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How Earth, Wind & Fire made its masterpiece

BBG News

By the age of 10 or 11, Lenny Kravitz, who grew up surrounded by show business in New York City, had the opportunity to witness some of the most exhilarating live music performances.

The rock star reminisces, “I’d watched the Jackson 5, I’d watched James Brown, I’d watched Miles Davis. I had seen some amazing performances. Yet, when I attended a show at the Forum in Inglewood as a novice in Los Angeles – this performance was something extraordinary! It was so profound, mystical, and entertaining that it left me absolutely astounded.

In the mid-1970s, the Forum often felt like a second home for Earth, Wind & Fire, especially after Kravitz’s mother, actor Roxie Roker, relocated her family to L.A., enabling her to star in “The Jeffersons” on TV. This iconic nine-piece R&B band, led by Maurice White, had already captivated countless crowds throughout the first half of the decade. One notable instance was the estimated 250,000 fans who witnessed them perform at the California Jam festival in 1974 at the Ontario Motor Speedway. In the studio, they also produced hits, such as their million-selling album “Head to the Sky” in 1973 and numerous top R&B chart entries like “Mighty Mighty” and “Devotion.

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However, it wasn’t until Kravitz observed — as the band was touring following their sixth album, “That’s the Way of the World” — that everything coalesced for Earth, Wind & Fire: the music, the stage performances, the charm, the attractiveness, the message.

Kravitz remarks, “I had never experienced anything quite similar before. It was an intense sensory overload. The release of that album and subsequently witnessing it live transformed my perspective on things.

50 years ago this month, the album “That’s the Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire reached its peak in terms of creativity and commercial success. This triple-platinum record was their first to take the top spot on the Billboard 200, a chart that covers all genres. The hit single “Shining Star,” which dethroned “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)” by Tony Orlando and Dawn from the Hot 100 in May of the following year, was spawned from this album. At the Grammy Awards held the next year, “Shining Star” won the award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, marking their first nomination and victory in this category.

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Before releasing “That’s the Way of the World” album, singer Philip Bailey, a key member of Earth, Wind & Fire alongside percussionist Ralph Johnson and bassist Verdine White (who continue to play together), shared that they were on a journey of self-discovery. As he put it, “We were uncovering our identity and our potential. With ‘That’s the Way of the World,’ you’re witnessing Earth, Wind & Fire at their confident best.” (Maurice White, Verdine’s older brother, passed away in 2016 at the age of 74.)

Listening to this album could significantly influence music for decades to come. Initially created as a soundtrack for a forgotten B-movie about the questionable record industry, “That’s the Way of the World” paved the way for Afrocentric elements in R&B and the emergence of the quiet storm radio format. Its soft string and horn arrangements hint at neo-soul, while its synth textures foreshadow a generation of DIY musicians working in their bedrooms. The album’s overall mood is one of cautious optimism, mirroring the progress of the Black Power movement and the end of the Vietnam War. However, playing it today brings a sense of familiarity.

Verdine White expresses that it’s both scarred yet hopeful, and this sentiment was reflected in Earth, Wind & Fire’s choice to open their performance at the FireAid concert with the calming title track from their album, which aimed to provide comfort to those affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires.

As a film enthusiast of music, I must say that beyond the opening title cut and the captivating “Shining Star,” featuring Al McKay and Johnny Graham’s masterfully crosscut guitars, and as Kravitz puts it, “one of the funkiest and most intelligent bass lines ever,” this album, “That’s the Way of the World,” truly stands out. Tracks like the rhythmic “Happy Feelin'” and the jazzy “Africano,” both graced by Maurice White on kalimba, are absolute gems. However, it’s “All About Love (First Impression),” where Larry Dunn showcases his genius on a Moog keyboard, that leaves me in awe. Its sound is so fresh and contemporary, it could easily have been recorded yesterday.

In a different phraseology, could “romantic” be an appropriate term for the song “Reasons,” given its narrative revolves around the aftermath of a one-night stand? (In his memoir published posthumously, Maurice White stated that he and Bailey wrote “Reasons” about their struggles with groupies, whom they referred to as “erection machines.”). Bailey acknowledges that many have used “Reasons” for wedding dances or to celebrate anniversaries.

