25 or 6 to 4

"25 or 6 to 4"
Song
B-side	"Where Do We Go From Here"

"25 or 6 to 4" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago. It was recorded for their second album Chicago (1970) with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. The song was edited and released as a single in June of that year, climbing to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. This recording features a guitar solo by Chicago guitarist Terry Kath, and has been included in numerous Chicago compilation albums.

An updated version of "25 or 6 to 4" was recorded for the 1986 album Chicago 18 with James Pankow listed as co-writer. Featuring new band member Jason Scheff on lead vocals, the single reached only #48 on the U.S. chart.

Meaning

Chicago fans have long argued about the real meaning of the song. Lamm himself says that the title is "just a reference to the time of day", and that "the song is about writing a song. It's not mystical" . The lyrics "Waiting for the break of day" suggest that the title refers to 3:54 a.m. (6 minutes to 4) or, alternatively, 3:35 or 3:34 a.m. (as in 25 or 26 minutes to 4).

Others speculate that the song is about a choice between the real world represented by the "break of day" (6 to 4) or the illusionary world created by taking drugs ("Should I try to do some more"), specifically LSD since "25" is often used as a slang term for LSD-25; hence the title "25 or 6 to 4".