Chicago (2:52)

The song refers to both the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as well as the trial of the Chicago Eight, where protesters at the convention were charged with intent to incite a riot. The first line of the song: “So your brother’s bound and gagged, and they’ve chained him to a chair” refers to Bobby Seale, the only black defendant, who was gagged and bound to a chair in the courtroom following repeated outbursts. On Four Way Street, Nash dedicates the song to “Mayor Daley”.

The line “Won’t you please come to Chicago just to sing” refers to Nash pleading with band mates Stephen Stills and Neil Young to come to Chicago to protest the Chicago Eight trial.

CSN and CSNY still play the song live as they do with other solo material, particularly Stills’ “Love the One You’re With”. There is a live version of “Chicago” (and “Love the One You’re With”) on the live Four Way Street album.

In June, 2008, in Denver, Colorado, CSN played a slightly rewritten version of the song called “Denver”, in anticipation of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

While lyrically the song serves as an account of the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the melody of the song has striking similarities with the main theme in Duke Ellington’s 1930 hit ‘Shout ‘Em Aunt Tillie’.