Treat yourself to the Tanglewood live version. You won't regret it

The original Chicago lineup was the some of the greatest musical talent ever assembled.

Early Chicago is much better than the later stuff. They knew how to rock then! Must listen to side 2 of Chicago II.

This original lineup had three great singers, Peter Cetera on this song ( bass guitar), Robert Lamm ( keyboards), and Terry Kath (guitar). Terry’s guitar work in this song still sounds original and inspired. r I p Terry Kath

"A writer looking for inspiration in the middle of the night" Exactly! ...and this is what he ended up writing!!!

If horns in rock is your thing, Chicago is your band. "Saturday in the Park", "Just You n Me", & "Feeling Stronger Every Day" are 3 of my _MANY_ favorites by them.

This studio version is a great mix and the lyrics come through loud and clear (and you are the only reactor I have seen that got it right, was up all night writing lyrics and when he looked up it was 25 or 26 to 4AM.). If I remember correctly, the bassist (peter Cetera), who is also lead vocals on this, broke his jaw a few days before the studio session and sung this with his mouth wired shut.. As great as this is you must watch Tanglewood 1970 live.. It is one of the greatest performances on you-tube. The drummer was having issues with his kit and stage hands came out.. The guitarist did want to wait and started before the rest of the band forcing the issue.. His lead on the song is awe inspiring..

Go dig up their debut album when they were known as The Chicago Transit Authority and play these two tracks: "Introduction" and "Poem 58". Guitar player Terry Kath wrote "Introduction" and sang lead vocals. He was called "The White Ray Charles" by his bandmates. Soulful baritone voice! "Poem 58" is nine minutes of PURE FUNK led by Terry Kath on guitar, Danny Seraphine on drums, and Peter Cetera on bass. Kath's guitar will have you needing an ice pack for your jaw after you pick it up from the floor! When they were "The Chicago Transit Authority", they were the house band at the Whisky a Go Go in LA. One night between sets, Jimi Hendrix, who was in the audience, went to their dressing room after catching their first set. He walked up to their sax player Walt Parazaider and said, "You guys have a horn section that sounds like one set of lungs and a guitar player that's better than me! You wanna go on the road?" They said "YEAH!". And that's how they became Hendrix's opening act on a national arena tour. The original lineup had three lead singers. You heard Peter Cetera (bass player, tenor voice) on "25 Or 6 To 4". The other two lead vocalists were Terry Kath (guitar, deep baritone vocals) and Robert Lamm (keyboards, baritone vocals).

Terry Kath was the guitarist and he unfortunately passed away but was an excellent guitar player. Some say he was very underrated, at the very least he was under appreciated.

Watch the live version at Tanglewood. Lots of energy.

Peter Cetera-bass guitar and vocals. Terry Kath- lead guitar and vocals. Robert Lamm- keyboards and vocals. Danny Seraphine- drums. James Pankow- trombone. Walter Parazaider- flute/saxophone. Lee Loughnane- Trumpet

It's about writing a song. 3 lead singers. Extreme musicians.

Chicago was THE most musical band of the post-Beatles 1970+ era. Their first few LPs were unbelievably rich, a sonic blend of rock jazz blues funk & soul, just wow!!! Later, after their 7th album, when they lost their leader, the incomparable Terry Kath, they mellowed out and were never as good. But early Chicago is legendary.

Every high school band for several generations played this rift at sporting events🎶🎶🎶

You pretty much nailed it. 25 (or 26) minutes until 4am. Before I retired, 25OR6to4 was the password for my work computer.

Terry Kath was an AMAZING guitarist!!!

This song in particular captures all the strengths of early Chicago: the songwriting of Robert Lamm, the guitar work of Terry Kath and the lead vocals of Peter Cetera.

Great band from the 70's-80's. They were a rock & roll band with horns & blended elements of classical music, jazz, R&B, & pop music. They had a lot of great songs such as "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "Beginnings", "Feelin' Stronger Everyday", "Questions 67 & 68", "I'm A Man", "If You Leave Me Now", "Hard To Say I'm Sorry", "Saturday In The Park", "Colour My World", "You're The Inspiration", "Will You Still Love Me?", "Look Away", "Old Days" etc.

