What do the lyrics "25 or 6 to 4" mean? By Chicago
Chicago fans have long argued about the meaning of the song. When it was released, there was speculation that the lyrics were drug-related; but the same thing was said about many songs in the late 1960s and early 1970s and the rumor has been largely dismissed. 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 time of day in reference is 3:35 AM (or 3:34 AM), which would then be 25 (or 26) minutes to 4 AM. Lamm was not above perpetuating the mythology of the song, though. In one interview, he referred to the song title as "a cricket score." However many still believe that the lyrics clearly describe a psychedelic drug experience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25_or_6_to_4
I heard an interview myself on the radio with John DeBella. It was said the lyrics came about simply from frustration of staying up all night trying to write a song. After being tired, and looking at a clock, the song was born.