Hard Habit To Break

Album: Chicago 17 (1984)
Charted: 8 3
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, a man takes his wife/girlfriend for granted until she can't take it anymore and walks out. Now he's unable to cope with her rejection. Huey Lewis & the News had a hit the previous year with another song comparing a woman to an addiction: "I Want A New Drug." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
  • Chicago wrote most of their own songs, but they used outside writers on this one: Steve Kipner and Jon Parker. Kipner also wrote "Physical" and "Genie in a Bottle." Parker has written many songs as well as music for TV shows, including the game show Family Feud.
  • This song makes great use of two very different voices in the band: Peter Cetera sings most of the verses, while Bill Champlin comes in for the chorus ("I'm addicted to you baby!").
  • David Foster produced this and the rest of the tracks on the Chicago 17 album. Foster had a longstanding relationship with Peter Cetera; when Cetera went solo, Foster continued to work with him, co-writing Cetera's hit "Glory Of Love."

    The Foster sound was hot, but it muted the band's famous horn section, which was a point of contention in the band and a disappointment to their longtime fans who were looking for an uptempo, brassy sound and not keyboard-driven ballads.
  • Chicago were never MTV stars, but they did have a presence on the network. The video for this song was directed by Leslie Libman, who also did their clip for "You're the Inspiration."

Comments: 5

  • Mo From Mesa from Mesa, AzThis is a tough song for me to listen to, it just brings up old memories. This and Byblos are my favorites.
  • Leroy Bostic Jr. from Yardley, Pa 19067This and You're My Inspiration are two of my favorite slow songs by Chicago without downplaying the others. Great use of the talent of 2 voices.
    A correction to who's singing is, I believe that the pianist, Bill Champlin comes in on the second half of each verse, and the whole group comes in on the choruses.
    I thought that these 2 songs also made great use of the horns, especially at the end of each.
    I feel that each person in the band is a consummate musician/singer!!!!
    Also the show wit Earth Wind and Fire was terrific! Wish in one of them the amplification hadn't been problematic for EWF!
    Thanks
  • Paul from Detroit, MiTheir best song, EVER.
  • Jimmy Hughes from Frostburg, MdMike from Santa Barbara hit it on the head. That is what the song is about. Just so there is no misunderstanding this song is not about bieng addicted to drugs but rather a person.
  • Randi from Hale, MoI may only be twenty years old, but I am a HUGE Chicago fan. I LOVE this song!
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