The song was written before digital clocks. The big hand was in between the 25 and 26 position on the minute marks.

Check out Blood, Sweat, and Tears another "horn" band.

Check out "Introduction", the first cut from the first album (Chicago Transit Authority)...😀

One of the coolest songs ever! Hendrix loved the guitar player Terry Kath :)

You were spot on about the time reference. Being that early in the morning and being a little blurry eyed they couldn't quite see what time the clock was showing!

I was in high school in the 70’s and Chicago was just one of the great bands of that era! Enjoyed your reaction! Low bass Kenneth

Good job on figuring the song out so quickly. I was 11 when this came out, and in all my years have never seen anyone get it on their first listen. I'm sure you've already discovered that the lead singer was Peter Cetera. Another good one to check out would be "Make Me Smile", with Terry Kath (lead guitarist) on vocals. He was amazing.

If you like rock bands with horns, it pretty much started with the Beatles "Got to Get You Into My Life." Chicago started a bigger trend in jazz/rock fusion bands. You would also like Chicago's "Make Me Smile," which was a bigger hit than "25 or 6 to 4." A more jazzy version of Chicago was a band called Blood, Sweat and Tears, which had a big hit with "You Make Me So Very Happy." And there was a big one-off hit called "Vehicle" by a band called Ides of March. It's a Chicago clone, but it is a terrific song with great horns. If you like rock with horns, I recommend any of the songs I mentioned: Got to Get You Into My Life (Beatles) Make Me Smile (Chicago) You Make Me So Very Happy (Blood, Sweat and Tears) Vehicle (Ides of March)

Chicago Hall of Fame Super Group.............so many unbelievably great songs. Terry Kath amazing guitar riffs, and powerful voice. Definitely check out "Make Me Smile", "Questions 67 & 68", "Dialog Parts 1 & 2" so many ballads from the 1980s and 90s, "Hard To Say I Am Sorry", "Youre the Inspiration" "Alive Again", "Old Days" dozens and dozens of amazing songs !!!

Dear, you can almost here all there typs of music in the song "introduction". It's the first song on there first album they made. The band was named Chicago Transit Authority, however they were sued by the real CTA for using their name. I am 76 and I grew up on the great and wonderful music of the time. You had a terrific reaction. Bill.

When they first came out they were the Chicago Transit Authority. That name is trademarked so after the city contacted them they shortened it to Chicago. As I recall all of the band geeks at school loved this group!!!! They are darn good!!! I along with others wondered if this was about dope????? The band says it is NOT!!!!! They do have the wha-wha pedal going during that guitar solo!!!! Peter Cetera I think is the bassist and singer on this one. Plus he was one of the groups lead song writers........ This song was BIG for the band! As it should be. It has real drive to it!!!! I thought of another one for you lady by Chicago --- Saturday in the Park. I love the feel to that one!!!!!!! This was some of the music from my youth. I graduated high school in '73. We had wonderful vehicles and the best music!!!!! The pleasure was all ours.................... LATER

Make Me Smile, another great song of their great songs. The guitar player sings on it. So so good. So good in fact the end of the song reminds me of the end of a Western movie, where the hero rides off into the sunset. 58 years old for reference 😊.

You need to see them do this live just to watch Terry Kath play guitar...then watch cover band Leonid and Friends, a cover band from Russia, who cover them (and others) so darn well - Blood, Sweat, and Tears was also a great rock band with a horn section

Watch their Live-concert Tanglewood 1970. It is incredible.

I grew up in Chiacgo as a "child of the 80's" and Chicago the band was definitely popular through the decade. We played 25 or 6 to 4 in the "pep band" at basketball games, sang Chicago songs inthe school choirs. What a time to be alive.... ;-)

I read this quote from one of the greatest guitarists of all time; Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath (Chicago’s guitar player) as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe".

