Old Days | |
Cover: | Old Days cover.jpg |
Type: | single |
Artist: | Chicago |
Album: | Chicago VIII |
B-Side: | Hideaway |
Released: | April 1975 |
Recorded: | 1974 |
Genre: | Rock |
Length: | 3:31 |
Label: | Columbia |
Producer: | James William Guercio |
Prev Title: | Harry Truman |
Prev Year: | 1975 |
Next Title: | Brand New Love Affair |
Next Year: | 1975 |
"Old Days" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VIII (1975). It was the second single released from that album with lead vocals by Peter Cetera.[1]
Pankow has said that the song is a nostalgic piece about his childhood:
"It touches on key phrases that, although they date me, are pretty right-on in terms of images of my childhood. 'The Howdy Doody Show' on television and collecting baseball cards and comic books."[2]
Pankow told group biographer James William Ruhlmann that the group stopped performing the song live because Cetera refused to sing it, calling the lyrics "corny".[3]
Cash Box praised the "great horn work," "Danny Seraphine's fine drum parts," and Terry Kath's "great guitar licks."[4] Record World said that Chicago's "wall-to-wall sound returns, this time abetted by Pat Williams strings, on a side that's destined to be this year's 'Saturday in the Park.'" "[5]
"Old Days" reached #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Easy Listening chart.[6]
Chart (1975) | Peak position | |
---|---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) | 80 | |
Canada RPM Top Singles[7] | 6 | |
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[8] | 6 | |
New Zealand[9] | 22 | |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 | |
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 3 | |
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 6 |
Chart (1975) | Rank | |
---|---|---|
Canada [10] | 74 | |
U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual) [11] | 107 |