It's a song about writer's block. He is up all night trying to find inspiration- he finally does at 25 (or 26) minutes to 4 am- and writes a song about trying to write a song. ETA: Before digital clocks became popular, time after the half hour was often related as x minutes to the next hour, so 3:35 am would be seen as 25 to 4.
I was literally screaming at the screen, lol! I know I understood the reference to time right away when I first heard the song. Took me a while to get the writer's block, someone may have told me. But....kids today.
Jimi Hendrix was mesmerised by Kath’s guitar playing, going so far as to claim that he thought the Chicago guitarist played better than he did, naming Kath the “best guitarist in the universe”. High praise indeed.
Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o'clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35).
I first saw these guys in 1972 (my first Concert) and then saw them live 3 or 4 more times in my life. Whenever I hear this song I am air drumming the entire song!
The level of musicianship in this band is off the chart. In the 70s, this level of musicianship was pretty much the norm. The live version at Tanglewood is awesome. Another great song from the Tanglewood concert is "Make Me Smile".
I have to slightly disagree with one thing: finding serious musical talent in bands was way more common back then, but Chicago was in the very top tier and well above the norm. Practically every musician they had could have been the big draw in another band. The talent, skill, and dedication to the craft in that group was wild. 100% agree with the Tanglewood "Make Me Smile", though. Terry Kath, man...
Boy have you got that right. The musicianship in many of the classic 70s groups were off the charts. Just excellent. Then compare to now. Most of the 'musicians' today are only successful due to auto tune and computer generated studio fixes that cover the mediocre talent. It's really sad and why I really dread AI taking over
"Make Me Smile" is part of "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon." Although it was released as a single, the band intended for it to be heard within the context of the suite. Fantastic concert but the sound quality is no match for the studio album, especially the 2016 Steven Wilson mix.
Gotta see the "live from Tanglewood" version. Friggin awesome!!! Also, pretty much every song from their first album "Chicago Transit Authority", which was the band's original name before the bus company complained. 😂
YESSSSSSS!!! Live at Tanglewood is even more amazing. And yes, watch the WHOLE beginning to hear great guitar and bass. Terry Kath is the most underrated guitar player of all time!!! He’s one of my favorites. And imo, Danny Seraphine on drugs is also not appreciated nearly enough. Thanks for taking these trips back to the 70’s, my teenage years ❤️
It was a song writing session that went way into the morning hours. Realizing it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4 in the morning, he was asking himself should I keep going or get some sleep.
You'd think the Chicago Transit Authority would be thrilled that they called themselves that. I guess they just couldn't pass up a chance to sue somebody.
It's in response to Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is? from their debut album, 1969, called, Chicago Transit Authority. The real Transit Authority took exception and they changed to simply Chicago. The response time check was released later in 1970. 25 or 6 to 4. Looking at a clock with hands, it was 25 or 26 minutes to four o'clock.
Chicago had top ten songs from the first album to Chicago 19 multiple top tens more than any band besides three dog night, another great Chicago tune is no tell lover
Songwriter Robert Lamm was living in a rented home in Hollywood. After a gig, he was up in the middle of the night sitting on the floor and staring out the window at the flashing lights of the Hollywood signs in the distance. That was the flashing lights against the sky and his staring blindly into space looking at those lights. He was looking at an old clock across the room from him and was trying to make out what the time was on the hands of the clock and it was either 25 minutes or 26 minutes to 4:00 a.m. Robert was literally writing a song about writing a song, experiencing writer's block and searching for something to say for the lyrics. He had worked on the melody first and was trying to come up with what to say in the song. He used the time of the morning, 25 or 6 to 4, as a placeholder when he presented the song to the rest of the band in the morning. It was a throwaway line at first but the all agreed to keep that in the lyrics. It was not a drug reference as some believed, but just the time of the morning on an old analog clock.
One of the best guitar solos in rock. The wah pedal part is off the charts. Chicago has so many great songs. Saturday in the Park, Colour My World, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.... too many greats to name.
This also goes to show how amazing Peter Ceteras vocals are bc right before recording this song they were out at a bar when they got into an altercation and Peter got his jaw broken and had to have it wired shut and they couldn’t wait so they had to record it and he had to sing with a clinched jaw.
Chicago was uniquely a group of highly trained college musicians, that's why the music is impeccable. That Guitar Rift is by Terry Kath, an amazing talent who sadly passed away young. Perter Cetera was the lead singer for a long time, but they all had great vocals.
All but Kath who was self taught. But publications of the time assert that Kath was self conscious of the fact that he was not trained but the rest of the band were in awe of him and his talent.
Chicago’s song “Saturday In The Park” is musically superb and lyrical almost Utopian. “It was really kind of that peace and love thing that happened in Central Park and in many parks all over the world, perhaps on a Saturday, where people just relax and enjoy each other’s presence, and the activities we observe and the feelings we get from feeling a part of a day like that.”
OMG! Now that you know what it is about, you have to listen to it again. You guys struggling to grasp the meaning of the lyrics was hysterical for some unknown reason! Made my day!
Tanglewood live concert is the deep dive. Someone has already said it, but writers block at 25 or 6 to 4am. They toured with Jimmy Hendricks. Guitarists Teryy Kath and Hendricks loved/ admired/afraid of each other. Hendricks asked Chicago to tour with his band. More Chicago please.