I read this from one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath (Chicago’s guitarist player) as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe". You would love this song as well. “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” Song by Chicago

It's a song about trying to write a song. The character in the song has reached a creative blockage. He's been up all night, struggling to stay awake, looking out the window, whatever... just trying to finish the song. But he has a part that he can't fit with lyrics that work. So, a common songwriting/poetry trick is to insert a nonsense phrase that reproduces the beat, the rhyme, etc. and then you work backwards to replace that with something you actually want to say. "25 or 6 to 4" _doesn't_ _mean_ _anything_ . It's just the placeholder phrase he's using while he tries to come up with lyrics that he actually wants. :)

Yep. This is what we listened to on the radio everyday. Banger after banger.

Great song! This is my favorite guitar solo. It never fails to wind me up!!

This is literally a song about writing a song in the early morning, not having much luck, being tired but wanting to continue because there's something in the idea, something that won't let go but also won't let the writer find all the right words. Like many of the early Chicago songs, 25 Or 6 To 4 has lyrics that work on more than one level. Add to that the masterful arranging and musicianship and it's not hard to see why they lasted as long as they did as a band.

"Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago" is(was, apparently) a DVD history of the band Chicago. VERY entertaining, lots of home movies, etc. available on Amazon streaming.

He wrote this song very early in the morning when he couldn't get back to sleep - they often wrote great songs about very common things (Saturday in the Park, Color My World, etc) - so they were big wen I was in high school in the early 70's - we used to play their music in stage band and at talent shows

I feel when there's reactions to these groups, especially like Chicago with so many members and talented singers, you should WATCH the group so youre not guessing at who did this or that every time! Amazing music in the '60's and 70's!!!

In the Beginning is fantastic as well. Terry was a beast on that guitar

You are missing out, you should have done the live version from Tanglewood 1970.

This song is actually a cool story. The band needed one more song for the album, and they just couldn't come up with anything. They were sitting in the studio, and one of them asked what time it was. The answer was, 25 or 6 to 4 am. What flowed from that was a description of that writing session. That was the birth of this great song. Sometimes that's just how the magic happens!

Live at Tanglewood. Only The Beginning or Make Me Smile 😊. 1970. I was 9. Definitely agree ahead of their time.

A GOAT group before and today!!! Love your reaction...today's generation trip out when they hear music we "baby boomers" grew up with (late 60s to early 80s). Chicago still touring today; their horns are among the best up there with Tower of Power and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Enjoy your journey. Hey, they're performing in Vegas...and soon again with Earth, Wind, and Fire. React to their joint 2004 concert on youtube jamming to this classic!!

Who ever thought we could be listening and appreciating music like this over 50 years from its inception? A great piece of music from a great band, glad you liked it! 🌹 Edit: I’m a man from Tanglewood 1970 is a really great follow up!

It's the ultimate song about writing a song at 3:35 or 3:34 am.

Interesting tidbit, when Peter Cetera recorded the vocal, his mouth was wired shut because he had broken his jaw.

Saturday in the Park is another horn filled song of theirs. It fabulous!

i never thought heavy rock and brass went well together but i will make an exception for this absolute classic

I'm A Man.Three different singers in one band.Drummer is fantastic.

I loved your reaction. I’m 64 years old and my brother brought home their first album when released in 1969. I was 10 years old and was a fan from the start. So, my recommendation is that you listen to the entire first album which is called Chicago Transit Authority, their original band name. The only thing you might not like is Free Form Guitar. Mostly everything else is just stellar music. I still listen to their first five albums all the time but the first one is one of my favorite albums of all time. Enjoy!

I checked out some of the music you react to, and I have to tell you somebody has to introduce you to some good music because you're a good reactor. Like maybe some Jethro Tull, Allman Brothers Band, Pink Floyd, the Doobie Brothers, all classic progressive rock that will blow your mind, there's such a long list

I think you should definitely dive into a few more of the songs from the first album. Their first release was Chicago Transit Authority, which was also the name of the band. There are some great tracks on this first album that also feature Terry Kath and Robert Lamm on lead vocals. Check out I'm A Man, South California Purples, Poem 58, Liberation and Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is. Not only does Terry Kath have an amazing soulful voice, his guitar playing was absolutely fantastic. I think you'll love this entire double album from start to finish.

This version is tame compared to the live version at Tanglewood.

