25 or 6 to 4
25 Or 6 To 4 By Robert Lamm of the Band “Chicago”
Waiting for the break of day
Searching for something to say
Flashing lights against the sky
Giving up I close my eyes
Sitting cross-legged on the floor
25 or 6 to 4
Staring blindly into space
Getting up to splash my face
Wanting just to stay awake
Wondering how much I can take
Should I try to do some more
25 or 6 to 4
Feeling like I ought to sleep
Spinning room is sinking deep
Searching for something to say
Waiting for the break of day
25 or 6 to 4
25 or 6 to 4
Early Morning Wakeup
My alarm was set for 3:34 am last Saturday morning. I was headed to 360 Chicago, the observation deck atop the 100 story 875 North Michigan Avenue building (formerly known as the John Hancock Center). The deck was opening at 4:30 am to a limited number of photographers with tripods.
I realized I woke up at the same time as Chicago’s hit song, “25 or 6 to 4.” Written by founding member Robert Lamm, it was recorded in 1969 for their second album. Sung by lead vocalist Peter Cetera, the double album was released in January 1970. Edited and released as a single in June, it climbed to number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the band's first song to reach the top five in the US.
I just about wore out my copy of that album. And for years I speculated about the meaning of 25 or 6 to 4. In case you weren’t around in the 60s and 70s, finding hidden messages and double meanings in rock lyrics was rampant. Think Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, for example. "25 or 6 to 4" could have meant anything from a quantity of illicit drugs to the name of a famous person in code.
Mystery Solved
It wasn’t until 2013 that an interview cleared things up. Lamm said “The song is about writing a song. It’s not mystical.” The song's title is the time at which the song is set: 25 or 26 minutes before 4 AM.
Looking at the lyrics, many of same thoughts crossed my mind during the countless “all-nighters” in medical school, residency, and moonlighting. And it seemed to apply to my photographic early wake-ups.
The Shot
I arrived about 4:40 am and walked into a dark and silent 360 Chicago with about 25 other photographers. I set up looking South and waited for some sunrise color. There was a band of color on the horizon, but the hoped-for light show never materialized.
This shot was my favorite, taken around 5 am. I spent the next hour wandering around and admiring the view before heading back to Naperville and home.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck