# 25 or 6 to 4 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558 "2003-06-22T07:25:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/1 "2003-06-22T07:25:36Z")
What is the literal meaning of “25 or 6 to 4” in the Chicago song of the same name? I assume it is some sort of drug referance, if not please quote sources. ---
**Author:** ![Winsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Winsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winsling)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/2 "2003-06-22T07:29:00Z")
Seems to be a song about writing a song. This [web site](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m25or6to4.html) good enough for you? Hal ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/3 "2003-06-22T07:29:37Z")
From what I’ve heard it’s a reference to time. “What time is it?” “25 or 6 to 4” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/4 "2003-06-22T09:58:42Z")
Off to Cafe Society. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/5 "2003-06-22T10:02:55Z")
It’s either 3:34 or 3:35, and I guess there’s no time to check a clock to find out which it is. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/6 "2003-06-22T12:35:54Z")
The **Staff** speaks: [What does the Chicago lyric “25 or 6 to 4” mean?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/m25or6to4.html) ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/7 "2003-06-22T13:30:13Z")
Yes, but… …does anybody _really_ know what time it is? Does anybody _really_ care??? 😃 [BTW isn’t this like the 547th time this question has been asked?] ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/8 "2003-06-22T14:10:43Z")
> [@](#): > > [BTW isn’t this like the 547th time this question has been asked?] Yeah, but just try to put “25 or 6 to 4” in the search function. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-or-6-to-4/183558/9 "2003-06-22T22:39:57Z")
This reminds me of an amusing little math quirk. Take any number, multiply the numbers before and after it together and it comes out to one less than the square of the number. 5x5=(6x4)+1