From CHICAGO 17
Written by David Foster, Bill Champlin & Lionel Richie
Chicago 17, released in 1984, was David Foster’s second hit album with Chicago, two years after “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” and Chicago 16 topped the charts worldwide.This record is without any doubt one of the highlights of Foster’s entire career, both artistically and in terms of popularity. Chicago 17 has sold 6 million copies to date (Chicago’s best seller), got Foster his first “Producer Of The Year” Grammy, and also spawned four hit singles on Billboard’s charts, unforgettable songs like “You’re The Inspiration”, “Hard Habit To Break”, “Stay The Night” and “Along Comes A Woman”. David Foster is really all over this album, playing his trademark keyboards and arranging basically the whole record with his unmistakable style. All the tracks are great, from the hits we just mentioned, two ballads and two uptempo rockers, to r&b/pop album tracks like “We Can Stop The Hurting” (a big concert fav still today), “Only You” and our song of the week, the extragroovin’ “Please Hold On”. Peter Cetera sure was the lead singer/songwriter in the band around that time, but Bill Champlin without any doubt added his own touch to the most “soulful” part of the project, “Please Hold On” included. He cowrote the song with Foster and Lionel Richie, and sang it with his usual feeling and passion. Check out Foster playing the bass synthesizer and especially the horns which are “in your face” like in Chicago’s best tradition and also enjoy the band’s tight performance, sure those guys can play, and Foster really knew how to make them shine.
Peter Cetera went solo right after this album having very good success with his “Solitude Solitaire” CD, which yelded two number 1 songs (the first one being “The Glory Of Love” always co-written with Foster), while Chicago released one more record with Da Man, Chicago 18, that even though didn’t reach the heights of 16 and 17 had a couple of good hit singles and kept Chicago’s career going (plenty of great Foster stuff on that one as well).
Listen
Lead Vocals: Bill Champlin
Drums: Danny Seraphine
Bass: Peter Cetera
Keyboards: D.Foster, B.Champlin & R. Lamm
Guitars: Michael Landau, Paul Jackson & Chris Pinnick
Trumpet: Lee Loughnane
Saxophone: Walter Parazaider
Back Vocals: P.Cetera, R.Lamm & B.Champlin
Horns arranged by James Pankow & D. Foster
Arranged & Produced by David Foster
Lyrics
Do you love me
Do you need me
Tell me the truth tonight
Do you love me
Do you need me
Can I still call you mine?
I’ve heard the same old story
So many times
For every lie you’ve told me
I’d be a rich man if I had a dime
Why do you take me
Why do you rake me
Over your red hot coals
Why do you scold me
After you hold me
Why do you turn so cold
The lady’s constant cruisin’
Explains the tears
The lonely path she’s choosin’
If I didn’t love her would I still be here
Hold on, stay with me
Fantasies best left behind
Hold on to love and just believe
In love that won’t bind you
Don’t leave me behind
Stay with me baby
Do you love me
Do you need me
Tell me the truth this time
Do you love me
Do you need me
Can I still call you mine
Soft lights and quiet music
Forget your name
Some people try to use it
But loneliness chooses the rules to the game
Please hold on, stay with me
Tell me what you have in mind
Please hold on, stay with me
Baby, don’t you leave me behind
Please hold on, stay with me
Loneliness will leave you blind
Please hold on, stay with me
Fall in love with me this time