[8] According to fellow Chicago member Walter Parazaider, Lamm was inspired to write the song during the recording of Chicago III in New York City on Saturday, July 4, 1970:[9] Robert came back to the hotel from Central Park very excited after seeing the steel drum players, singers, dancers, and jugglers.

However, Lamm recalls the story differently, as he told Billboard magazine:[10] It was written as I was looking at footage from a film I shot in Central Park, over a couple of years, back in the early ‘70s.

Piano, guitar, and vocal sheet music arrangements have often read "improvised Italian lyrics" in parentheses after this line.

Cash Box said that "The hornrockers paint a scene of inner city greenery that's sure to grow to Top 10 by summer's end.

"[11] Record World called it "a medium-paced rocker with an appropriately summery feel" and with "crisp, tight instrumental arrangements".