Hot Streets

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Hot Streets
Hot Streets cover
Studio album by Chicago
Released 2 October 1978
Recorded May - June 1978
Genre Rock
Length 41:53
Label Columbia Records
Producer(s) Phil Ramone and Chicago
Professional reviews
Chicago chronology
Chicago XI
(1977)		 Hot Streets
(1978)		 Chicago 13
(1979)


Hot Streets is the twelfth album by American rock band Chicago and released in 1978. In many ways, Hot Streets marked the beginning of a new era for the band.

After working with James William Guercio since their 1969 debut, Chicago decided to part ways with him following the release of Chicago XI in 1977, finding him too controlling. But undeniably the biggest change was the accidental suicide of guitarist Terry Kath in January 1978, who unintentionally shot himself at a roadie's house party. As one of the key players who most defined the sound of the band, Chicago was decimated by his death, but decided they still had something to offer, and carried on.

Phil Ramone, who had mixed some of their earlier albums, was called upon to co-produce their new effort. But before Chicago could begin recording, they had to tend with the difficult process of finding a new guitarist. Donnie Dacus, who had previously worked with Roger McGuinn and Stephen Stills, was chosen, being a stellar axe man who would be able to maintain the proficient guitar sound that Kath was so revered for.

Recording that spring took place - after years of work at Guercio's Caribou Ranch in Colorado - in Miami and Los Angeles and by the sessions' end, Chicago felt as though they were a still a strong musical proposition after losing Kath. The Miami sessions were guested by the Bee Gees, as the Gibb brothers were recording an album next door at the time. They added vocals to the song "Little Miss Lovin," while the Chicago horn section played on the Bee Gees album Spirits Having Flown.

To mark this new beginning, the band decided - for the first time - to break with tradition by giving their album a proper title, Hot Streets, and feature themselves prominently on the cover art, after years of their famous logo adorning the front centre, with ever-changing variations. They would return to the logo for the following "Chicago 13."

Released in October 1978, and preceded by the defiant "Alive Again" as lead single, Hot Streets - distinguished by its lean sound - was another hit for a grateful Chicago, who had been concerned that the public might not accept the band without Kath. Although it went platinum, and they scored a second big hit in "No Tell Lover", Hot Streets failed to reach the US Top 10, peaking at #12, and signalling that with the advent of punk music and disco, Chicago were no longer the biggest American band in the world.

In 2003, Hot Streets was remastered and reissued by Rhino Records with an alternate version of Lamm's "Love Was New" sung by Dacus as a bonus track.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Alive Again" (James Pankow) – 4:08
  2. "The Greatest Love on Earth" (Danny Seraphine/David Wolinski) – 3:18
  3. "Little Miss Lovin'" (Peter Cetera) – 4:36
  4. "Hot Streets" (Robert Lamm) – 5:20
  5. "Take a Chance" (Lee Loughnane/Stash Wagner) – 4:42
  6. "Gone Long Gone" (Peter Cetera) – 4:00
  7. "Ain't It Time" (Donnie Dacus/Danny Seraphine/Warner Schwebke) – 4:12
  8. "Love Was New" (Robert Lamm) – 3:30
  9. "No Tell Lover" (Peter Cetera/Lee Loughnane/Danny Seraphine) – 4:13
  10. "Show Me the Way" (Danny Seraphine/David Wolinski) – 3:36

Hot Streets (Columbia 35512) reached #12 in the US during a chart stay of 29 weeks. It did not chart in the UK.

[edit] Personnel

Additional personnel

  • Blue Weaver - synthesizer strings on "No Tell Lover"
  • David "Hawk" Wolinski - Fender Rhodes on "Show Me The Way"
  • The Bee Gees - background vocals on "Little Miss Lovin'"

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1978 Pop Albums 12

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1978 Alive Again Pop Singles 14
1979 No Tell Lover Pop Singles 14
1979 Gone Long Gone Pop Singles 73
1979 No Tell Lover Adult Contemporary 5
Chicago
Robert Lamm | James Pankow | Lee Loughnane | Walter Parazaider | Bill Champlin
Jason Scheff | Tris Imboden | Keith Howland
Terry Kath | Peter Cetera | Danny Seraphine | Laudir DeOliveira | Donnie Dacus | Chris Pinnick | Dawayne Bailey
Discography
Studio albums: The Chicago Transit Authority | Chicago | Chicago III | Chicago V | Chicago VI |Chicago VII | Chicago VIII | Chicago X | Chicago XI | Hot Streets
Chicago 13 | Chicago XIV | Chicago 16 | Chicago 17 | Chicago 18 | Chicago 19 | Twenty 1 | Night & Day Big Band | Chicago XXX
Live albums: Chicago at Carnegie Hall | Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Compilations: Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits | Greatest Hits, Volume II | Greatest Hits 1982-1989
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 | The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II | The Very Best of: Only the Beginning | Love Songs
Christmas albums: Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album | What's It Gonna Be, Santa?
Unreleased album: Stone of Sisyphus
Box sets: The Box
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