According to Robert Lamm, "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" was the first song recorded for their debut album. The song was not released as a single until two tracks from the band's second album, "
Make Me Smile" and "
25 or 6 to 4", had become hits. It became the band's third straight Top 10 single, peaking at in the U.S. and No. 2 in Canada. Because the song straddled years in its chart run, it is not ranked on the major U.S. year-end charts. However, in Canada, where it charted higher, it is ranked as both the 59th biggest hit of 1970 and the 37th biggest hit of 1971. According to
Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer, the lyrics are about "he hurried and harried modern society as it ultimately fails to take the 'time' to appreciate anything existing outside of its insular world." The original uncut album version opens with a 1:15 free form
piano solo performed by Lamm. A spoken verse by Lamm is mixed into the sung final verse of the album version. The single version does not include the free form intro, and was originally mixed and issued in mono. A stereo re-edit (beginning from the point where the free form intro leaves off) was issued on the group's
Only the Beginning greatest hits CD set. A 2:54 shorter edit (omitting not only the opening free-form piano solo but also the subsequent varying-time-signature horn/piano dialog—therefore starting at the trumpet solo which begins the main movement—and without the spoken part) was included on the original vinyl version of
''Chicago's Greatest Hits, but was not included on the CD version. This shorter edit was included on the CD version of the compilation album
If You Leave Me Now.'' This version was used as a radio edit version. A shorter version at 2:46 (starting midway through the trumpet solo) was issued as a promotional single, which finally appeared on 2007's
The Best of Chicago: 40th Anniversary Edition. A live version on the
Chicago at Carnegie Hall box set presents an expanded version of the "free form" intro, which itself is given its own track. Various versions of the song receive
airplay; the promotional single edit is the version played on certain 'Classic Hits' stations and 1970s radio shows. For example, radio station
KKMJ plays the promo edit version on its 'Super Songs' of the 70s weekend, as does Classic Hits
KXBT. By contrast, the
True Oldies Channel plays the 3:20 single version. An AM radio station in Boston (WJIB 740 which also simulcasts in Maine as WJTO 730) plays the original vinyl
Chicago IX edit. ==Composition==