Pure Joy
Saturday in the Park - Chicago (Blast from the Past Tuesday)
I was recently reminded of just how great Chicago is by an Amazon commercial. While this might not be the best way to have a band come back into your life, I don’t exactly mind hearing “25 or 6 to 4” during every commercial break! I’ve always liked Chicago — they’re reliable in that any song I hear by them is one I enjoy. However, one has always stood out to me, and that’s none other than the terrific “Saturday in the Park”.
It’s a little ironic to be writing about this one, given that not only is there about six inches of snow outside, it’s also a Tuesday. But that’s the magic of “Saturday in the Park” — it’s a song that can brighten any day, any time! A lot of this is achieved by the sheer layers within it. By that I mean that Chicago had seven members for a darn good reason! There’s horns, drums, piano, horns, bass, horns, guitar… did I mention horns? I’m always enamored with songs that have even a hint of a horn section, and so the combo of trumpet, trombone, and alto saxophone that this one uses made it an immediate hit for me. Every instrument exudes pure joy — from the richness of the horn section to the tight drum beat, the quick bass line and the smiling vocals. I also would like to highlight the way the piano is played. Played is an understatement, as the way it is hammered on is akin to the aggressiveness of the piano in The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da”. It adds a cool texture to the tune, a heaviness to balance the brightness of the rest of the track. Last thing I’ll say is that I think the lyrical flow of “can you dig it? / yes I can! ” is absolutely terrific & pops into my head unprompted all the time (and I’m not complaining!)
“Saturday in the Park” is definitely my favorite Chicago song, and no commercial will ever change that. I listened to it about twenty times in a row while writing this, and I’m still not remotely tired of it. It’s a song like sunshine, one that’ll brighten any day… even a six inches of snow type of Tuesday!!
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