Not so long ago, Chicago had a set of big hairy balls. How else would you describe the first single from 1986’s Chicago 18?
Though “25 or 6 to 4” was labeled a remake of the iconic song from 1970’s Chicago II, it is practically a new creation. The Chicago 18 version features a musical track submitted to the band by James Pankow, who had originally developed it for a new song. Hearing Pankow’s demo, Robert Lamm melded the original song’s lyrics to the melody, earning Pankow a co-writing credit for his efforts. A new horn chart was also written.
Jason Scheff, who was told by producer David Foster to sing the song like Cetera, delivers a strong vocal while the half-time E-mu SP drum program by Danny Seraphine adds a modern and aggressive sensibility. The original’s organic feel is totally gone, of course, but the Mike Landau guitar leads and solo seem totally appropriate in this setting.
When Jason Scheff played the first mix of 1986’s “25 or 6 to 4” to his friend Jeff Porcaro of Toto, Porcaro sat back in his chair and said, “That’s bold, man.” I’m sure most long-term Chicago fans were shocked at the time, which may have resulted in the song’s No. 48 chart showing.
Yes, it was bold, but this update ranks up there with “Sleeping in the Middle of the Bed” from 2008’s long-delayed Stone of Sisyphus as one of my favorite Chicago guilty pleasures. And, hey, the video did win an American Video Award.
