Chicago - 16 (1982)

"Chicago 16" is the fourteenth studio album, and sixteenth album overall, by the American band Chicago, released on June 7, 1982. The album marks the beginning of a new era for Chicago. It is the first album in a decade-long association with new label Warner Bros. Records; the band's first project to be produced by David Foster.

The band had realized in 1981 that their commercial appeal and image were at an all-time low. So they brought on Sons of Champlin frontman/founder Bill Champlin as keyboard player and singer, a man who successfully replaced Terry Kath vocally in the band's sound.  Foster radically redefined Chicago's sound for the 1980s, with all of the latest technologies and techniques and introducing the significant use of outside songwriters and studio players. (Four members of Toto lent their expertise to the sessions.) Given the use of the new recording technology on this album, it's fitting that the album cover features the famous band logo grafted onto a silicon computer chip. Of all the band's members, Peter Cetera benefitted most from the stylistic changes, having much in common musically with Foster. Their adult contemporary leanings permeated much of "Chicago 16", swaying the band further from their ensemble jazz and rock roots and successfully introducing Chicago to a new and younger audience.

Upon its release, "Chicago 16" proved a big hit album, especially as "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" became the band's second #1 US single, "Love Me Tomorrow" and "What You´re Missing".

Track listing

01.  What You're Missing  (Jay Gruska, Joseph Williams)  - 4:10

02.  Waiting for You to Decide  (David Foster, Steve Lukather, David Paich)  - 4:06

03.  Bad Advice  (Peter Cetera, Foster, James Pankow)  - 2:58

04.  Chains  (Peter Cetera, Ian Thomas)  - 3:22

05.  Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away  (Cetera, Foster, Robert Lamm)  - 5:08

06.  Follow Me  (Foster, Pankow)  - 4:53

07.  Sonny Think Twice  (Bill Champlin, Danny Seraphine)  - 4:01

08.  What Can I Say  (Foster, Pankow)  - 3:49

09.  Rescue You  (Cetera, Foster)  - 3:57

10.  Love Me Tomorrow  (Cetera, Foster)  - 5:06

11.  Daddy's Favorite Fool  (Champlin)  - 3:52

Released:  June 7, 1982

Genre:  Rock, Adult Contemporary

Length:  41:51

Label:  Warner Bros.

Producer:  David Foster

Personnel

Peter Cetera - electric bass, acoustic guitar, vocals, background vocals

Bill Champlin - pianos, keyboards, guitars, vocals

Robert Lamm - pianos, keyboards, percussion, background vocals

Lee Loughnane - trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, percussion, background vocals

James Pankow - trombone, percussion, background vocals

Walter Parazaider - saxophones, flute, clarinet

Danny Seraphine - drums, percussion

David Foster - keyboards

Chris Pinnick - guitar

Steve Lukather - guitar

Michael Landau - guitar

David Paich - synthesizer

Steve Porcaro - synthesizer programming