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Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)

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"Chicago" is a popular song written by Fred Fisher and published in 1922. The original sheet music variously spelled the title "Todd'ling" or "Toddling." The song has been recorded by many artists, but the best-known versions are by Frank Sinatra, Ben Selvin and Judy Garland. The song alludes to the city's colorful past, feigning "... the surprise of my life / I saw a man dancing with his own wife", mentioning evangelist Billy Sunday as having not been able to "shut down" the city, and State Street where "they do things they don't do on Broadway".

Sheet music for "Chicago" featuring Blossom Seeley (1922)
"Chicago"
Single by Frank Sinatra
A-side"All the Way"
ReleasedOctober 1957
Recorded1957
GenreVocal jazz, swing, traditional pop
Length2:10
LabelCapitol Records
Songwriter(s)Fred Fisher
Producer(s)Nelson Riddle
Frank Sinatra singles chronology
"You're Cheatin' Yourself (If You're Cheatin' on Me)"
(1957) 		"Chicago"
(1957) 		"Witchcraft"
(1958)
"Chicago"
Single by Sergio Franchi
Released1964 (1964)
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Fred Fisher
RCA Victor release number 47-8315

The song made a minor appearance on the U.S. pop charts, reaching #84 in the fall of 1957.[1] It was the first of two charting songs about Chicago recorded by Sinatra. The other was "My Kind of Town" from 1964, which reached U.S. #110.

Lyrics

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As with many similar songs, the lyrics have undergone a number of reworkings. The original third verse included the lines, "More Colored people up in State Street you can see,/ Than you'll see in Louisiana or Tennessee" and makes reference to the Chicago Stockyards. Later recordings have a number of replacements: Of all versions, Judy Garland's 1961 Judy at Carnegie Hall concert recording contains more references than most: Marshall Field's department store, the Drake Hotel, the Chicago Loop, The Pump Room at the Ambassador East hotel, and even Mrs O'Leary's Cow.

Chart history

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Chart (1957) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart (OCC) 21
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] 84
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [3] 45

Film appearances

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Recorded versions

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Live covers

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  • Green Day during a concert at Chicago's United Center on July 13, 2009
  • Sergio Franchi recorded this song in Italian during his concert in 1965 for RCA Victor, Live at The Coconut Grove
  • CM Punk at the end of the 27 June 2011 edition of Monday Night Raw

References

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  1. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  2. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  3. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 19, 1957". Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  4. ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  5. ^ The Capitol Years box set liner notes, 1990, p. 39.
  6. ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  7. ^ "The Georgians". redhotjazz.com. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  8. ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: John J. Serry Sr. Collection "John Serry Sextette" Audio recording for RCA Thesaurus of arrangements and performances by John Serry at the RCA Victor Studios in 1954 p. 18-19 The John J. Serry Sr. Collection archived at the University of Rochester
  9. ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester - Sibley Music Library: John J. Serry Sr. Collection "John Serry Sextette" audio recording for RCA Thesaurus of arrangements and performances by John Serry at the RCA Victor Sudios in 1954 p. 18 The John J. Serry Sr. Collection archived at the University of Rochester
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