Chicago 17

Template:Album infobox 2 Chicago 17 is the seventeenth album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1984. As the follow-up to 1982's comeback Chicago 16, Chicago 17 consolidated on its predecessor's popularity by delivering their most popular album - currently six times platinum in the US alone and a Grammy winner - and one which would spin off four Top 20 US hit singles, including the stark rocker "Stay The Night," ballads "Hard Habit To Break" and "You're The Inspiration," and the bouncy "Along Comes A Woman."

Produced again by David Foster, the album expanded on the adult contemporary leanings of its predecessor, swelling Chicago's audience as a result. Chicago 17 was a slow burner, finally reaching #4 in the US in early 1985, even seeing significant - and rare - success in the UK, on the strength of its many hits.

Despite the band's dramatic reversal of fortunes, Peter Cetera - who had been debating his position in the band for years - left Chicago later in 1985 after his desire to record a solo album was thwarted by the other members. Chicago had long promoted itself as a "faceless" band, preferring to let the famous Coca-Cola styled logo (and the music) do the talking.

However, with the advent of the music video age, the camera would ultimately focus on the band member who sang most (if not all) of the songs. Even though the band boasted three talented vocalists, Cetera did all of the lead vocals on the released singles. Since he was the most identifiable person in the group and the member who warmed the most to their new sound, Chicago were forced to find themselves another bass player with upper register vocals to fill Cetera's considerable shoes.

Track listing

1. "Stay The Night" (Peter Cetera/David Foster) - 3:49
2. "We Can Stop The Hurtin'" (Robert Lamm/Bill Champlin/Deborah Neal) - 4:11
3. "Hard Habit To Break" (Steve Kipner/Jon Parker) - 4:44
4. "Only You" (James Pankow/David Foster) - 3:53
5. "Remember The Feeling" (Peter Cetera/Bill Champlin) - 4:28
6. "Along Comes A Woman" (Peter Cetera/Mark Goldenberg) - 4:14
7. "You're The Inspiration" (Peter Cetera/David Foster) - 3:49
8. "Please Hold On" (Bill Champlin/David Foster/Lionel Richie) - 3:41
9. "Prima Donna" (Peter Cetera/Mark Goldenberg) - 4:33
   • Featured in the 1983 movie Two of a Kind
10. "Once In A Lifetime" (James Pankow) - 4:11

Chicago 17 (Full Moon/Warner Bros. 25060) reached #4 in the US during a chart stay of 72 weeks. It also peaked at #24 in the UK.

Personnel

• Peter Cetera - electric bass, vocals, background vocals
• Bill Champlin - keyboards, guitars, vocals, background vocals
• Robert Lamm - keyboards, vocals, background vocals
• Lee Loughnane - trumpet
• James Pankow - trombone
• Walter Parazaider - woodwinds
• Danny Seraphine - drums

Additional personnel

• Chris Pinnick - guitar
• Micheal Landau - guitar
• Paul Jackson - guitar
• Mark Goldenberg - guitar
• Paulinho da Costa- percussion
• David Foster - synthesizer programming
• Jon Van Tongeren - synthesizer programming
• Erich Bulling - synthesizer programming
• Marcus Ryle - synthesizer programming
• Gary Grant - horns
• Greg Adams - horns
• Ken Cetera - background vocals
• Donny Osmond - background vocals on "We Can Stop The Hurtin'"
• Richard Marx - background vocals on "We Can Stop The Hurtin'"