Supposedly this song is supposed to mean 25 or 26 mins before 4am! Not being able to sleep. At least that’s what I was told years ago! 🤷🏻♀️ Not sure if that’s true or not tho! Chicago has some CLASSICS! ❤
That's exactly what He's saying time is it 25 minutes or 26 minutes to 4 25 or 6 to 4 Trying to write a song but nothing is coming to him fucking genius
In an interview I saw years ago they explained they needed a song to finish the album. This was just what was going on while they were trying to write the song. When it was finished the clock said 25 or 6 to 4
And Chicago II was (and is) awesome. It stands up to all the decades that followed. The fluidity of Terry Kath's guitar was stunning. Here is 25 or 6 to 4 at Tanglewood in 1970... czcams.com/video/Lba2g_u1Ckg/video.html This was back before "dancers" and "set designers'. The boys just came out and played. Terry Kath in the denim shirt... I can imagine in the writing they wrote 'T. Kath amazing solo goes here'....
The creative struggle - the song reflects the frustration and pressure experienced by a writer who has reached a creative roadblock. Feverishly trying to describe "the process of writing the song that" he was working on, he looked at his watch and saw it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4 in the morning. Thus, the song's title was borne from that specific moment. This was taken from an interview with the song writer, hope it helps.
I see others have already covered that he's trying to write a song in the wee hours of the morning and has writer's block. And yes, 25 or 6 to 4 is the time of day. 25 or 26 minutes to 4:00 am.
It never gets old hearing Terry Kath just go off in his own world with that guitar. And Don's right on the money at 11:40. Every musician in Chicago was an amazing talent, and having all of them together was wild. The more you listen to their music, the more cool things you find layered in.
I was a weird kid in the 90’s, growing up listening to Chicago. All my friends were listening to the radio gaga and I was like ‘have you heard Questions 67 and 68?’
This whole album is fire. You really should listen to the whole thing. I think it's the best album Chicago ever did. They have a deep, deep catalogue. Triple-tonguing on the trumpets, and that guitar solo is on of the best rock solo's ever. This was two LP's back in the day. One whole side was a suite called Ballet for a Girl in Buchannan which included songs that became hit singles. There must be at least 5 hit singles on this album. Color My World, Saturday in the Park, Wake Up Sunshine, and this song, 24 or 6 to Four (a time reference from before digital clocks). This album also has some of the most unique song endings ever recorded! It was really designed to be listened to as a whole.
Chicago & The Eagles are two of the most EPIC LEGENDARY BANDS ever!! My 2 dream concerts but their ticket prices are literally untouchable for me🙄😂 SO PHENOMENAL!!♥️🎶
I don't know what you mean. I just paid $49 for each for our tickets to see Chicago & EWF in an arena in southern california in september. I suppose it'd be a lot of money if you had to have super great seats, but these arenas you can hear and see them very well from anywhere. So yes, Mine are up in row N in the top section, but it's all good.The sound is good and they have the big screens. Where else are you going to see 2 legendary bands for 49 bucks a piece? Plus, they play 6 songs together on the same stage during the encore. Playing 3 EW&F and 3 Chicago songs together.
The dude is up in the middle of the night trying to write a song. He's friggin' exhausted. Through blurry eyes he looks at the clock and sees that it's either 3:25 or maybe it's just 3:24 am. Therefore it's 25 minutes (or maybe it's 26 minutes) until 4 am. So the song title should be read this way ... 25 minutes (or 26 minutes) until 4 am.
The band was formed in 1967 through the creativity of a group of DePaul University music students as a musical experiment. An interesting connection to Notre Dame University was due to the tutelage of Fr. George Wiskirchen, C.S.C., and former band director to these young players. Thus the heavy reliance on the brass instrumentation. Also the rhythms and drumming was very crisp as in marching bands. Many of their songs were written as college students and drawn from their experiences of all night cram sessions , band practices, etc... I graduated in 1977 and they were so popular, we hired a Chicago Cover band for our senior Prom. It was a smash hit!
Jimmy Hendrix use to say that Terry Kath was his favorite guitarist "Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe"." From the Wikipedia
I believe it was about songwriting. A long session of group work where someone asked “what time is it?” and another squinted at the clock and said “25 or 6 to 4”
I have a story about this. I rarely saw my father. One day he picked me up and handed me this 45 (not a 🔫 lol) and said you like this band? I was like yeah, thanks. I wouldn't have cared if I hated it just the fact that he thought about me long enough to get and give it to me was good enough for me. I was about 12 and we had a very up and down relationship mostly down. About 5 years later when I was 17 we started to really work on things, like forgiveness. But, he died that same year. Here's to good old Dad. 🍻
I really dont see how this is so hard to figure out if you just listen to the words, jeez! 25 or 26 minutes till 4 AM He's trying to write words to a new song - THIS one!
I saw this group in concert Aug 2023 and they are still amazing. They put on an amazing show. The show was at 6000+ feet elevation and Neil Donell (new lead singer) held a high note sooo long we were stunned. He joked at the end of the song that he lives at sea level--so that says a lot about his vocal prowess! I'm so glad I got to see them, they are amazing in concert.
So, way back in the day my mom worked at a factory for Allied golf making golf clubs. One day a secretary my mom knows comes up to her and tells her about this band her son Peter is in and how they're going to be big. She offers my mom a free copy of the first album CTA cut, she says 'no thanks'. Of course Peter Cetera and Chicago Transit Authority (later shortened to Chicago) blows up and my mom could've had a single digit numbered first press.
From Wikipedia. " (Robert) Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o’clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35)." Although some folks have interpreted this song as a drug song too.
