Survivor | Take It Easy

For the second week running Jim has set us the task for Song Lyric Sunday of finding some music from a genre that I thought would probably mean much more to Americans than it does to us on this side of the pond. That assignment is to play something that features the ‘Chicago Sound’, though as you can see here in Jim’s post Doing It Chicago Style he defines that as just about anything to do with Chicago, so maybe I needn’t have worried about being able to play! I set out thinking that this would probably be something to do with the band Chicago Transit Authority, later shortened to simply Chicago after the threat of legal action by…yes…you guessed it…the actual real life Chicago Transit Authority. But having failed to find a page on Wikipedia entitled ‘Chicago Sound,’ apart from one relating to an album by someone I’d never heard of, I did eventually find a page that told me what this was – though it has many facets.

The standard definition is indeed the form of brass-based rock that Chicago began with, until they morphed into a middle of the road outfit. Did that mean I was only going to be able to play 25 Or 6 To 4, or possibly their overlong reworking of the Spencer Davis Group classic I’m A Man? I figured others would be playing these, and I like to try to find something different. Having perused the Wikipedia page that detailed a whole swathe of musical styles associated with that city, my memory kindly threw out a song from my teenage years which was a sort of hit here and which I’d enjoyed back then. So here is my song for this week:

And here are the lyrics:

Hey, well
I’m the friendly stranger in the black Sedan
Won’t you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy
I’m a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I’m your vehicle, baby
I’ll take you anywhere you want to go
I’m your vehicle, woman
by now I’m sure you know

That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya
Got to have you, child
Great God in Heaven, you know I love you

Well, if you wants to be a movie star
I can-a take you to Hollywood
But if you want to stay just like you are
You know, I think you really should

I’m your vehicle, baby
I’ll take you anywhere you want to go
I’m your vehicle, woman
by now I’m sure you know

That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya
Got to have you, child
Great God in Heaven, you know I love you
Oh, you know I do

Well, I’m the friendly stranger in the black Sedan
Won’t you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, candy
I’m a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star

I’m your vehicle, babe
I’ll take you anywhere you want to go
I’m your vehicle, woman
by now I’m sure you know

That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya
I got to have you
Great God in Heaven, you know I love you

And I’m your vehicle, babe, alright
You know I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya
Got to have you, child
Great God in Heaven, you know I love you

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: James M. Peterik

It’s just as well that the song repeats the fact that the guy loves the woman he is singing to, as the beginning sounds suspiciously like a kiddy fiddler on the prowl! The Ides Of March were from Chicago, and originally formed as a four piece in October 1964, going by the name of The Shon-Dels, later changing their name and adding in the brass section. This gave them their jazz-rock sound, which reached its high point in March 1970 when they released Vehicle – recorded in Chicago – as their third single. It reached #2 in the US, #3 in Canada, and #31 here in the UK. It stood out as something a little different from other chart fodder of the time, and I’ve always liked it. And it definitely qualifies them in the UK as a classic one hit wonder! It was also the title track of their debut album, released later in 1970, which got to #55 in the US and #38 in Canada but didn’t make the UK chart. The band released four albums up to 1973 before they went on an extended hiatus, returning in 1990 and are still together. Four of the original members have stayed the course throughout, including guitarist and keyboard player Jim Peterik, who wrote this song. He tells the story of it:

At the time, I was madly in love with this girl named Karen. I had a souped-up 1964 Plymouth Valiant, and she was always asking for rides. I drove her to modeling school every week. I was hoping flames would ignite—but they didn’t. I came home one day, dejected, and thought: all I am is her vehicle. And I thought: Wow! Vehicle! I came up with this song, taught it to the band, and the next thing I knew, we were recording it.

And to round that story off, Jim and Karen did eventually marry.

He used his time in the hiatus well, forming another band of whom you may have heard, an outfit called Survivor. They were very successful with hit singles and albums, but are probably mostly remembered for one song in particular, which Jim co-wrote. You’re expecting me to play it, now that I’ve mentioned it, aren’t you? Oh, go on then, have a bonus song on me: