Chicago, “Beyond All Our Sorrows” (1973): Saturdays in the Park

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“Beyond All Our Sorrows” was originally titled “Blues Original” when the Rhino remaster of 1973’s Chicago VI was announced. Whether that was a different track or the item at hand remains a mystery.

Another mystery is who the pianist is. I couldn’t find who performed that instrument on Chicago’s vocal and piano demo. An educated guess is probably Terry Kath himself, as the chording is at times hesitant and the tempo is all over the place. (Kath was not known as a keyboardist.)

Kath delivers a raw, emotional performance not unlike the material found on John Lennon’s brilliant but bleak Plastic Ono Band album.

Given the tragic circumstances of the beloved Chicago guitarist/vocalist’s death, lines like “Why do I always hurt the ones I love?” are heartbreaking.

On the one hand, many would call this Chicago track a throwaway ballad demo. If you are fan of Terry Kath, it’s a tragic reminder of his demons and, as usual, an incredible and honest performance. If you love Terry as so many of us do, it’s almost too much to take.

‘Saturdays in the Park’ is a multi-writer, song-by-song examination of the music of Chicago. Find it here at Something Else! each weekend.

Bob Helme