Saturday in the Park (song)
Encyclopedia
"Saturday in the Park" is a song written by Robert Lamm
and recorded by the group Chicago
for their 1972 album Chicago V
, with Lamm on piano and lead vocals and Peter Cetera
on bass and backing vocals. The single version hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming the band's highest-charting single to date and helping lift the album to #1 on the charts. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA.
According to fellow Chicago member Walter Parazaider
, Lamm was inspired to write the song during the recording of V in New York City
on July 4, 1971:
The line "singing Italian songs" is followed by Italian-sounding nonsense words, rendered in the printed lyrics as "?". Piano/guitar/vocal sheet music arrangements have often read "improvised Italian lyrics" in parentheses after this line.
"Saturday in the Park" has also been used in a popular commercial in Japan, advertising a marketing campaign known as "Parkhouse"
The song is played at Saturday afternoon baseball games at Wrigley Field
in Chicago, Yankee Stadium
in New York, and Coors Field
in Denver.
Robert Lamm
Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
and recorded by the group 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...
for their 1972 album Chicago V
Chicago V
Chicago V is the fourth studio album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1972. It is notable for being the group's first single full-length release, after having released three consecutive double albums and a box set of live material.-History:Following the release of Chicago III in...
, with Lamm on piano and lead vocals and Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
on bass and backing vocals. The single version hit #3 on the 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...
, becoming the band's highest-charting single to date and helping lift the album to #1 on the charts. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA.
According to fellow Chicago member Walter Parazaider
Walter Parazaider
Walter Parazaider is best known for being a founding member and saxophone player for the rock band Chicago. He also plays the flute and other woodwind instruments in the band, including clarinet. On the hit "You're Not Alone," he played backing rhythm guitar.Parazaider began playing the clarinet...
, Lamm was inspired to write the song during the recording of V in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on July 4, 1971:
- "Robert came back to the hotel from Central ParkCentral ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
very excited after seeing the steel drum players, singers, dancers, and jugglers. I said, 'Man, it's time to put music to this!'"
The line "singing Italian songs" is followed by Italian-sounding nonsense words, rendered in the printed lyrics as "?". Piano/guitar/vocal sheet music arrangements have often read "improvised Italian lyrics" in parentheses after this line.
"Saturday in the Park" has also been used in a popular commercial in Japan, advertising a marketing campaign known as "Parkhouse"
The song is played at Saturday afternoon baseball games at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in Chicago, Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
in New York, and Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
in Denver.