Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits

Updated on Nov 20, 2024

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Released November 10, 1975 Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits(1975) Chicago X(1976) Release date 10 November 1975 Label Columbia Records		Length 47:18 Artist Chicago Producer James William Guercio Genres Rock music, Rock and roll

Recorded January 1969 – December 1973 Similar Chicago albums, Rock music albums

Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album, and ninth album overall, by the American band Chicago and was released in 1975 by Columbia Records in both stereo (PC 33900) and SQ quadraphonic (PCQ 33900) versions.

Including all of Chicago's biggest hits to date, this set stretches from their 1969 debut, The Chicago Transit Authority, to 1974's Chicago VII. Chicago VIII and its hits, having only come out just months earlier, were considered too recent to anthologize, while Chicago III's material was overlooked for inclusion due to its lack of top-selling singles.

Chicago IX proved to be an enormous success upon its release. It reached #1 in the US and remained on the Billboard 200 for a total of 72 weeks. It has since been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA, signifying sales of over five million copies. Even though 2002's The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning superseded it, Chicago IX was also reissued by Rhino Records, Chicago's current distributor. The album did not chart in the UK.

Side one

"25 or 6 to 4" (Robert Lamm) – 4:51
"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (Lamm) – 3:20 CD 2:53 LP/Cassette
On the original LP (and cassette) version of Chicago IX, most of the intro was cut off.
"Colour My World" (James Pankow) – 2:59
"Just You 'n' Me" (Pankow) – 3:42
"Saturday in the Park" (Lamm) – 3:54
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" (Peter Cetera/Pankow) – 4:14

Side two

"Make Me Smile" (Pankow) – 2:59
This is the single edit that also includes parts of "Now More Than Ever".
"Wishing You Were Here" (Cetera) – 4:34
"Call on Me" (Lee Loughnane) – 4:02
"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" (Pankow) – 4:29
"Beginnings" (Lamm) – 7:51 CD 6:28 LP/Cassette
On the original LP version of Chicago IX this song was faded out about 1:20 early.

The UK version contain the additions of "Never Been in Love Before" and a shortened 3:27 version of "I'm a Man". The Brazilian version has the addition of "Happy Man" and moves "25 or 6 to 4" to the end of Side 1. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" and "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" are omitted.