So the story goes that the band needed one more song to finish the album. They were working well into the night when they asked the janitor what time it was...he replied ... 25 or 6 (26) til 4am. It's a song about trying to write the last song for the album
You have to watch the entire concert that they performed at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. It's just phenomenal the whole thing. Every single tune is a banger
I appreciate that you guys don't just go to the internet to look up the song meaning. Back in the day when we didn't have internet, we were doing it just like that. We'd have to talk to our friends and figure it out on our own, often without the lyrics unless they were in the liner notes for the album, but many times they weren't. Eventually you might hear the band interviewed or read something about the song meaning but often it was just a mystery. The thing is, that never ruined the song - we just accepted it or made up our own interpretation, just like you'd do with any work of art.
Chicago is amazing!! If u have ever seen the movie The Karate Kid, u are definitely familiar with the song Glory of love! They have a lot of great songs! Saturday in the Park, You're the Inspiration, Hard to say I'm sorry, If you leave me now, & Feelin stronger everyday are just a few of my favs!
You should listen to the studio recording of this song. Live versions can never duplicate the mix done in the studio and that's the way we heard it on the radio in 1970. This song was recorded in August for the self titled album "Chicago". The album was released in January 1970 and this song was released as a single in June1970. This live version is inferior to the studio recording. The band is from Chicago and was originally known as 'Chicago Transit Authority'. The CTA is the name of the mass transit system of Chicago, IL. They threatened to legal action if the band didn't cease and desist using that name, so they shortened it to 'Chicago'. The name of their debut double album is Chicago Transit Authority, recorded January 27-30, 1969 and released April 28, 1969 on the Columbia Records label. It didn't do well at first but fortunately, this during the advent of FM radio and eventually it sold 2 million copies on its initial pressing. The impact of FM radio can not be understated, it is what was directly responsible for the explosion of album sales and relegated the 45 rpm disc to a marketing tool to initiate /invigorate album sales. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of the music business.
Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o’clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35).[3][4] Because of the unique phrasing of the song's title, "25 or 6 to 4" has been interpreted to mean everything from a quantity of illicit drugs to the name of a famous person in code
Exactly. He's staring bleary-eyed at an old school clock (not digital), unable to see the exact time because he can't quite make out the position of the minute hand.
People have speculated that the song's lyrics are drug related, but this has been largely dismissed. At the time, LSD 25 was prevalent, as was methequalone in 400 mg.(ie, qualudes). On the side of the pills was the number 624. But according to group member Robert Lamm, "the title is "just a reference to the time of day" and that "the song is about writing a song. It's not mystical." The time of day in reference is 3:35 AM (or 3:34 AM), which would then be 25 (or 26) minutes to 4 AM."
He's pulling an all nighter trying to write a song! Check out another group from the era called Blood, Sweat & Tears. More great rock horns. Good old school stuff.
I love this song, the horns are great! I believe he's referencing the time. 25 or 26 minutes to 4, when he gets off work. Very underrated band and song!
Back when I was in college as a freshman in 1969, Chicago gave a free concert on campus. They were still known as Chicago Transit Authority. They were outstanding. We didn't realize how lucky we were. I agree it's about writer's block in the middle of the night: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m. doesn't sound as good!😂
This was written by Robert Lamm, who is a keyboard player and singer for Chicago. It's about trying to write a song, with the title referring to the time of day: either 3:35 a.m. (25 to 4) or 3:34 a.m. (26 to 4). Lamm explained on The Chris Isaak Hour: "I was living with a bunch of hippies up above Sunset Strip. One of the advantages of this particular house was that it was in the Hollywood Hills and I could look out over the city late at night. I wanted to try to describe the process of writing the song that I was writing. So, 'waiting for the break of day, searching for something to say, flashing lights against the sky' - there was a neon sign across the city. That song came from the fact that it was 25 or 6 to 4 a.m. in the morning when I looked at my watch - I was looking for a line to finish the chorus. Most songs that were written, especially in the early days, whenever I got them to the band and we started rehearsing them, that's when the songs took shape - once these guys got hold of them. There was definitely a lot of raw material, I thought it was a song when I wrote the words down, I wrote the changes down and I brought the charts to rehearsal, but it wasn't really a song until they all played it."
@@1BobsYourUncle Actually, on another CZcams channel, Professor of Rock, it was revealed that the recording session was set up for a time during when Cetera's jaw was wired. It was also revealed that the way he sang that day and all days after, with his teeth clenched, became his signature singing style.
Love this era of Chicago! 25 or 6 to 4 was my favorite song to play in high school pep band at basketball halftimes, lol. Lots of loud brass blasting the heck out of a small gym. Oh, and Stevie’s Sir Duke too!🎉
The guy playing the guitar is Terry Kath. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favourite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe". Peace out.
There's a kick-ass live version of this Chicago did with Earth, Wind and Fire. In fact they do several songs together in the same concert worth seeking for fans of either band.
I saw Chicago live at Shoulders Feild in Chicago In 1977. It was a great concert, I hear! LOL!!! I fell asleep during the 1st song and woke up at the end!! 😡😡😡😡 My house burned the night before waking me from a drunk night before at 4 AM!!! So I was dead beat tired!!!
I love Chicago because of the horns! That’s what got me into them as a teen. Back then I had no idea what this song was about but loved it anyway! Didn’t have any way to look up lyrics back then unless you had the album and it had the lyrics on the sleeve. I had the 45.
I love it.I played this 100 times in high school pep band, half times at basketball games. Our band director, Van Bialon was a big horn guy. This and Bill Chase with the horntastic Get it On.
See this is whats so great about this time in music history...i loved the Beatles ,Glam Rocker David Bowie, The mighty Led Zep and this Chicago! Titally different ,ALL FRICKIN COOL! Hey we all partook back thenincluding all these artists!
This was the first song I played in pep band I play tuba...I loved the bass line. And it was in reference to the time he figures he had the 'ah ha'! moment.
