Chicago - X (1976) Vinyl LP • Ten, Peter Cetera, If You Leave Me Now

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Condition Details:

HYPE-STICKER attached to inner-sleeve. Lyric Insert Included. Vinyl plays with occasional light-crackles; a few light clicks during the first 2 songs on side 1 (play-graded). Gate-fold cover has a few creases near edges, slight discoloration with darker discoloration spots (front/back/inner-gate); small surface abrasions (front/back); surface impression near top of front, scuffing on back. Inner-sleeve is original (chocolate designed); one seam partially split, one seam developing a split. Spine is mostly readable with wear. Shelf-wear along top-edge, heavier along bottom-edge, wear to corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. Once Or Twice
2. You Are On My Mind
3. Skin Tight
4. If You Leave Me Now
5. Together Again
6. Another Rainy Day In New York City
7. Mama Mama
8. Scrapbook
9. Gently I'll Wake You
10. You Get It Up
11. Hope For Love

About The Record:

Chicago X is the eighth studio album, and tenth album overall, by the American band Chicago. The album is notable for its soulfulness, and it ended up being a turning point in the band's career thanks to one song, If You Leave Me Now. Robert Lamm's Another Rainy Day in New York City. Terry Kath's Once or Twice and James Pankow's You Are on My Mind were strong enough to be singles, but Guercio was keen to include Peter Cetera's new composition, If You Leave Me Now, on Chicago X. Although the others really liked the song, they felt that, as a romantic ballad with strings, it was completely out of place stylistically (an observation with which most reviewers agreed) and should not be allotted a place on the album. The song was one of the very last to be completed and, according to reports, was very nearly left off the final product. Band member Walter Parazaider has been quoted as saying he heard the song on the radio while cleaning his pool and initially thought "it sounded like McCartney," not realizing it was his own band's work. However, Guercio overruled the band and included it, and when it became the band's first No. 1 hit in the US and UK, it completely changed the public's perception of Chicago, leading to more demand from Columbia Records for Cetera ballads. Lamm and Kath, in particular, were uncomfortable with this turn of events, and it led to a growing dissatisfaction with Guercio's control over the band, contributing to his impending 1977 dismissal. Chicago X was released on June 14, 1976 to a receptive audience, especially after If You Leave Me Now had become such a big worldwide hit, giving Chicago their first UK chart album in years (No. 21), though it missed No. 1 in the US, resting at No. 3. In early 1977, Chicago X would win three Grammy awards; two were for If You Leave Me Now and one for John Berg's trademark artwork, which resembled a Hershey bar this time out. They were also nominated for Album of the Year.