Wake Up Sunshine - Chicago (VINTAGE ALT TAKE DRUM COVER)

I have no idea why this is the ALT TAKE. I am doing my best Danny Seraphine in my “Earl way” and not trying to get every note right, but I liked it enough to keep it! More about the song!
The sun is shining today for the first time in about a month, and it’s been a while since we’ve visited a “guilty pleasure.” So it seemed like it might be a good time for this one.
In the collective minds of the music public the band Chicago has suffered the most extreme reputational pratfall in rock history, owing to its tawdry surrender to schlocky dentist office balladeering in the early ‘80’s as produced by pop kitsch-meister David Foster, and thus seemingly erasing from memory the quasi-revolutionary fusion of Terry Kath-led¹ progressive jazz-rock that marked their early career, and the shrewd songwriting, astounding instrumentation and complex arrangements enlivening so many ambitious, era-defining numbers.
Dare I say, however, this is not one of those songs.
Off the 1970 album Chicago II, the first to establish the band’s abbreviated name from its debut as Chicago Transit Authority and containing the massive hits ‘Make Me Smile’ and ’25 or 6 to 4’ (as well as the best Bar Mitzvah slow dance of all time, ‘Colour My World’), came the demonstrably less grandiose ditty, ‘Wake Up Sunshine.’ It’s a somewhat cloying, mid-tempo jingle, perhaps an unwitting precursor for some of the inglorious cheesiness to follow, and due to its failure to be included in Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits, their ubiquitous early-career anthology, this is an otherwise pretty forgettable trifle.
Except for three enduring repeated vocal lines.
Keyboardist Robert Lamm carries the tune’s lead vocals, but three times the accompaniment all drops out and bassist Peter Cetera - who somehow escaped acquiring the nickname “et” - chimes in with the mood-jarring, octave-leaping, song-saving, plaintive cry:
Can’t have you hidin’!
The first appears at just 25 seconds, then again at :52, and finally, with a little extra juice, once more at 1:49. There’s just something about Cetera’s wailing voice - amazingly, the same one that later would bring such revulsion on saccharine goop like ‘If You Leave Me Now,’ ‘You’re the Inspiration’ and ‘Hard to Say I’m Sorry’ - suddenly entering with such a zealous, high-end jolt. I picture his face bursting out from behind a curtain, a figurative That’s All Folks! for an otherwise not-too-loony tune, to deliver that curiously incongruous flare of energy, ambushing disinterested listeners readying to tune out.
Can’t have you hidin’!
Is it sung to a girl? (probably). To the literal sun? (perhaps metaphorically). Maybe it was instead a coded message: to foreshadow and welcome the barrage of putrid songs that were still to come? (very possible); or, to smug highbrow listeners (like me) compelling them to admit to the guilty pleasure of actually liking this song? (yeah, definitely thinking that one).
Well, conceal yourselves no more, sheepish fans of ‘Wake Up Sunshine,’ you know that we…
Can’t have you hidin’!
¹Many will recall that none other than Jimi Hendrix famously referred to Kath as better than him and “the best guitarist in the universe”
Equipment:
Gretsch - 8x10, 8x12, 14x14, 14x20
Noble & Cooley SS - 5x14
Zildjian - 14" Kerope, 16" A Medium Thin Crash, 18" Armand Thin Crash, 19" Armand Ride, 19" Kerope, 18" Tosco Thin China
Logic Pro X
Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2
Seventh Circle Audio Mic Pres (2- J-99, 1 N72, 1 A-12)
OH - SM 81 pr into J-99s
Snare - SM 57 into N-72
Kick - Beta 52 into A-12
Tom 1 - e604 into Presonus
Tom 2 - e604 into Presonus
Tom 3 - e604 into Presonus
Tom 4 - MD 421 into Presonus
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[@The-Tired-Drummer]

Nice job Earl, boy this one brings back fond memories, I remember playing along with the whole side of this album. The first two double albums were great, we always played I’m A Man in my early bands, in those days I could do good drum solos. 🥁🥁🥁

[@earldrum]

My childhood was filled with playing all of the first 11 Chicago albums! Chicago II was a huge influence! But I still play Chicago songs like I did when I was kid! Thanks for watching Ken!