It's 25 or 26 minutes to 4am.....He was sitting on the floor writing this song and it was almost 4am.../chicago has many great songs,, Saturday In The Park, Hard to Say I'm sorry, If you leave me now.....and many other. I just saw them last year and it was an amazing concert...Northern Ca
Top ten rock song of all time. Can’t be beat. Musicianship and instrumentation top notch. You should be on headphones for this‼️ And if you listen to it ten times in a row, you still won’t be bored. Thanks for the reaction. Live at Tanglewood for the stage version.
You guys were surprisingly close to the meaning of the song. As another commenter mentioned, it's about writer's block and being up all night trying to find inspiration for lyrics or, "searching for something to say", and, for a musician, that is their job.
They were trying to write a song it was the middle of the night and they decided to call this song 25 or 6 (26) minutes to 4 am the time they were struggling to write.
The band was originally "Chicago Transit Authority". It's funny how many bands have had place names, with Chicago, Boston, Kansas, and America in the 70s, Asia (featuring zero asians) and Europe in the 80s, the classic country band Alabama, and other less well-known rock bands like Missouri. Or my personal favorite, Nazareth... founded in Scotland.
Yes the Tanglewood concert version of this song is an absolute must. Would also like to mention here that there is a Russian tribute band called Leonid & Friends who started out covering Chicago's music and one of the first ones they did was 25 or 6 to 4. They did such a fantastic job of it, just playing by ear without sheet music, that even members of today's Chicago were impressed. Worth checking it out.
Great tune! It's about writers block and he glanced at the clock and it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4am. This song is often played by college marching bands at halftime of football games. They played it live with the Notre Dame marching band twice (2017 and again in 2019), I was there for one of them. Other hits: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is", "Saturday In The Park", "If You Leave Me Now", "Baby What a Big Surprise", "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", "You're The Inspiration". And those are just some of their hits from the 70s to the mid 80s (all Billboard charting singles and all top 10). If Led Zeppelin was the Hard Rock band of the 70s, Chicago was the Soft Rock band of the 70s.
It's a song about writer's block. He is up all night trying to find inspiration- he finally does at 25 (or 26) minutes to 4 am- and writes a song about trying to write a song. ETA: Before digital clocks became popular, time after the half hour was often related as x minutes to the next hour, so 3:35 am would be seen as 25 to 4.
The young ones don't know this, ty for explaining to them
I was literally screaming at the screen, lol! I know I understood the reference to time right away when I first heard the song. Took me a while to get the writer's block, someone may have told me. But....kids today.
Right in 1
Instead of reading the lyrics, Google what the song means.
While suffering from writers block, he wrote a song about suffering from writers block- a lyrical "Reverse Uno" card if you will.
Jimi Hendrix was mesmerised by Kath’s guitar playing, going so far as to claim that he thought the Chicago guitarist played better than he did, naming Kath the “best guitarist in the universe”. High praise indeed.
"...their horns are one set of lungs, and the guitarist is better than ME!" I believe was one of the quotes
Tru dat!
It’s my understanding that he also said “this guy blows my mind”.
My dad loved Chicago. After Terry Kath died, my dad (still) refuses to acknowledge them as Chicago.
You need to hear the live version and watch the live video it's amazing ! He is one of the best guitar players ever! Terry Kath, died young 💔❤️
I am pretty sure I hear the lead singer on the live version had some dental work and jaw wired up. Know if that's true?
@@greatwhitewing I don't know for sure Peter Cereta
@@greatwhitewingI’ve not heard that about Cetera.
I was hoping they were gonna do the live version when I saw the title of the video, too! It's so freaking good. ✌❤
Yes
Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o'clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35).
Everyone is talking about vocals, horns, guitar… but freaking DANNY SERAPHINE ON DRUMS IS A BEAST !!
I first saw these guys in 1972 (my first Concert) and then saw them live 3 or 4 more times in my life. Whenever I hear this song I am air drumming the entire song!
absolutely dude sure is ! one of my favorite drummers and i never knew his name.
The level of musicianship in this band is off the chart. In the 70s, this level of musicianship was pretty much the norm. The live version at Tanglewood is awesome. Another great song from the Tanglewood concert is "Make Me Smile".
Or....Ballet for a girl from Buchannon ;)
I have to slightly disagree with one thing: finding serious musical talent in bands was way more common back then, but Chicago was in the very top tier and well above the norm. Practically every musician they had could have been the big draw in another band. The talent, skill, and dedication to the craft in that group was wild.
100% agree with the Tanglewood "Make Me Smile", though. Terry Kath, man...
Boy have you got that right. The musicianship in many of the classic 70s groups were off the charts. Just excellent.
Then compare to now. Most of the 'musicians' today are only successful due to auto tune and computer generated studio fixes that cover the mediocre talent.
It's really sad and why I really dread AI taking over
"Make Me Smile" is part of "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon." Although it was released as a single, the band intended for it to be heard within the context of the suite. Fantastic concert but the sound quality is no match for the studio album, especially the 2016 Steven Wilson mix.
Yeah man you hit that nail right on the head ...Make Me Smile live is definitely the shit!!!
Saturday in the Park is another great one from Chicago. They had one of the best horn sections, competing with Earth, Wind, and Fire!
❤❤❤
Loved Earth Wind and Fire also...
toured w them for a while. i have the dvd. 🙂
Gotta see the "live from Tanglewood" version. Friggin awesome!!! Also, pretty much every song from their first album "Chicago Transit Authority", which was the band's original name before the bus company complained. 😂
YESSSSSSS!!! Live at Tanglewood is even more amazing. And yes, watch the WHOLE beginning to hear great guitar and bass.
