Comments: 37

• Michael from Preston MinnesotaI’ve always liked Chicago songs. My Brother in Law would sing Chicago songs at the Top of the Rock in Rochester.
• Phileven from BostonI am pretty certain that one of the horn players was Gene Sherry, according to his daughter (a friend of mine some time ago)
• Missc from CaI know Lee Loughnane played a French horn on Chicago 16. He was more versatile than he let on, especially in his younger years. He sang backup on "If You Leave Me Now." He might have played the French horn, secretly, as other band members avoided the song. Just a guess, but I do know he could play it.
• Steve from New Jersey"Next Time I Fall" was also a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Jerry Folsom from CaI'm a French Horn player and a huge fan of the CTA since the beginning. I've tried to find out who played horn on "If You Leave Me Now" ( it wasn't Haskell.He did the string arrangements and other production help though) but no success. If anyone actually knows, I'd love to find out. If it was done in LA it's likely Vincent DeRosa or David Duke(not the Klan guy).
• Jim Cameron from HoustonThis was not a Chicago song. It was a Cetera song, with Loughnane singing the harmony part. That was the only contribution from the other band members. Band manager Guercio played the accoustic guitar.
  
  Guercio recognized the brilliance of the song and had Jim Haskell arrange a string accompaniment and add the french horns. It was all done brilliantly and recognized as such at the time.
  
  Yes Kath was not happy about the song. He had no involvement with it and wanted nothing to do with it.
• Christopher Kuntz from PittsburghIs it true that Terry Kath hated this song?
• Larry Johnson from OklahomaThe French Horns made this great song so much better..not sure this great band used the French Horns in other great songs but the French Horn makes this such an orchestral masterpiece along with the great work of Cetera and the others- "A cut above the rest"!!
• Seventhmist from 7th HeavenGreat song, but I'm sure Cetera was familiar with the lesser-known Beatles song "Things We Said Today" when he wrote it.
• David Haskell from Westlake VillageHi, I am new at this, I believe Jimmie Haskell also did the french horn parts on if you leave me now. He loved french horns and Vince Dereax i think was the main french horn player.
  
  David J. Haskell
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
  Danny Seraphine, drummer* and co-founder of the group Chicago, was saluted with an honorary street named after him at Cornelia and Normandy Avenues on the Northwest side of his home town on Saturday (May 9th, 2015)...
  * Group’s drummer from February 1967 to May 1990; and was the co-composer of "Lowdown", it peaked at #35 in 1971 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart.
• Nealk from ChicagoWe're not talking about hugely challenging parts here, but the question of who laid down the French Horn tracks is an unsolved mystery in the French Horn community. Best available info suggests that they were added in post-production, but that could have been in NYC or LA... a hornist in London claims to have played this but is not sure.... thanks for any help.
• David from Orlando, FlThis is my favorite sad song of all time! A combination of well written lyrics, a beautiful musical arrangement, and Peter Cetera's magical voice make this timeless song unforgettable. Though I can see where hard core Chicago fans may moan about the reduced emphasis of the horns that persisted through the 1980's, one factor behind this and other subsequent successes of the band (mostly additional Peter Cetera ballads) was the fans changing musical tastes. While the jazz fusion sound worked incredibly well in the early and mid 1970's, it may not have worked as well in later years with respect to the pop charts. Regardless, I practically live for these sensitive, heartfelt songs, and few work as well as this where I'm concerned. I have probably sung this song to myself more frequently than any other song in history.
• Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaThe ONLY Chicago song which STANDS OUT from the rest !
• Elliott from Franklin, TnIdk why but lately I have been playing the sadder Chicago songs on my Ipod. This is one of 'em. Guess I am just an emotional trainwreck sometime...well most of the time ):
• Tanya from La Verne, CaI will always love this song and Peter Cetera's voice.
• Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaThis song remind me of my ex-neighbours whenever they quarrelled.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyThis was their 22nd charted record and 1st No. 1...
• Troip from Wegierska Gorka, PolandHahahaha :) it's more like " I just got to have your love and care", isn't it? Hope it helps. Love this song anyway.
• Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaI wonder what was meant by "oooh mama I just got to have your lovin hair" towards the fading part of the song.
• Joe from Chicago, IlTo Markus: Stockholm, Sweden : are you deaf? Hard To Say I'm Sorry is not close to the same class as other Chicago songs such as You're The Inspiration, Look Away, 25 or 6 to 4, and Does Anybody Really Know Waht Time It Is?!
• Henry from Pawtucket, RiIt was a throw in towards the end of producing Chicago X.
• Jeff from Austin, TxI prefer Butters' version of this song.
• Tommy from Ridley, Pai can remember going to ridley north and slow dancing to this when i was a kid.. .. what a well produced song.. it had so much modern day soul...
  tom lesko american seance
• Markus from Stockholm, Swedentheir best songs came '82 and '84... "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" and "You're The Inspiration"... then of course "If You Leave Me Now" is also in the same class but hey, I mean they have made better songs since then
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI do think that later dChicago music isn't as good, but that had plenty of good songs in the 70's. I like this one but it isn't my favorite of theirs. It's nothing to be upset about. Calm down Andrew!
• Pete from Nowra, AustraliaHey Andrew ??????? you need a good orgasm !!!!!
  
  just take it easy man, take it eaaaaaaaaaaasy
• Fiona from Napier, New ZealandButters Stotch's favourite song!
• Papa Burgundy from Bridlington, Englandi preferred it when the cherry sang it
• Alex from London, EnglandAs I recall, Peter wrote this song after spending time with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys fame, hence the layered vocals and cascading strings.. and the number one hit
• Paul from Arlington, TxPeter Cetera's Music is The Greatest... PETER CETERA ALL THE WAY!!!
• Andrew from TorontoThe truth always hurts boys!
• Paul from Peterborough, EnglandPeter Cetera wrote this song about his faltering marriage. This was a plea to his wife at the time to stay. It didn't work as she promptly left him. That's a fact.
• George from Fort Worth, TxJust because you said that, Andrew, this song really is better than you!
• Paul Serrato from Arlington, TxThis Song Is Better Than YOU!!!
• Andrew from TorontoThis was the beginning of the end for this once great and innovative band after this Chicago became a vehicle for Peter Cetera to showcase his middle of the road pap and launch his solo career much like Genesis and Phil Collins but with less success.
• Charles from Charlotte, NcJim Guercio, the band's producer for their first 10 albums, played the acoustic guitar solo.

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