Dedicated to You: Don't Go Baby (The Northwest Burbs' Love Song)

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 9, 2009 3:20PM

Barrington, Hanover and Palatine townships voted to secede from Cook County Tuesday night in a non-binding advisory vote. There's been some debate as to whether this is actually feasible, and what the true motives behind the vote actually are. It's been pointed out that leaving Cook and founding a new county would be costly and burdensome to taxpayers, while supporters of the exodus argue that Cook County politicians are levying substantial taxes without delivering quality public services.

Chicagoist doesn't really like to get in the business of telling other cities what they should or shouldn't do (except occasionally for Los Angeles), but Barrington, Hanover Park and Palatine, well, maybe we've been loving you too long and we ain't gonna stop now. Make it easy on yourself and, at least as far as Cook County goes, let it be me (er, us).

You see, Palatine, we know you've got a new main squeeze, with that former linebacker from the Chicago Bears as your mayor. But Cook County has the one and only Jerry "The Ice Man" Butler. Not only is the 3rd District County Commissioner chair of the Health & Hospitals committee for the county, he also recorded on Chess Records and sang with Curtis Mayfield as part of the Impressions. And in honor of this week's 30th anniversary of his hit single, Only the Strong Survive, hitting number one on the Billboard Black Singles Chart, Chicagoist is dedicating this song to you, the voters of the northwest suburbs!