Terry Kath is the most underrated guitar player of all time!!! He’s one of my favorites. And imo, Danny Seraphine on drugs is also not appreciated nearly enough.
Thanks for taking these trips back to the 70’s, my teenage years ❤️
Yes definitely the best
The live version of Tanglewood terry Kath guitar solo is amazing phenomenal work and ahead of his time
Exactly 💯 this performance!!..
Absolutely MUST SEE the live version---you will appreciate them 1000% more.
My boyfriend was a professional drummer and he said Chicago had the best musicians.
It was a song writing session that went way into the morning hours. Realizing it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4 in the morning, he was asking himself should I keep going or get some sleep.
What about spinning room is sinking deep. That's a trip
It's about trying to write a song at 25 or 26 minutes to 4 AM. Many assumed a drug theme. Guitar solo compliments of Terry Kath. RIP.
Try some LSD and you will see
Terry Kath was a genius! Extremely talented and underrated!
Yes, it’s because they’re from Chicago. Their original name was Chicago transit authority until they got sued by the Chicago transit Authority.
You'd think the Chicago Transit Authority would be thrilled that they called themselves that. I guess they just couldn't pass up a chance to sue somebody.
Their original name was "The Big Thing"
It's in response to Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is? from their debut album, 1969, called, Chicago Transit Authority. The real Transit Authority took exception and they changed to simply Chicago. The response time check was released later in 1970. 25 or 6 to 4. Looking at a clock with hands, it was 25 or 26 minutes to four o'clock.
25 Or 6 To 4 means It's 3:35 or 3:34 AM and he's been up all night trying to write a song. The music of my high school days.
Bullshit. Lsd25
Black PAGISUS THIS WAS THE GOOD OL 1970s
I grew up listening to this stuff. Some of the greatest music ever. Color my world is my parents wedding song.
Wow I forgot about that song! Color my World was one of my first favorite Chicago songs I heard.
It's also our wedding song..May 24, 1980. Still the one!
Nice! It’s one of my all-time favorites. The epitome of short, but sweet!
Color My World reminds me of High Schools Dances
Chicago had top ten songs from the first album to Chicago 19 multiple top tens more than any band besides three dog night, another great Chicago tune is no tell lover
Songwriter Robert Lamm was living in a rented home in Hollywood. After a gig, he was up in the middle of the night sitting on the floor and staring out the window at the flashing lights of the Hollywood signs in the distance. That was the flashing lights against the sky and his staring blindly into space looking at those lights. He was looking at an old clock across the room from him and was trying to make out what the time was on the hands of the clock and it was either 25 minutes or 26 minutes to 4:00 a.m.
Robert was literally writing a song about writing a song, experiencing writer's block and searching for something to say for the lyrics. He had worked on the melody first and was trying to come up with what to say in the song. He used the time of the morning, 25 or 6 to 4, as a placeholder when he presented the song to the rest of the band in the morning. It was a throwaway line at first but the all agreed to keep that in the lyrics. It was not a drug reference as some believed, but just the time of the morning on an old analog clock.
One of the best guitar solos in rock. The wah pedal part is off the charts. Chicago has so many great songs. Saturday in the Park, Colour My World, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.... too many greats to name.
Terry's guitar solo in the live version of this from Tanglewood is mildly effing insane.
He was on another plane during that solo. Absolutely amazing.
No one does horns like Chicago. Terry Kath - amazing guitar player. Drums awesome.
This is some facts!! Those horns!!!! I miss this in music today!
I"d say Tower of Power is pretty darn close as far as horns go
Your friend was right. It’s drugs. All good
I always thought Earth Wind and Fire had some awesome brass sounds too, They did tour together for a bit.
Don't forget Blood Sweat and Tears for awesome horns...
This also goes to show how amazing Peter Ceteras vocals are bc right before recording this song they were out at a bar when they got into an altercation and Peter got his jaw broken and had to have it wired shut and they couldn’t wait so they had to record it and he had to sing with a clinched jaw.
I heard he was coming out of a Dodgers game in LA when he got in a fight with a Dodger fan. The rest sounds accurate to me
@@rubroken you are right sorry for the misinformation.
@@blakelejeune368 I didn't find that out until recently. Makes his vocals all the more impressive
One of the best 70s group ever. Music still on fire. Their concerts were fabulous!
Chicago was uniquely a group of highly trained college musicians, that's why the music is impeccable. That Guitar Rift is by Terry Kath, an amazing talent who sadly passed away young. Perter Cetera was the lead singer for a long time, but they all had great vocals.
All but Kath who was self taught. But publications of the time assert that Kath was self conscious of the fact that he was not trained but the rest of the band were in awe of him and his talent.
@@user-um2rc2tx4n Glen Campbell was also self-taught and both could tear up any professional. Raw talent.
Chicago’s song “Saturday In The Park” is musically superb and lyrical almost Utopian. “It was really kind of that peace and love thing that happened in Central Park and in many parks all over the world, perhaps on a Saturday, where people just relax and enjoy each other’s presence, and the activities we observe and the feelings we get from feeling a part of a day like that.”
OMG! Now that you know what it is about, you have to listen to it again. You guys struggling to grasp the meaning of the lyrics was hysterical for some unknown reason! Made my day!
Tanglewood live concert is the deep dive. Someone has already said it, but writers block at 25 or 6 to 4am. They toured with Jimmy Hendricks. Guitarists Teryy Kath and Hendricks loved/ admired/afraid of each other. Hendricks asked Chicago to tour with his band. More Chicago please.