It was a song written about writing a song in the wee hours. Check out Earth, Wind and Fire as they were an R&B/Soul group that crossed over onto the pop charts and also incorporated a horn section

Dig deep! You won’t be disappointed.

"Introduction" the 1st cut from the 1st album is awesome...!!!

Lead guitarist Terry Kath accidentally shot himself and died at his grandparents cabin in near Hayward, Wisconsin ,is where I was shown, when I lived there. I was lucky to see the 1988 group outdoors at the St. Paul Riverfest in Minnesota at the Mississippi river. Check out the early Chicago concert videos here on the Tube with blond Peter Cetera singing lead and playing bass guitar. That was the best years and group.

My small high school pep band sat in the gym stands and played this before rivalry basketball games. Needless to say, we got pumped up. NorCal, early 70's.

So happy you enjoyed my #2 fav band (Beatles #1of course) of all time. Their first 3 albums are their best. All 3 platinum many times over.. after that, they were just chasing money and not doing anything musically interesting anymore. 😢 You might want to check out Blood, Sweat, & Tears, which was another horn heavy, rock band.! Love your responses! ❤😊❤😊

You should watch the concert version, because the guitar solo was Terry Kath an amazing guitarist. Peter Cetera on bass and lead vocal, Robert Lamb on key boards and backing vocals. Cetera went on to sing a hit from Karate Kid 2.

R.I.P. Terry Kath. One of the greatest rock guitarists ever. peter Cetera sang the song with his jaw wired shut after a fist fight mishap. Thanks for the honest reaction.

It's always so awesome for people to hear music that appreciate music but also have no experience actually hearing music and feeling it without analyzing it. Love it. I wondered for 20 yrs what the title meant but I actually..who cares..lol

Another great band that incorporates horns is Blood Sweat & Tears. Check them out when you get a chance.

My first rock concert was Chicago at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on either Nov 30th, or Dec 1st 1977. I was eleven/sixth grade. Sadly dad didn't save the stubs. It wasn't until decades later that I found out we saw either Terry Kath's penultimate or final concert before his passing less than two months later.

You nailed it. In studio, trying to write lyrics to wrap up the album and on a deadline. There are so many songs by Chicago that you really need to experience, just in case you haven't already. Make Me Smile, Saturday in the Park, Beginnings, Feelin' Stronger Every Day, Just You 'N' Me... etc. I recommend you stick with studio versions for the 1st listen.

I enjoyed watching you react to this fantastic music that I grew up with. You really must listen to "Beginnings", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "Make Me Smile", and "Questions 67 & 68". You are in for a real treat.

You did awesome, most people can't figure that out what 25 or 6 to 4 is or means. I know what it means, but I've been listening to them for nearly 50 years!!!👌👌👍👍✌✌😁😁

You hit the meaning incredibly well for a first listen. I thought it was about drugs for years. But you nailed it- it’s about writing a song in the early morning.

To me the lyrics indicate the writer was also on something, "Should I try to do some more? Wondering how much I can take." This is the lead-in track to their 1st Greatest Hits volume, 11 songs in all. They had a lot of hits back in the '70s. 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?', 'Colour My World', 'Just You and Me', 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day', 'Make Me Smile', 'Wishing You Were Here', 'Beginnings', etc.

Love it... Great job. Okay, I'd like to change your whole world. Ya Ready? You need to dip your toes, then do a deep dive into Radiohead. I really hesitate suggesting which track for you to listen to first, but try "Creep", "Reckoner", "How To Disappear Completely", "Lucky, "Pyramid Song", "Exit Music (for a song)", "Let Down" and "Sail to The Moon." That'll get ya off to a good start. You'll never be the same

Tanglewood is a MUST, then check out Leonid and Friends tribute cover. If you think your mind is blown now, you haven't heard anything yet!!!!!!!!!

i met them. im friends with the road manager. and got backstage to meet them.

Great observations, ma'am. Yeah, when this came out, it was when the airwaves were full of Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, etc, and I remember thinking, "What is THIS?" So much talent in just one band. The 70s were definitely off to a running start, musically.

