With the release of 1978’s Hot Streets, in the wake of the tragic death of founding member Terry Kath, Chicago attempted to continue its recent successes by embracing the slick, poppy emerging disco sound. They also reached back, building on their tremendous success with love songs.
While the absence of Kath is painfully evident throughout most the album, “The Greatest Love on Earth” is one of the few songs that would have been right at home on Chicago’s previous two offerings. The lush production and Peter Cetera vocals are strikingly similar to the huge hits “Baby What a Big Surprise” and the No. 1 hit “If You Leave Me Now.”
Composed by by Danny Seraphine and David “Hawk” Wolinski, the writing pair that also collaborated on “Take Me Back to Chicago,” the song describes a love affair separated by miles and too few encounters. It’s a song many traveling musicians could have written, and many have.
Journey wrote about the struggle in their song “Faithfully,” when Steve Perry sang “two strangers learn to fall in love again.” However, Seraphine captures the internal struggle much more eloquently. His lyrics are tinged with raw emotion and conflict. He writes of the pull between his two “loves” and the realization that no matter where he is, he will be called to the other.
“The Greatest Love on Earth” is wonderfully produced and a hidden gem on an underrated album. Phil Ramone’s touch is evident throughout and Peter Cetera gives an admirable vocal performance. It’s a song Chicago fans often forget about, but it is a fine example of the underutilized writing ability of Danny Seraphine – and worthy of another listen.
- Chicago, “90 Degrees and Freezing” from ‘Chicago XXX’ (2006): Saturdays in the Park - October 23, 2021
- Chicago, “Show Me a Sign” from ‘Heart of Chicago Vol. II’ (1998): Saturdays in the Park - August 14, 2021
- Chicago, “Sophisticated Lady” from ‘Night & Day: Big Band’ (1995): Saturdays in the Park - May 29, 2021
