(I've Been) Searchin' So Long

{{Infobox song

| name = (I've Been) Searchin' So Long

| cover = I've Been Searchin' So Long cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Chicago

| album = Chicago VII

| B-side = Byblos

| released = February 1974

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Soft rock

| length = 4:29
4:19 (7" version)

| label = Columbia

| writer = James Pankow

| producer = James William Guercio

| prev_title = Just You 'n' Me

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Call on Me

| next_year = 1974

}}

"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974). The first single released from that album, it reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|title=Chicago Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chicago-mn0000110161/awards|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2012-08-17}} It also hit number 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number 5.

Background

Cash Box said that "this dreamy, progressive ballad [is] reminiscent of...Yes and the Beach Boys with that definite patented Chicago drive," and also praised the "sensitive musical execution and slowly intensifying vocals."{{cite news|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=March 9, 1974|page=26|accessdate=2021-12-11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-03-09.pdf|newspaper=Cash Box}}

Personnel

Peter Cetera – lead vocals, bass guitar, fretless bass
Robert Lamm – Fender Rhodes electric piano, Minimoog synthesizer, backing vocals
Terry Kath – phased/fuzzed wah-wah electric guitar, backing vocals
Danny Seraphine – drums
Lee Loughnane – trumpet, backing vocals
James Pankow – trombone, percussion, backing vocals
Walter Parazaider – tenor saxophone

;Additional Personnel

Chart performance

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1974) ! Peak position
Australia Kent Music Report \| style="text-align:center;"\|44
Canada RPM Top Singles{{Cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5034a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5034a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5034a\|title=Image : RPM Weekly\|website=Library and Archives Canada \|date=17 July 2013}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|5
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5045&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5045.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5045 \|title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada \|website=Bac-lac.gc.ca \|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=2016-10-09}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|16
U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - {{ISBN\|0-89820-089-X}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|9
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening{{cite book \|title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001\|last=Whitburn \|first=Joel \|authorlink=Joel Whitburn \|year=2002 \|publisher=Record Research \|page=54}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|8
align="left"\|U.S. Cash Box Top 100[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19740601.html CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending June 1, 1974], tropicalglen.com \| style="text-align:center;"\|7

class="wikitable sortable"

Chart (1974)

! Peak
position

Australia Kent Music Report

| style="text-align:center;"|44

Canada RPM Top Singles{{Cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5034a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5034a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5034a|title=Image : RPM Weekly|website=Library and Archives Canada |date=17 July 2013}}

| style="text-align:center;"|5

Canada RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5045&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5045.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5045 |title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada |website=Bac-lac.gc.ca |date=17 July 2013 |access-date=2016-10-09}}

| style="text-align:center;"|16

U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}

| style="text-align:center;"|9

U.S. Billboard Easy Listening{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=54}}

| style="text-align:center;"|8

align="left"|U.S. Cash Box Top 100[http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19740601.html CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending June 1, 1974], tropicalglen.com

| style="text-align:center;"|7

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1974) ! Rank
Canada RPM Top Singles{{Cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3893a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3893a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3893a\|title=Image : RPM Weekly\|website=Library and Archives Canada \|date=17 July 2013}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|76
U.S. Billboard Hot 100"Top Pop Singles" Billboard December 28, 1974: Talent in Action-8 \| style="text-align:center;"\|73

class="wikitable sortable"

Chart (1974)

! Rank

Canada RPM Top Singles{{Cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3893a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3893a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3893a|title=Image : RPM Weekly|website=Library and Archives Canada |date=17 July 2013}}

| style="text-align:center;"|76

U.S. Billboard Hot 100"Top Pop Singles" Billboard December 28, 1974: Talent in Action-8

| style="text-align:center;"|73

References

Category:1974 singles

Category:Chicago (band) songs

Category:Songs written by James Pankow

Category:Song recordings produced by James William Guercio

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:1974 songs