Because It’s Christmastime: Chicago Releases New Christmas Album in October
Chicago is back on October 4 with the band’s 37th studio album and fourth Christmas release. The simply-titled Chicago Christmas will arrive from Rhino Records on CD, LP, and digital platforms with eight original songs, two classic holiday standards, and one pop favorite.
Produced by founding member Lee Loughnane, Chicago Christmas is the group’s first holiday album to focus primarily on original compositions. For this project, the band members wrote new songs such as “All Over The World,” “(Because) It’s Christmastime,” and “I’m Your Santa Claus.” The album also features two distinctive versions, in R&B and ballad style, of “Merry Christmas, I Love You,” a song that Loughnane penned with John Durrill of The Ventures.
Joining the new songs are renditions of “Here We Come A-Caroling” and “Sleigh Ride,” the latter of which was previously cut by the band on 2011’s Chicago XXIII: O Christmas Three. The album’s other cover is more unexpected but promises to be a highlight. Robert Lamm brought Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love” to the project, feeling its message was timely and relevant for the holiday season.
The horn arrangements for Chicago Christmas have been scored by James Pankow, while the album was recorded and mixed by Tim Jessup. The current Chicago line-up as heard on the album is anchored by founders Robert Lamm (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals), and James Pankow (trombone, percussion), plus Keith Howland (guitar, vocals), Lou Pardini (keyboards, vocals), Ray Herrmann (saxophones, flute), Walfredo Reyes Jr. (drums), Neil Donell (vocals, acoustic guitar), Brett Simons (bass, vocals), and Ramon Yslas (percussion).
In addition to the standard CD and black vinyl configurations, Chicago Christmas will be available on red and white vinyl exclusively from the Rhino webstore. What’s it gonna be, Santa? Look for the album on October 4 at the links below!
Chicago, Chicago Christmas (Rhino, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
- (Because) It’s Christmastime
- All Over the World
- Bring My Baby Back
- Merry Christmas, I Love You (R&B Version)
- What the World Needs Now Is Love
- All Is Right
- Sleigh Ride (2019)
- I’d Do It All Again (Christmas Moon)
- I’m Your Santa Claus
- Here We Come A-Caroling
- Merry Christmas, I Love You (Ballad Version)
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17 thoughts on “Because It’s Christmastime: Chicago Releases New Christmas Album in October”
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No thanks.
Chicago…my all-time favorite guys. I’ve seen them in concert any, many times and had the honor of meeting them backstage prior to their Madison Square Garden concert in the mid 80’s…they were all dressed in various ensembles of pure white…after having been employed as a music programmer for two major NY Radio stations and having ng interacted with several performers these men are the only person best who reduce me to crazed fan status…I have so much respect and admiration for their tenacity in staying in the game during all the varied Pop Music evoloutions over the past four decades…have seen them since n conjunction with Earth, Wind an Fire a few times .. it’s a treat to rabid fans of both groups to watch them meld their unique sound…the compliment each other perfectly… it’s the ideal marriage of R&B and Pop Jazz…you involuntarily are forced to remain on your feet for approximately three hours wherein you get excercise that’s as good for your body as it is for the soul…CHICAGO owns me!
I know exactly what you mean Marie. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting the band during intermission at the Nassau Coliseum in the 1970’s. I fell more madly in love with Peter Cetera….I had the pleasure of meeting him personally at a meet and greet in 2009….I just realized it’s been 10 yrs already, wow, now I miss him again, lol!!!!
I miss the original band…I miss Terry Kath….I still rock to thier older tunes….
Peter Cetera will be 75 yrs old this yr. He is still hot!!! Take care hon…Tammy Michael
All in white. That must have been the tour for #17 and the last with Cetera. Saw that show in Tacoma Washington. It was great.
They just make it harder and harder to convince people that Chicago really was once a great band.
Yes indeed. That ship sailed some time ago.
May you sail….somewhere away from real people troll
Real people are allowed to have their own opinions. It makes the world a more interesting place.
Chicago still is a great band…you can’t expect them to be the same band as they were back in the 70’s…enjoy the new Christmas disc for what it is as opposed to what it isn’t…
Chicago has been able to perform in concert at a pretty much studio sound till this day…….not like others that attempt to duplicate but hardly hit the mark……kudos to the fellas for the hard work and determination to stay on top……
Chicago was, is and will always be an AWESOME BAND WITH AWESOME MUSIC. Thank you for sharing the information on the new Christmas tunes.
Read Lamm’s take on what happened, and you get why the band is just a brand now, not nearly as important as it was during the Kath years. On his website he writes “Although I continued writing for the band, I didn’t resume my solo projects until the late 80’s. A conference with Chicago’s manager, Howard Kaufman, suggested clearly that going forward, on the singles, the band would be featuring neither my songs, nor my voice.”
Still a Chicago fan, despite all the changes. I have not heard anything from the band since Jason Scheff left, so this release will be a bit different. I was a big Scheff fan. BUT…none the less, I am excited to get new Chicago music and new compositions.
I think Chicago might be going back to the well a little too often for Christmas music at this point; regardless I really liked the What’s It Going To Be Santa album and trying more originals this time out is probably a good idea. Also the lineup has changed a fair bit since the other two Christmas albums (and even the Now album) so it’ll be interesting to hear how they sound in the studio these days…
Why can they not do an instrumental album? I sure it would kill. Or how about am album similar to what Sergio Mendes did with Will.i.am several years ago? They have so much potential to do something great and different.
We can only hope and dream.
They’re the only supposedly mediocre band that has managed to hang on for over 50 consecutive years. When you reach your 70’s (and are semi senile) , you’ll realize how amazing the original guys are.
Their last rock album .”Now” was quite good . Who is at their peak forever ? Unrealistic expectations make some cynical.
They sold out at Pikes Peak Center 6/24 and likely have a packed house tonight in Loveland. Imagine if they had talent !
Love the new Christmas album. Several tracks are downright hits. I really thought
The song “ Because it’s Christmastime” was special. Enjoyed the entire CD. Thanks to Robert Lamm and the band.