| Hot Streets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 (From left to right) Donnie Dacus, Lee Loughnane, Danny Seraphine, Peter Cetera, James Pankow | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 2, 1978 | |||
| Recorded | May–June 1978 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:53 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Phil Ramone and Chicago | |||
| Chicago chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Hot Streets | ||||
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Hot Streets is the tenth studio album (and twelfth overall album) by the Americanrock bandChicago, released on October 2, 1978, byColumbia Records. This was the band's first album with all-new material released sincetheir second that did not have a numbered title. It was also the first album not to feature original guitarist/vocalist and group founderTerry Kath, who died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in January 1978. He was replaced byDonnie Dacus on this album.
Having worked withJames William Guercio since their 1969debut, Chicago decided to part ways with the producer following the release ofChicago XI in 1977. Another major change for the group was the death of guitarist/vocalist/group founderTerry Kath in January 1978, who accidentally shot himself at a roadie's house while playing with a gun. The members of the band were devastated by his death and considered breaking up. After the initial shock waned, the group decided they still had something to offer musically and carried on.
Phil Ramone, who had mixed some of their earlier albums, was called upon to co-produce their new effort. But before Chicago could begin recording, they had to contend with the difficult process of finding a new guitarist. Accomplished guitaristDonnie Dacus was chosen, bringing his own distinctive style to the group's music. Prior to joining Chicago, Dacus had worked with bothRoger McGuinn andStephen Stills.
Recording sessions took place both inMiami andLos Angeles that spring, after years of working at Guercio'sCaribou Ranch inColorado. By the end of the sessions, the band felt as though they were still in a strong musical position even after the loss of Kath. Some of the tracks featured theBee Gees and their keyboardist,Blue Weaver, who were recording the albumSpirits Having Flown next door at the same Miami studio. The Gibb brothers added vocals to the song "Little Miss Lovin'" while Weaver added synthesized strings to "No Tell Lover" and "Show Me The Way". In turn, Chicago's horn section played onSpirits Having Flown, most notably on the hit single "Too Much Heaven".
To mark their new beginning, the band broke with tradition by giving their album a title, rather than a number. Having chosen the titleHot Streets, the album cover featured a picture of the band (shot by photographerNorman Seeff) rather than just the group logo. Because a later marketing survey noted that consumers expected to see the logo on the cover, Chicago's logo returned in the form of a high-rise building for the follow-up album,Chicago 13.[citation needed]
The album was released in October 1978, preceded by a release of the lead single "Alive Again".Hot Streets was another hit for the group, who had been concerned that the public might not accept them without Kath. Although the album went platinum, and Chicago scored a second top-twenty hit with "No Tell Lover",Hot Streets was the first Chicago album since their debut that failed to reach the US Top 10; fittingly, the band's twelfth album peaked at #12.
Following the release ofChicago 13 and at the end of the Christmas 1979 tour, Dacus would be released from the group, bringing his short tenure with Chicago to an abrupt end.
In 2003,Hot Streets was remastered and reissued byRhino Records with an alternate version of Lamm's "Love Was New" sung by Dacus as a bonus track.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Although unsuccessful commercially,Cash Box said of the single "Gone Long Gone" that the guitar introduction sounds likeGeorge Harrison and said that it has "slick harmonies and smooth production" and praised "Donnie Dacus' guitar shadings."[4]Record World said it is "a soft, mid-tempo rocker propelled by Peter Cetera's familiar vocals and some compelling lofty guitar work."[5]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Alive Again" | James Pankow | Peter Cetera | 4:08 |
| 2. | "The Greatest Love on Earth" | Danny Seraphine,David "Hawk" Wolinski | Cetera | 3:18 |
| 3. | "Little Miss Lovin'" | Cetera | Cetera(featuring theBee Gees) | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Hot Streets" | Robert Lamm | Lamm | 5:20 |
| 5. | "Take a Chance" | Lee Loughnane, Lawrence "Stash" Wagner | Donnie Dacus | 4:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Gone Long Gone" | Cetera | Cetera | 4:00 |
| 7. | "Ain't It Time" | Dacus, Seraphine, Warner Schwebke | Dacus, with Cetera | 4:12 |
| 8. | "Love Was New" | Lamm | Lamm | 3:30 |
| 9. | "No Tell Lover" | Loughnane, Seraphine, Cetera | Cetera, with Dacus | 4:13 |
| 10. | "Show Me the Way" | Seraphine, Wolinski | Lamm | 3:36 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Love Was New" (Alternate Vocal) | Lamm | Dacus | 3:32 |
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] | 14 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 10 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] | 52 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] | 9 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[10] | 7 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 23 |
| USBillboard 200[12] | 12 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[13] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[14] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
