Well, I didn’t start out yesterday with the intention of making it a “Chicago weekend”, but after I played Saturday In The Park yesterday, I found I wanted more Chicago!  So … I hope you guys are up for a bit more, too!

David Foster, who became one of the biggest hitmakers of the ’80s and ’90s, wrote this song with Peter Cetera and also produced the album. In working with Foster, the band made some adjustments to their sound in the interest of achieving more hits. Three members of the band were primarily horn players, and they had little to do on most of the Foster/Cetera songs.

The upside was huge, however, as the band found a new audience and was able to continue unabated for three more decades.  According to Bill Champlin, who joined the band in 1981 …

“They were unhappy with it because a lot of these tunes just didn’t call for horns. So, they were very unhappy with it, because they always saw themselves as the star of Chicago. And, at one point, when they first came out, they probably were. But, suddenly, the listeners and the fans of Chicago all listened to the singers and the guitar playing.”

Personally, I am partial to the horns, but that doesn’t keep me from liking the rest of their music, as well.

I did not know that Cetera and Foster wrote this song for Kenny Rogers. When Rogers didn’t record it, they rewrote it a bit and recorded it for Chicago.  Says Cetera …

“David Foster called me up and he said, ‘I’m in the studio with Kenny Rogers, and he would like you to write a song for him.’ And I said, ‘That’s great! As a matter of fact, I’m leaving for Italy…’ I was going to Europe for something. I don’t remember … and this was like nine o’clock in the morning. I said, ‘I’m leaving for Italy tonight around five o’clock. I’ll be there about two weeks, and I’ll call you when I come back.’ And he goes, ‘No, no, no, he means, like, now.’ (….) And so David was in the studio…and of course…you know, last minute. And so I said, ‘Alright, well you come over here right now, and we’ll see what we can do.’ So in the midst of packing, David drove out to where I was then living. And we basically, in about three hours, came up with a little chordal structure for “You’re the Inspiration,” which it wasn’t called that at the time. And we sort of made this little tape of this chord structure; I took it on the plane, and went to Italy. And, of course, lying in these beautiful baroque and marble rooms, and singing out the window…I was writing things about, ‘Michelangelo you should know, Michelangelo.’ And I came up with, oh…you’re the inspiration! So, I came back with the words, worked on this melody, and came back and presented the song. And Kenny basically didn’t have the time or didn’t want to do it. Good for me!”

This one charted at #1 in Canada, #3 in the U.S., and #14 in the UK.

You’re the Inspiration
Chicago

You know our love was meant to be
The kind of love to last forever
And I want you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know
Everywhere I go
Always on my mind
In my heart
In my soul
Baby

You’re the meaning in my life
You’re the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You’re the inspiration
Want to have you near me
I want to have you hear me saying
“No one needs you more than I need you”

And I know (And I know)
Yes I know that it’s plain to see
So in love when we’re together
Now I know (Now I know)
That I need you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know (Yes, you need to know )
Everywhere I go
You’re always on my mind
You’re in my heart
In my soul

You’re the meaning in my life
You’re the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You’re the inspiration
Want to have you near me
I want to have you hear me saying
“No one needs you more than I need you”
(No one needs you more than I)
Want to have you near me
I want to have you hear me saying
“No one needs you more than I need you”
(No one needs you more)
You’re the meaning in my life
You’re the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You’re the inspiration

When you love somebody
‘Til the end of time
When you love somebody
Always on my mind / No one needs you more than I
When you love somebody
‘Til the end of time
When you love somebody
Always on my mind / No on needs you more than I

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Peter Cetera / David Foster
You’re the Inspiration lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group