I wondered, as many fans probably did in 1982, if the horns on “Chains” from 1982’s Chicago 16 were real or imagined. I always hoped it was James Pankow and the boys, but it really doesn’t matter: Even if it is them, their contributions to the song were minimal, offering us nothing more than superfluous accompaniment that was barely audible in the mix.
If I’m in Vegas, I’m betting on David Foster’s synth factory and I strongly believe my money would be safe.
Pankow, Walt Parazaider and Lee Loughnane would have undoubtedly played on the track during Chicago’s Columbia years. You would have been able to actually hear them and identify them as horns. There also may have been an instrumental break, possibly featuring a trumpet or sax solo instead of the pre-programmed, metallic-sounding electronics that Chicago favored at this time.
Peter Cetera laid down a very fine vocal. He simply rocked. Uptempo songs with a good groove were becoming a rare thing for the band, so I should have been more appreciative of “Chains” when I first heard it. But I’ve always let the possibility that the brass could be fake taint my enjoyment, even though it’s a good performance.
It’s time for me to grow up and apologize to Chicago, because “Chains” is worthy of praise – even if I still can’t figure out if the horns are real or not. You would think after all this time I’d get over it, but I just can’t.
