Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon

{{Infobox song

| name = Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = Chicago

| album = Chicago

| released = January 26, 1970

| format =

| recorded = August 1969

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Jazz rock, soft rock, progressive rock

| length = 12:55

| label = Columbia Records

| writer = James Pankow

| producer = James William Guercio

}}

"Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" {{sic}}, also known as "The Ballet" and "Make Me Smile Medley", is a nearly thirteen-minute mini-rock opera/song cycle/suite from Chicago's 1970 album Chicago (also called Chicago II). It was the group's first attempt at a long-format multi-part work.

It was composed by James Pankow, who got the inspiration to write the "Ballet" from his love of long classical music song cycles. According to a May 2018 interview with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, the songs were written in an attempt to win back his ex-fiancee, Terrie Heisler,[https://www.mybuckhannon.com/city-celebrates-72nd-birthday-of-chicagos-legendary-trombonist-jimmy-pankow/ City celebrates 72nd birthday of Chicago’s legendary trombonist, Jimmy Pankow] who was at the time attending West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia.{{cite news |last1=Lynch |first1=Bill |title=Chicago horn player talks about touring with Jimi and a special song with a WV connection |url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/arts_and_entertainment/music/chicago-horn-player-talks-about-touring-with-jimi-and-a/article_c13220c1-2a82-55e7-93ee-29de9bb000d1.html |accessdate=December 30, 2018 |work=Charleston Gazette-Mail |date=May 16, 2018}}

"Ballet" takes up most of side two of Chicago and consists of seven tracks, three of which are instrumentals:

:# "Make Me Smile" (Lead vocal by Terry Kath)

:# "So Much to Say, So Much to Give" (Lead vocal by Robert Lamm)

:# "Anxiety's Moment" (Instrumental)

:# "West Virginia Fantasies" (Instrumental)

:# "Colour My World" (Lead vocal by Terry Kath)

:# "To Be Free" (Instrumental)

:# "Now More Than Ever" (Lead vocal by Terry Kath)

The final track, "Now More Than Ever," is a single-verse reprise of the suite's opening song, "Make Me Smile." The vocal songs within the suite can be viewed as telling the story of a man searching for a far away lost love and attempting to rekindle the love they had shared. Two of these songs reached the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100: a single edit of "Make Me Smile (/Now More Than Ever)" (#9, 1970) and "Colour My World" (#7, 1971).

The instrumental movement "West Virginia Fantasies" incorporates instrumental counterpoint extensively between the horns, guitar, and keyboards, exemplifying Chicago's skill at composing and arranging complex pieces.

The suite was recorded as a single track, titled "The Ballet," on their album Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert in 1999. The version on the 2005 DVD Chicago & Earth, Wind & Fire — Live at the Greek Theatre is called "Make Me Smile Medley," named after the suite's opening song.