What does Chicago's song 25 or 6 to 4 mean?
by 
Kelly Parvin
ANSWERS: 4
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The story goes that Robert Lamm woke up in the middle of the night with a melody running through his head. He quickly wrote out the music for the melody before he forgot it, and then sat there trying to come up with some words to go along with it. Since the middle of the night is NOT a great time to try and come up with lyrics, he encountered a bit of a mental block. He decided to write down the frustration of trying to think up the words to this song, and these thoughts became the lyrics to his new song. The time was "25 or 26 to 4" in the morning. This is the official explanation given by the band on several occassions. However, some people interpret the song as being the description of a drug trip - specifically LSD. Supposedly 25 is drug slang for LSD, and "6 to 4" is how long the trip would last. Drug meanings have been hidden in songs before, but the band has denied that this is the meaning they were intending.
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I always thought it referred to cocaine - $25 bag or go to work from 6 to 4. I guess we'll never know
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My friend Jim thinks this relates to the time of day and writing a song. I said it relates to drugs and 25 minutes or 6 to 4 hours being high if he drops more acid. Research supports his thoughts - but most "true sixties" stoners know it was about the drugs. Some in my group actually think it relates to eating twinkies. "Should I try to do some more" I ate 25 but it feels like only 6 to 4.
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I heard it was directions on how to get to Chicago. They started off as a California beach band called Big Thing. They couldn't sell records with the brass section in Cal. and they got a record contract in the city of Chicago. While driving to Chicago in the van, they changed the name to the band Chicago. Along the way Robert Lamm was sitting cross legged on the floor of the van trying to write new songs. He heard the driving asking as they were on Interstate 25 going through Colorado, which way do we go, 25, or highway 6 to 4?
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