"Another Rainy Day In New York City," Chicago
This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of the release of Chicago's LP the Chocolate Album, as Chicago X is so called because of the cover artwork showing the partially unwrapped chocolate bar with the band's logo on it. The first single from the Chocolate Album was actually released a few weeks earlier. in May 1976.
"Another Rainy Day In New York City," a song written by Chicago keyboardist Robert Lamm, is an effort by the band at mixing their jazz-pop sound with reggae and calypso, and it was probably the most light-touch Chicago song released as a 45 up to that point. The inspiration of the song was most likely a rainy day in Manhattan that the band spent in their hotel while they were either in the Big Apple to record or play a concert, though I can't confirm that. Needless to say, it was the exact opposite of the bolder-sounding "Saturday In the Park," also inspired by a day in New York, albeit a sunny one - a summer day in Central Park.
"Another Rainy Day In New York City" would peak at number 32 on the Billboard pop singles chart, but it had more look on the trade magazine's adult-contemporary chart, reaching number two. This version, my Music Video of the Week, was performed on a Saturday in the performing arts center - the eponymously named performing arts center in Sedona, Arizona, on Saturday, February 20, 2016. Robert Lamm sings lead vocals, as opposed to Peter Cetera singing lead on the original 1976 record; Cetera left the band in 1985. Enjoy.
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