The band Chicago is like the Energizer Bunny: they keep going and going and going. It seems that no matter who leaves the band (beginning with the tragic death of lead guitarist/vocalist Terry Kath, their best musician), Chicago soldiers on. The album at hand, 1978’s Hot Streets, is the band’s first following Kath’s death.
Columbia Records had a grand marketing strategy: rebuild the band around Donnie Dacus, Kath’s replacement. Indeed, keyboardist / vocalist / onetime main composer Robert Lamm noted at the time, “We’d gotten stale. The kid gave us new life; he’s a natural.” Such a statement has been CHicago’s policy every time a member leaves: “This version of the band is the greatest ever! Wait till you hear (insert name), he will knock you out.”
However, in the wake of Terry Kath’s passing, this feels like a cold slap in the face. One thing was certain: Chicago would never sound the same (or in my honest opinion, be as consistently good) following the great guitarist’s passing.
I guess one must give credit where it is due: the first two cuts on the album, “Alive Again” and “Greatest Love on Earth,” are quite good. The third cut, “Miss Lovin,” sees the return of bassist/vocalist Peter Cetera as rock and roller after his ballads on Chicago X and Chicago XI. The tune starts with a crunching riff from Dacus. Peter yells encouragingly, then begins singing in possibly the rawest vocal he has delivered to date: Make no mistake, this guy can be an awesome rock/R&B vocalist when he wants to. The horns add more grease with a punchy chart. So far, an excellent start.
Unfortunately, despite Peter Cetera’s gallant effort to keep up Kath’s R&B vocal tradition, problems begin to set in. The lyrics, about lust for a teenager, leave a bad taste in the mouth coming from a 34-year-old:
Sweet sixteen, mighty fine in your tight blue jeans. Come on, come on to me, little miss lovin’
I’m down upon my knees; I’m a fool for the younger squeeze. Yes indeed, little miss lovin’
If that’s not bad enough, the Bee Gees – of all people – contribute whiny background vocals that are totally out of place on a Chicago album. Whether it was too much partying or simply pandering for a more commercial sound, this is all just wrong. Donnie Dacus contributes a fine slide guitar solo, but it’s too little too late.
“Little Miss Lovin” is the first miss on an album that is better than anyone has a right to expect following the unfortunate exit of Terry Kath from Chicago and the planet. This is a shame because there are some very good things to be found in this song: With different lyrics and Lamm and Dacus doing the backing vocals, we would have three great cuts in a row on the Hot Streets album.
- Chicago, “Watching All the Colors” (2014): Saturdays in the Park - January 22, 2022
- Chicago, “Love Lives On” from ‘Chicago XXXVI: Now’ (2014): Saturdays in the Park - January 8, 2022
- Chicago, “More Will Be Revealed” from ‘Chicago XXXVI: Now’ (2014): Saturdays in the Park - December 11, 2021