[@charliecontrino1626]

One of the most awesome compliments i ever got was from my friends wife who said i reminded her of Danny Seraphine! Great Cover Earl!

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Charlie! That’s what my wife said to me during the first Chicago concert we saw together in NYC. In 1982 at Radio City Music Hall! I know the feeling … Danny has been a huge influence on m6 drumming.

[@charliecontrino1626]

@@earldrum Thats Awesome!

[@gregwonhoff7161]

Your drums and cymbals sound great, and that snare/cymbal fill was new to my ears as was the actual song. Thank you for this feel good tune.❤️🙏👏❤️🙏👏❤️

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Greg! I love old Chicago songs …. 😎🙏🏻🤘🏻👍🏻🥁

[@3L3V3NDRUMS]

Amazing cover my friend! Sounds great as always! That groove is cool and that rack toms are pure fire🤘🤘🤘

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Toby! I appreciate you watching my friend! 🙏🏻🤘🏻😎👍🏻🥁

[@bryandrums32]

I love this ☝️ one ☝️!!!!!!! You’re super duper awesome 👏!!!!!!! I love it 🥰,,,,,, bravo my friend,,,,, you never disappoint!!!!! Rock on brother!!!!””

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Bryan! You know I love Danny Seraphine’s drumming!

[@bryandrums32]

@@earldrum oh yeahhhh!!!!!!

[@mickeyf3730]

Great job my friend! Way cool!

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Mickey! Thanks! 🙏🏻😎🤘🏻🤘🏻🥁

[@Ds_Drums]

Excellent job Earl. Very tasteful fills and I see you broke out the Zildjians for this one. They sound great.

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback D! Yes, I used my Zildjians for this classic Chicago song! Thanks for watching my friend!

[@Phe_onix_Officiel]

❤❤🎉 j'aime !

[@earldrum]

Thanks 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🤘🏻😎

[@continumdrums2297]

Good job Earl.... no Paiste? 😄😄😄😄 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Lutz! I have a set of Zildjian and Sabian cymbals! I have been playing drums for 49 years and I have collected a lot of cymbals. But the last 10 years I have been playing mostly Paiste cymbals! Thanks for noticing!

[@jammyb90]

👍👍

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Jammy! 🙏🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎

[@jameslyons1661]

❤🥁❤️

[@earldrum]

🙏🏻😎🤘🏻👍🏻🥁

[@metzilla]

Another Chicago tune I've never heard but man ...that's cool! And wow, not sure when this was from but I'm loving the sound of the kit w/ the clear heads, ...and those Zildjians .... wow! You can really 'feel' the B20, if that makes sense! 🥁👍😎

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff! I did this in 2020. This is when I realized my 22” Kerope was not good for rock music, I used the 19” Armand Ride for this song! I eventually got that 22” Avedis Ride …. The Kerope’s are too dark and jazzy! I may have to sell them some day! 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️😎🤘🏻🙏🏻👍🏻🥁

[@metzilla]

@@earldrum agree, but that 19 you hit at the end of the song, really opened it up!! Sounded great!!! 😎🥁

[@earldrum]

@@metzilla everybody love the 19” Kerope! It’s a great cymbal …. I realize I’m a Paiste guy now 😂😂😂😂

[@metzilla]

@@earldrum it's a warm cymbal but opens up nicely with just enough high end to make it sing! Sure, be a Paiste guy, but never underestimate the buttery-ness of B20!!!!!!! 😄

[@earldrum]

@@metzilla I have a lot of B20 experience my friend! Sabian and Zildjian! It just doesn’t record as well as B8!