Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: Chicago, “If You Leave Me Now”

38 years ago today, Chicago found themselves atop the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in their career with a song written and sung by bassist Peter Cetera, thereby firmly establishing him as the band’s go-to guy for romantic ballads.

Released as the second single from Chicago X (with the first being “Another Rainy Day in New York City,” another Cetera composition), “If You Leave Me Now” was the biggest hit of the band’s career up to that point, spending two weeks at #1 in the US and three weeks at #1 in the UK while also going on to top the Australian, Canadian, and Dutch charts. In addition, the song went on to win Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus, and ultimately shifted platinum-level units, which is pretty impressive for a single.

Oh, sure, we’ve heard that Rick Dees occasionally still complains about how Chicago’s first #1 came at the expense of knocking “Disco Duck (Part One”) out of the top spot, but even if that’s true, we’re quite sure that his Cast of Idiots is capable of talking him down.