.

Second - It is way too Cetera-loaded. Granted, he sang most of their hits in their second and third period, but did we really need Happy Man on this (not a single in the U.S.), when You Are On My Mind could have been added, a song that did chart?

Harry Truman could have made it in place of Gone Long Gone. And since they were in the mood to put dubious "hits" on here, could they have considered Thunder and Lightning, and maybe Street Player, as a way to generate some interest in Chicago 13 and 14?

They must have put a summer intern in charge of the track list, someone who had never heard of Chicago, and said - pick only the songs with the high-voiced guy, plus a token cut by the deep-voiced guy.

Little One should have made it on here, as a tribute to Terry (hello? Remember him?)

Etc., etc. Sooooo - why am I giving this 4 stars?

Well, as you Chicago fans know, it's a drag appreciating this incredibly talented group, while those closest to you couldn't care less. My wife's view on Chicago borders on hate. But when I played this one I caught her tapping her foot and singing along. My girls (10 and 7) can sing along to just about every song on it, and enjoy it.

Thus is the "curse of Chicago". If you love them, and wish more people did, we must learn to appreciate the shallow vision of some of the record company executives, and force ourselves to like Chicago, the "ballad" band. Because, chances are, those friends and loved ones that hate the "overplayed" power horns of the Greatest Hits vol. 1, love the "sap" of the Cetera years.

It is aggravating to listen to this insult to the legend of Chicago. But it is the only Chicago the women in my life like - so . . . 4 stars!

If you don't like Chicago because you get tired of the horns, then buy this album. You'll like it!"

Chicago in their "down" period

Brad | CT | 04/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Don't be misled by my title; this is still a fine collection of songs. "Baby What A Big Surprise" and "If You Leave Me Now" are both fine mellow hits, and tracks like the very catchy "Alive Again" and the nice non-hit "Gone Long Gone" are also quality tracks. Overall, though, this collection doesn't quite hold up to either their quality, unique brand of rock in the early '70s or their sparkling, gorgeous pop of the '80s. This in between period was a bit of a downer for the band, but the songs are still very good to great. Definitely a worthwhile purchase that covers the band's career in the mid to late '70s."

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	Chicago Greatest Hits 2 Genres: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Classic Rock Track Listings (10) - Disc #1 Baby, What a Big Surprise Dialogue, Pt. 2 - Chicago, Lamm, Robert No Tell Lover Alive Again - Chicago, Pankow, James Old Days - Chicago, Pankow, James If You Leave Me Now Questions 67 & 68 - Chicago, Lamm, Robert Happy Man Gone Long Gone Take Me Back to Chicago - Chicago, Seraphine, Daniel
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