Supposedly this song is supposed to mean 25 or 26 mins before 4am! Not being able to sleep. At least that’s what I was told years ago! 🤷🏻♀️ Not sure if that’s true or not tho! Chicago has some CLASSICS! ❤
That's exactly what He's saying time is it 25 minutes or 26 minutes to 4 25 or 6 to 4 Trying to write a song but nothing is coming to him fucking genius
❤
This is 70s CHICAGO THE REAL THING
In an interview I saw years ago they explained they needed a song to finish the album.
This was just what was going on while they were trying to write the song. When it was finished the clock said 25 or 6 to 4
And Chicago II was (and is) awesome. It stands up to all the decades that followed. The fluidity of Terry Kath's guitar was stunning. Here is 25 or 6 to 4 at Tanglewood in 1970... czcams.com/video/Lba2g_u1Ckg/video.html
This was back before "dancers" and "set designers'. The boys just came out and played. Terry Kath in the denim shirt... I can imagine in the writing they wrote 'T. Kath amazing solo goes here'....
My impression on the song is that creativity doesn’t punch a time clock.
The creative struggle - the song reflects the frustration and pressure experienced by a writer who has reached a creative roadblock. Feverishly trying to describe "the process of writing the song that" he was working on, he looked at his watch and saw it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4 in the morning. Thus, the song's title was borne from that specific moment. This was taken from an interview with the song writer, hope it helps.
I see others have already covered that he's trying to write a song in the wee hours of the morning and has writer's block.
And yes, 25 or 6 to 4 is the time of day. 25 or 26 minutes to 4:00 am.
It never gets old hearing Terry Kath just go off in his own world with that guitar. And Don's right on the money at 11:40. Every musician in Chicago was an amazing talent, and having all of them together was wild. The more you listen to their music, the more cool things you find layered in.
Terry Kath absolutely murdered the wah for all time here.
I was a weird kid in the 90’s, growing up listening to Chicago. All my friends were listening to the radio gaga and I was like ‘have you heard Questions 67 and 68?’
The live version of this is even more outstanding. Needed to check that out first actually. Rare when the live is better.
This whole album is fire. You really should listen to the whole thing. I think it's the best album Chicago ever did. They have a deep, deep catalogue. Triple-tonguing on the trumpets, and that guitar solo is on of the best rock solo's ever. This was two LP's back in the day. One whole side was a suite called Ballet for a Girl in Buchannan which included songs that became hit singles. There must be at least 5 hit singles on this album. Color My World, Saturday in the Park, Wake Up Sunshine, and this song, 24 or 6 to Four (a time reference from before digital clocks). This album also has some of the most unique song endings ever recorded! It was really designed to be listened to as a whole.
Chicago & The Eagles are two of the most EPIC LEGENDARY BANDS ever!! My 2 dream concerts but their ticket prices are literally untouchable for me🙄😂 SO PHENOMENAL!!♥️🎶
I don't know what you mean. I just paid $49 for each for our tickets to see Chicago & EWF in an arena in southern california in september. I suppose it'd be a lot of money if you had to have super great seats, but these arenas you can hear and see them very well from anywhere. So yes, Mine are up in row N in the top section, but it's all good.The sound is good and they have the big screens. Where else are you going to see 2 legendary bands for 49 bucks a piece? Plus, they play 6 songs together on the same stage during the encore. Playing 3 EW&F and 3 Chicago songs together.
The dude is up in the middle of the night trying to write a song. He's friggin' exhausted. Through blurry eyes he looks at the clock and sees that it's either 3:25 or maybe it's just 3:24 am. Therefore it's 25 minutes (or maybe it's 26 minutes) until 4 am. So the song title should be read this way ... 25 minutes (or 26 minutes) until 4 am.
The band was formed in 1967 through the creativity of a group of DePaul University music students as a musical experiment. An interesting connection to Notre Dame University was due to the tutelage of Fr. George Wiskirchen, C.S.C., and former band director to these young players. Thus the heavy reliance on the brass instrumentation. Also the rhythms and drumming was very crisp as in marching bands. Many of their songs were written as college students and drawn from their experiences of all night cram sessions , band practices, etc... I graduated in 1977 and they were so popular, we hired a Chicago Cover band for our senior Prom. It was a smash hit!
Jimmy Hendrix use to say that Terry Kath was his favorite guitarist "Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe"." From the Wikipedia
Chicago is another rabbit hole of musical excellence to explore! You should watch a live version.
I believe it was about songwriting. A long session of group work where someone asked “what time is it?” and another squinted at the clock and said “25 or 6 to 4”
68yo here, saw them live on the 4th of July as a teen singing "Saturday In The Park". Their little known opening band was The Doobie Brothers.
Seen Chicago in the 70's ....with Earth Wind and Fire....Spectacular concert!!!
You never stop during a guitar solo, and one of the best ever at that.
He did that to the Eagles also. Don't think he realizes the importance of guitar in this music.
Or a drum solo … or a sax solo!!! Ought to be a law against that!
The late great Terry Kath. When Jimi Hendix. was asked how it feels to be the greatest guitarist ever, he said “I don’t know, ask Terry Kath.
Terry Kath absolutely filthy on this track. Check out the live version. Won't regret it. RIP big man.
As bands go they were the best of the best musicians. Best drummer, best guitarist, best horns, and great singers!
I have a story about this. I rarely saw my father. One day he picked me up and handed me this 45 (not a 🔫 lol) and said you like this band? I was like yeah, thanks. I wouldn't have cared if I hated it just the fact that he thought about me long enough to get and give it to me was good enough for me. I was about 12 and we had a very up and down relationship mostly down. About 5 years later when I was 17 we started to really work on things, like forgiveness. But, he died that same year. Here's to good old Dad. 🍻
I really dont see how this is so hard to figure out if you just listen to the words, jeez! 25 or 26 minutes till 4 AM He's trying to write words to a new song - THIS one!
