Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon
Encyclopedia
"Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" (aka "The Ballet" and "Make Me Smile Medley"), a nearly thirteen-minute song cycle
/suite from Chicago
's 1970 album Chicago II, was the group's first attempt at a long-format multi-part work.
It was composed by James Pankow
, who got the inspiration to write the "Ballet" from his love of long classical music song cycles. The Buchannon in the title is actually a misspelling of Buckhannon, West Virginia
.
"Ballet" takes up three-quarters of side two of Chicago II and consists of seven tracks, three of which are instrumentals:
The final track, "Now More Than Ever," is a single-verse reprise of the suite's opening song, "Make Me Smile." The vocal songs within the suite can be viewed as telling the story of a man searching for a far away lost love and attempting to rekindle the love they had shared. Two of these songs reached the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
: a single edit of "Make Me Smile (/Now More Than Ever)" (#9, 1970) and "Colour My World" (#7, 1971).
The suite was recorded as a single track, titled "The Ballet," on their album Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
in 1999. The version on the 2005 DVD Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire — Live at the Greek Theatre
is called "Make Me Smile Medley," named after the suite's opening song.
In some live concerts Chicago ended the first set with the "Ballet." The last long chord of "Now More Than Ever" often elicited a standing ovation from the audience.
Song cycle
A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...
/suite from Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
's 1970 album Chicago II, was the group's first attempt at a long-format multi-part work.
It was composed by James Pankow
James Pankow
James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
, who got the inspiration to write the "Ballet" from his love of long classical music song cycles. The Buchannon in the title is actually a misspelling of Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival,...
.
"Ballet" takes up three-quarters of side two of Chicago II and consists of seven tracks, three of which are instrumentals:
-
- "Make Me SmileMake Me Smile"Make Me Smile" is a song written by James Pankow for the rock band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...
" - "So Much to Say, So Much to Give"
- "Anxiety's Moment" (instrumental)
- "West Virginia Fantasies" (instrumental)
- "Colour My WorldColour My World (Chicago song)"Colour My World" is a song written by American musician James Pankow, one of the founding members of the rock/jazz fusion band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...
" - "To Be Free" (instrumental)
- "Now More Than Ever"
- "Make Me Smile
The final track, "Now More Than Ever," is a single-verse reprise of the suite's opening song, "Make Me Smile." The vocal songs within the suite can be viewed as telling the story of a man searching for a far away lost love and attempting to rekindle the love they had shared. Two of these songs reached the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
: a single edit of "Make Me Smile (/Now More Than Ever)" (#9, 1970) and "Colour My World" (#7, 1971).
The suite was recorded as a single track, titled "The Ballet," on their album Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert is an album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1999. Their second live album to be released in the US, it was Chicago's first of the sort since 1971's Chicago at Carnegie Hall and 1972's "Chicago Live In Japan", though the band had released commercial...
in 1999. The version on the 2005 DVD Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire — Live at the Greek Theatre
Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire - Live at the Greek Theatre
Chicago & Earth, Wind & Fire - Live at the Greek Theatre is a live concert DVD by American bands Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire. The recording was made at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California at the end of their joint tour in 2004...
is called "Make Me Smile Medley," named after the suite's opening song.
In some live concerts Chicago ended the first set with the "Ballet." The last long chord of "Now More Than Ever" often elicited a standing ovation from the audience.