Chicago 16

Chicago | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KXU
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,295 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. What You're Missing

2. Waiting for You to Decide

3. Bad Advice

4. Chains

5. Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away

6. Follow Me

7. Sonny Think Twice

8. What Can I Say

9. Rescue You

10. Love Me Tomorrow

Editorial Reviews

CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Back From The Brink, January 4, 2001

By 

Steven R Fleck (Rockville Centre, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicago 16 (Audio CD)

Say what you want about Chicago 16--it all but brought them back from the brink of death.

After 3 mediocre to dreadful albums, 2 producers, 2 guitarists & no top 50 songs after 1978, the hit machine appeared to be cranking it's last.

16 popped up in Spring 1982 out of nowhere with little to no hype or support. Included in the package was a dynamic new producer in David Foster, and a stunningly talented new member in Songwriter/Vocalist/Multi-instrumentalist Bill Champlin. Also part of the deal were countless session musicians, a very hands-on producer re-writer in Foster, more cover tunes, and a greater reliance on synths & artificial sounds. And much more Peter Cetera.

16 & even more so it's successor managed to squeeze every last drop of the best out of these elements. Cetera's ballads (HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY and LOVE ME TOMORROW) charted a huge #1 & #22, and the other was a flat out winner (WHAT CAN I SAY). Out of the cover tunes (WHAT YOU'RE MISSING, WAITING FOR YOU TO DECIDE, CHAINS) 2 hit the bullseye with great hooks & arrangements, and key session work from TOTO's Steve Lukather & Steve Porcaro. Foster with his hands on knew just when to switch vocalists, program a classical line on the synth, or add that unforgettable bridge. In 1982, the B-I-G drums sounded state of the art.

James Pankow returned with the tough, brassy BAD ADVICE, and importantly, Champlin added his grammy award winning vocals & compositional skills to hit hard with FOLLOW ME & SONNY THINK TWICE. The addition of Champlin's gritty yet melodious tones gave Chicago a versatility unheard since the early days. Only a true fan wondered where the hell Robert Lamm was for this album...

A couple of clunks (Ian Thomas's? CHAINS, Cetera's very blah, hornless RESCUE YOU, plus, I really think LOVE ME TOMORROW is just awful), but 16 plowed the way for the band's biggest album ever 2 years later--and more importantly, kept them from the cold earth of the Bargain Bin.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My original turn-on to Chicago, July 22, 2002

By 

Brad (CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicago 16 (Audio CD)

The title of this review indicates my age, I guess, as "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" was the first Chicago song I ever heard. Nonetheless, I have listened to Chicago's best of the '70s and '80s over the past 20 years and am still in love with most of it. This comeback album, as others have accurately termed it, was and still is a gem in my music collection.

No, it is not the best Chicago album. Some of the classic '70s stuff is of course better, as are some of the later efforts in the '80s. Nonetheless, this is well worth a listen.

"Hard To Say I'm Sorry" is one of the first singles I fell in love with as a kid growing up, and it still sounds great. A unique song in its day, and a beautiful ballad and huge hit. The other big single on the album, "Love Me Tomorrow" is also great in my opinion; I don't understand why it is so widely criticized. I had never before heard a sound quite like the end of that song--when the electric guitars and violins blend together as the song (and album) comes to an end.

It is a shame that Robert Lamm was such a small part of the band at this time, but Peter Cetera and (on a few tracks) newcomer Bill Champlain shine on the vocals. And for sure, such tracks as "Waiting For You To Decide" and "Rescue You" are fine rockers of a sort--with an '80s flair, of course. The horns are still present on many if not most of the tracks as well at this point, including on the lead track and obscure top 100 single "What You're Missing"--a mid-tempo track.

This truly was a transitionary period for the band that gave them new life. For many who were around when the band originally came to be, this was the end of the band's relevance. But for someone like me, who grew up in the '80s, this band was a true highlight on the popular music scene. If you like strong harmonies and beautiful songs with a bit of rock flare, this album is definitely recommended. Call my overall ranking 4 3/4 stars--just a notch below their best efforts.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 2nd of 5 Chicago 80's Albums: All Good Stuff, February 3, 2004

By 

Amy Griffin (Pittsgrove, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chicago 16 (Audio CD)

Chicago 16 is the band's 2nd album of the 80's (the 1st being the underrated 'Chicago XIV', which was released in 1980). This album would mark the band's transition into a ballad hit machine with the songs 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away' and 'Love Me Tomorrow', which are both good. On a review about Chicago 19 I mentioned the band's selection of hits/singles. While 2 ballads were chosen, the band could've easily picked 'What You're Missing', 'Waiting For You To Decide', 'Bad Advice', 'Follow Me', and/or even 'Rescue You'. All of the following songs could have, would have, and should have been great hits. But since turning into a ballad machine saved Chicago, I guess it was best for them to do so. I still love this album, though.