I saw this group in concert Aug 2023 and they are still amazing. They put on an amazing show. The show was at 6000+ feet elevation and Neil Donell (new lead singer) held a high note sooo long we were stunned. He joked at the end of the song that he lives at sea level--so that says a lot about his vocal prowess! I'm so glad I got to see them, they are amazing in concert.
So, way back in the day my mom worked at a factory for Allied golf making golf clubs. One day a secretary my mom knows comes up to her and tells her about this band her son Peter is in and how they're going to be big. She offers my mom a free copy of the first album CTA cut, she says 'no thanks'. Of course Peter Cetera and Chicago Transit Authority (later shortened to Chicago) blows up and my mom could've had a single digit numbered first press.
From Wikipedia. " (Robert) Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o’clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35)." Although some folks have interpreted this song as a drug song too.
So the story goes that the band needed one more song to finish the album. They were working well into the night when they asked the janitor what time it was...he replied ... 25 or 6 (26) til 4am. It's a song about trying to write the last song for the album
You have to watch the entire concert that they performed at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. It's just phenomenal the whole thing. Every single tune is a banger
I appreciate that you guys don't just go to the internet to look up the song meaning. Back in the day when we didn't have internet, we were doing it just like that. We'd have to talk to our friends and figure it out on our own, often without the lyrics unless they were in the liner notes for the album, but many times they weren't. Eventually you might hear the band interviewed or read something about the song meaning but often it was just a mystery. The thing is, that never ruined the song - we just accepted it or made up our own interpretation, just like you'd do with any work of art.
She was given the nickname "Dusty" for playing football with boys in the street and was described as a tomboy. She always went home covered in dust.
Best part of music cut off, common in this genre for meaningless lyrics.😢
Chicago is amazing!! If u have ever seen the movie The Karate Kid, u are definitely familiar with the song Glory of love! They have a lot of great songs! Saturday in the Park, You're the Inspiration, Hard to say I'm sorry, If you leave me now, & Feelin stronger everyday are just a few of my favs!
You should listen to the studio recording of this song. Live versions can never duplicate the mix done in the studio and that's the way we heard it on the radio in 1970. This song was recorded in August for the self titled album "Chicago". The album was released in January 1970 and this song was released as a single in June1970. This live version is inferior to the studio recording. The band is from Chicago and was originally known as 'Chicago Transit Authority'. The CTA is the name of the mass transit system of Chicago, IL. They threatened to legal action if the band didn't cease and desist using that name, so they shortened it to 'Chicago'. The name of their debut double album is Chicago Transit Authority, recorded January 27-30, 1969 and released April 28, 1969 on the Columbia Records label. It didn't do well at first but fortunately, this during the advent of FM radio and eventually it sold 2 million copies on its initial pressing. The impact of FM radio can not be understated, it is what was directly responsible for the explosion of album sales and relegated the 45 rpm disc to a marketing tool to initiate /invigorate album sales. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of the music business.
Lamm said the song is about trying to write a song in the middle of the night. The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m., phrased as, "twenty-five or [twenty-]six [minutes] to four [o’clock]," (i.e. 03:34 or 03:35).[3][4] Because of the unique phrasing of the song's title, "25 or 6 to 4" has been interpreted to mean everything from a quantity of illicit drugs to the name of a famous person in code
This was my song the summer I turned 18. “Saturday in the park “ great song. 25 or 6 to 4, is about writers block. Trying to come up with something
Exactly. He's staring bleary-eyed at an old school clock (not digital), unable to see the exact time because he can't quite make out the position of the minute hand.
People have speculated that the song's lyrics are drug related, but this has been largely dismissed.
At the time, LSD 25 was prevalent, as was methequalone in 400 mg.(ie, qualudes). On the side of the pills was the number 624. But according to group member Robert Lamm, "the title is "just a reference to the time of day" and that "the song is about writing a song. It's not mystical." The time of day in reference is 3:35 AM (or 3:34 AM), which would then be 25 (or 26) minutes to 4 AM."
They played at my high school graduation dance (they were Chicago Transit Authority then).
WHEELING HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF "69" WHEELING ,ILLINOIS
It was 25 0r 6 minutes till 4am when they wrote the song. And that's what the song is about YW
He's pulling an all nighter trying to write a song! Check out another group from the era called Blood, Sweat & Tears. More great rock horns. Good old school stuff.
I love this song, the horns are great! I believe he's referencing the time. 25 or 26 minutes to 4, when he gets off work. Very underrated band and song!
Chicago formed at DePaul University in Chicago. They were all music majors. Chicago's Very Own ❤
Back when I was in college as a freshman in 1969, Chicago gave a free concert on campus. They were still known as Chicago Transit Authority. They were outstanding. We didn't realize how lucky we were. I agree it's about writer's block in the middle of the night: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 a.m. doesn't sound as good!😂
You NEED to watch the life performance in Tanglewood, of this song!
The Guitar solo is fire!!!
Dudes, you were so close. 25 or 26 minutes till 4 am.
This was written by Robert Lamm, who is a keyboard player and singer for Chicago. It's about trying to write a song, with the title referring to the time of day: either 3:35 a.m. (25 to 4) or 3:34 a.m. (26 to 4). Lamm explained on The Chris Isaak Hour: "I was living with a bunch of hippies up above Sunset Strip. One of the advantages of this particular house was that it was in the Hollywood Hills and I could look out over the city late at night. I wanted to try to describe the process of writing the song that I was writing. So, 'waiting for the break of day, searching for something to say, flashing lights against the sky' - there was a neon sign across the city. That song came from the fact that it was 25 or 6 to 4 a.m. in the morning when I looked at my watch - I was looking for a line to finish the chorus.
