Single:
Chicago entered the Australian singles chart* on 9 Aug 1971 and peaked at #51.
Album:
The song is on Songs for Beginners which entered the Australian albums chart* on 11 October 1971 and peaked at #13.
Songwriter:
Graham Nash
Producer:
Graham Nash
Record label of Australian release:
Atlantic
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Wikipedia:
Chicago is the debut solo single by English singer-songwriter Graham Nash, released in 1971 from his debut solo album Songs for Beginners.
The title and lyrics of the song refer to the anti-Vietnam War protests that took place during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the subsequent trial of the Chicago Eight, where protest leaders were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot. The first line of the song, “So your brother’s bound and gagged, and they’ve chained him to a chair”, refers to Black Panther leader Bobby Seale, the sole African-American defendant, who was gagged and chained to a chair in the courtroom following repeated outbursts in protest of rulings by Judge Julius Hoffman.
The line “Won’t you please come to Chicago just to sing?” refers to Nash pleading with bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young to come to Chicago to play a benefit concert for the Chicago 8 defence fund.
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_(Graham_Nash_song)
Lyrics:
Though your brother’s bound and gagged
And they’ve chained him to a chair
Won’t you please come to Chicago
Just to sing
Click for full lyrics
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