Chicago (1970 song)

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"Chicago" is a song written by Graham Nash for his solo debut Songs for Beginners. As a single, it reached #35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song refers to both the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as well as the trial of the Chicago Eight, where protesters at the convention were charged with intent to incite a riot. The first line of the song: "Though your brother's bound and gagged, and they've chained him to a chair" refers to Bobby Seale, the only black defendant, who was actually gagged and bound to a chair in the courtroom following repeated outbursts. On Four Way Street, Nash dedicates the song to "Mayor Daley".

The line "Won't you please come to Chicago just to sing" refers to Nash pleading with bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young to come to Chicago to protest the Chicago Eight trial.

CSN and CSNY still play the song live like they do with other solo material, particularlly Stills' "Love the One You're With". There is a live version of "Chicago" (and "Love the One You're With") on the live Four Way Street album.