Most songs that were written, especially in the early days, whenever I got them to the band and we started rehearsing them, that's when the songs took shape - once these guys got hold of them. There was definitely a lot of raw material, I thought it was a song when I wrote the words down, I wrote the changes down and I brought the charts to rehearsal, but it wasn't really a song until they all played it."
Chicago was one of my absolute favorite bands as a teenager.
Say you're looking at the anolog clock on the wall. You can't quite tell if it's reading 3:34 or 3:35. So you would say the time is 25 or 6 to 4. 😮
The lead singer, Peter Cetera recorded this while his jaw was broken and wired shut! That is f-ing amazing!!!
No he didn’t, his jaw had been broken several months before this was recorded and the wires had been removed before they had recorded the song.
@@1BobsYourUncle Actually, on another CZcams channel, Professor of Rock, it was revealed that the recording session was set up for a time during when Cetera's jaw was wired. It was also revealed that the way he sang that day and all days after, with his teeth clenched, became his signature singing style.
Love this era of Chicago! 25 or 6 to 4 was my favorite song to play in high school pep band at basketball halftimes, lol. Lots of loud brass blasting the heck out of a small gym. Oh, and Stevie’s Sir Duke too!🎉
I agree the live version is something else, just awesome.
You hardly ever hear horns anymore? You mean you hardly ever hear REAL MUSIC anymore! That's a much more accurate statement.
Fact
Color My World is another unique Chicago song worth reacting to
I love "Colour My World". One of my favorite songs.
Should have done live version!!! Worth a check out
The guy playing the guitar is Terry Kath. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favourite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe". Peace out.
There's a kick-ass live version of this Chicago did with Earth, Wind and Fire. In fact they do several songs together in the same concert worth seeking for fans of either band.
I saw Chicago live at Shoulders Feild in Chicago In 1977. It was a great concert, I hear! LOL!!! I fell asleep during the 1st song and woke up at the end!! 😡😡😡😡 My house burned the night before waking me from a drunk night before at 4 AM!!! So I was dead beat tired!!!
I love Chicago because of the horns! That’s what got me into them as a teen. Back then I had no idea what this song was about but loved it anyway! Didn’t have any way to look up lyrics back then unless you had the album and it had the lyrics on the sleeve. I had the 45.
One of the all time great guitar solos
I love it.I played this 100 times in high school pep band, half times at basketball games. Our band director, Van Bialon was a big horn guy. This and Bill Chase with the horntastic Get it On.
See this is whats so great about this time in music history...i loved the Beatles ,Glam Rocker David Bowie, The mighty Led Zep and this Chicago! Titally different ,ALL FRICKIN COOL! Hey we all partook back thenincluding all these artists!
One of my favorite bands ever. Along with Rush, the Beatles, the Monkees, and the indigo girls. And many others lol
70s music was fun . Miss that
This was the first song I played in pep band I play tuba...I loved the bass line. And it was in reference to the time he figures he had the 'ah ha'! moment.
It's 25 or 26 minutes to 4am.....He was sitting on the floor writing this song and it was almost 4am.../chicago has many great songs,, Saturday In The Park, Hard to Say I'm sorry, If you leave me now.....and many other. I just saw them last year and it was an amazing concert...Northern Ca
The first time I heard this, at age 19 in 1970, I immediately knew it was about trying to finish writing the song before dawn, simpler times I guess✌
They have a serious catalog... Saturday in the park... check it
You HAVE to watch the Tanglewood live performance of this! Well worth it
Top ten rock song of all time. Can’t be beat. Musicianship and instrumentation top notch. You should be on headphones for this‼️ And if you listen to it ten times in a row, you still won’t be bored. Thanks for the reaction. Live at Tanglewood for the stage version.
One of the great things about great lyrics is like all great art you bring your own meanings to them to.
You guys were surprisingly close to the meaning of the song. As another commenter mentioned, it's about writer's block and being up all night trying to find inspiration for lyrics or, "searching for something to say", and, for a musician, that is their job.
They were trying to write a song it was the middle of the night and they decided to call this song 25 or 6 (26) minutes to 4 am the time they were struggling to write.
RIP Terry Kath he was a beast on guitar gone to soon 🙏💕
The band was originally "Chicago Transit Authority". It's funny how many bands have had place names, with Chicago, Boston, Kansas, and America in the 70s, Asia (featuring zero asians) and Europe in the 80s, the classic country band Alabama, and other less well-known rock bands like Missouri. Or my personal favorite, Nazareth... founded in Scotland.
Yes the Tanglewood concert version of this song is an absolute must. Would also like to mention here that there is a Russian tribute band called Leonid & Friends who started out covering Chicago's music and one of the first ones they did was 25 or 6 to 4. They did such a fantastic job of it, just playing by ear without sheet music, that even members of today's Chicago were impressed. Worth checking it out.
Great tune!
It's about writers block and he glanced at the clock and it was 25 or 26 minutes to 4am.
This song is often played by college marching bands at halftime of football games. They played it live with the Notre Dame marching band twice (2017 and again in 2019), I was there for one of them. Other hits: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is", "Saturday In The Park", "If You Leave Me Now", "Baby What a Big Surprise", "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", "You're The Inspiration". And those are just some of their hits from the 70s to the mid 80s (all Billboard charting singles and all top 10). If Led Zeppelin was the Hard Rock band of the 70s, Chicago was the Soft Rock band of the 70s.