Chicago 1970s era was the top top tier. Prior Terry Kaths death. Audio only is lIke eating soup ice cold in my book. You just have to watch the amazing talent live seeing them perform. Terry Kath on guitar was one gem in a million. This song is his most recognized solo. He also sang... The rest were also top-tier. Keep going on them. They wrote their own music. No darn autotune or lip synching either. 69s70s of my youth were the filet mignon of talent. Period😊

Enjoy your new discovery, so much ahead for you. These guys and WAR were the sound of summer for the entire 70s

Like other commenters have mentioned, I would highly recommend checking out the video of their live performance of this song at Tanglewood in 1971. I also recommend checking out the cover version by the band Leonid and Friends...it is phenomenal. BTW, Chicago's guitarist, Terry Kath, was one of the most underrated guitarists in the history of rock. At an early gig, Jimi Hendrix said to the sax player "your guitarist is better than me".

High school pep band in the early 90s.. this was on regular rotation for us to play (i was lead trumpet, so basically played singers' line) and this song STILL raises goosebumps on me. Great times.

When I was a young teenager in the late 60s, Chicago was pretty controversial among my peers. We liked the sound, obviously, but...they had horns! Rock bands didn't have horns! We felt like we shouldn't like them but we did. Kids!

You figured out the meaning of the song title and the lyrics really fast! I grew up with this song in the seventies and never figured the title or lyrics out, always thought it was about a drug trip, given the times.

Caught them at Sunday Break 2 on the Steiner Ranch outside of Austin Texas in the fall of 1976. My girlfriend and I, both 16 hitch-hiked from Killen, about 70 miles. You could do that back then. The line-up was Firefall, England Dan & John Coley, The Band, Steve Miller, Chicago and Fleetwood Mac.

Like someone else suggested listen to Tanglewood, I think it was 1970, you seemed to really like the Terry Kath guitar solo you will be blown away watching this version, to me one of the greatest guitar solos you will ever hear, even the other band members were stunned listening to Terry absolutely kill it!

Psychedelic, if you get my drift.

Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 (Official Audio) Peter on bass sings this one. If you think this is good you will be blown away by the live Tanglewood 1970 version. Terry (Guitar) was on FIRE !🔥He should be at the top of the list of great guitar p[layers. Then from the Tanglewood concert get the whole 14 minute ... Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon...instead of the 3 minute cut outs. Terry is the lead singer on 2 parts and Robert (keyboard) is lead singer on the other. AND 3 sections are the horns

I recommend listening to this album Chicago II all the way thru from the beginning. I feel It was put together with that in mind. Great album.

The guitarist, Terry Kath, used to open for Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix later said he wished he was as good as Kath.

Love Chicago. I had their first audio tapes back in the 1970s when they were still the Chicago Transit Authority band. The song 25 or 6 to 4 has at least two versions, because in the 1980s, the band released a more modern version of the song and released it on the MTv channel.

Great reaction! You should listen to "make me smile"

My favorite American rock band

Back then people actually made music! 😎🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This riff from Terry Kath(guitar) shreds for the ages!

No one has ever told me the meaning of this song. However, I can tell you that when I first heard this song back in 1970, all I could think of was what we used to call a pot party. People sitting around cross legged on the floor smoking dope. That could easily explain the time of day after sitting around smoking for several hours. He says, "searching for something to say", "staring blindly into space", "getting up to wash my face", "should I try to do some more?". All of these things would fit a pot party. By the way, once when a reporter asked Jimmi Hendricks, "How does it fell to be the best guitarist in the world?", he replied, I don't know, why don't you ask Terry Kath?

The great Chicago and Peter Cetera..... they have sooooo many hits,, you are just getting started girl,

Great reaction! Can't wait to see and hear your next Chicago reaction. I'd like to suggest one of my favorites, "Colour my world "

They had a big softpop hit in the seventies, If You Leave Me Now. You my have heard that on the radio or in an elevator.

definitely agree on Tanglewood. Also, if you like brass sections try Blood Sweat and Tears or the little known "Ten Wheel Drive". Both have fabulous horn sections.

The live version Will blow u away!!