25 or 6 to 4
| "25 or 6 to 4" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Where Do We Go From Here" |
"25 or 6 to 4" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago. To this day, it is one of the most frequently played Chicago songs on classic rock and album-oriented rock stations. It was recorded for their second album Chicago (1970) with Peter Cetera on lead vocals. The song was edited and released as a single in June of that year, climbing to number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and number seven on the UK Singles Chart. This recording features an electric guitar solo using a wah-wah pedal by Chicago guitarist Terry Kath, and has been included in numerous Chicago compilation albums.
An updated version of "25 or 6 to 4" was recorded for the 1986 album Chicago 18 with James Pankow listed as co-writer. Featuring new band member Jason Scheff on lead vocals, the single reached number 48 on the U.S. chart. This version was also used as the B-side for the band's 1988 single "What Kind Of Man Would I Be?".
Meaning
Chicago fans have long argued about the meaning of the song. When it was released, there was speculation that the lyrics were drug-related; but the same thing was said about many songs in the late 1960s and early 1970s and the rumor has been largely dismissed.[1] Lamm himself says that the title is "just a reference to the time of day," and that "the song is about writing a song. It's not mystical."[2] 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. Lamm was not above perpetuating the mythology of the song, though. In one interview, he referred to the song title as "a cricket score." However, in British rhyming slang, "6 to 4," which rhymes with "whore," is used to refer to a prostitute[3], allowing for the possibility that the title alludes to something more than he has stated.
Cover versions
This song has been covered by multiple artists, including Vince Neil, Straitjacket, Local H, Intruder, Bruce Foxton (solo, ex The Jam), The Moog Cookbook and Earth, Wind, and Fire.
In 2005 Jonathan Coulton made "When I'm 25 or 64", a mashup of "25 or 6 to 4" with "When I'm Sixty-Four" by The Beatles.[4]
References
- ^ "What does the Chicago lyric "25 or 6 to 4" mean?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
- ^ "Chicago History, Chapter VI". Official Site of Chicago the Band. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
- ^ "six-to-four". Sex-Lexis: The Language of Love, Lust, Sex and All the Many-Splendored Things in Between. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
- ^ Jonathan Coulton Blog Archive