As I ponder upon music, I find it to be incredibly captivating. It seems that the allure lies within the sensuality embedded in the melodies that people are drawn towards. However, when you delve deeper into its lyrics, it often becomes clear that it’s subtly suggesting a rendezvous, or as they say, a ‘booty call.’

Reflecting on the album “That’s the Way of the World,” I see it as a reflection of the band members losing their innocence. Most of them were in their early 20s at that time, with Maurice White being the exception, being a decade older than the rest.

Originally from Memphis, Maurice White spent his early years with music legends David Porter and Booker T. Jones before making a name for himself in the music industry in Chicago during the 1960s. He started as an in-house musician at Chess Records and later drummed for Ramsey Lewis’ jazz trio that leaned towards pop music. Subsequently, he established Earth, Wind & Fire in Los Angeles and released two albums on Warner Bros., although they didn’t gain much traction initially. However, after a major personnel shift, the band caught the attention of Clive Davis, who signed Earth, Wind & Fire to Columbia Records in 1972.

Davis shared with The Times that the group left him utterly amazed during their opening act for John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful. Reflecting on this initial encounter, the seasoned executive – now 92 years old – reminisces about arranging a flight for them to London, despite the expense. He explains that he did this so they could perform for Columbia Records’ marketing, sales, and promotion team during their annual convention. His intention was to allow these professionals to witness the group’s brilliance in person. As he put it, “How else could one convey their unique charm?

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Early in their career, Earth, Wind & Fire refined their unique sound on their initial three albums with Columbia Records: a fusion of funky beats and rock melodies, philosophical musings that foreshadowed self-help, and an elaborate visual aesthetic that merged psychedelia and Egyptian themes. As Jason King, dean of USC’s Thornton School of Music, notes, it’s remarkable for a band of their scale to have several albums to grow and establish themselves. However, Verdine White argues that these early works served as a foundation, preparing the audience for the release of “That’s the Way of the World.

Adds Johnson: “It was the right album at the right time with the right record company.”

To produce their album, Earth, Wind & Fire retreated to the secluded Caribou Ranch in Colorado, a location where they had previously recorded “Open Our Eyes” back in 1974 (also the site of Elton John’s 1974 album “Caribou”). As Dunn described to Red Bull Music Academy, the studio nestled within the Rocky Mountains resembled a winter paradise. The rooms were adorned with luxurious brass beds and lavish bear rugs on the floor.

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In this particular instance, Maurice White promoted his long-time friend Charles Stepney from a collaborator to a co-producer, dating back to their Chess Records days and including the “Open Our Eyes” project. The band members, including Bailey, Johnson, and Verdine White, acknowledge that Stepney significantly boosted the group’s creative output and discipline. According to Bailey in the 2001 documentary “Shining Stars,” Stepney was like a father figure within their group. Due to the intense focus during recording sessions, the band found it challenging for the singer to cope with the loss of his mother, who passed away during the production process.

Bailey mentions that she didn’t fully mourn her loss until around a year had passed, at which point, while on a flight, the weight of everything suddenly hit her.

Titled “That’s the Way of the World,” this movie was directed by Sig Shore, who had previously produced “Super Fly” in 1972. The film featured Harvey Keitel as a ruthless record executive pursuing success, and members of Earth, Wind & Fire also made appearances. Since the team behind the movie felt it might not become a timeless classic, Maurice White decided to release the soundtrack album ahead of its theater premiere. Interestingly, he subtly labeled it an “original motion picture soundtrack” on the back cover in tiny print.

“I thought that was pretty slick,” Johnson says with a laugh.

In a musical landscape teeming with R&B artists during the mid-70s, “The LP” was an instant success. Interestingly, “Shining Star” served as inspiration for Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish,” from his 1976 album “Songs in the Key of Life.” As USC’s King points out, “That’s the Way of the World” symbolizes a pinnacle of the inclusive and absorptive funk genre that characterized the era. This music resonated across various demographics while also intimately reflecting the lives of African Americans as they navigated post-civil rights America.

King stated, “This music isn’t confined or restricted. There’s an aspect for everyone to connect with, and I believe that’s one reason it’s endured as long as it has.” Despite Earth, Wind & Fire taking a break in 1984, their sound was evident in Prince’s “Adore” from 1987. Kravitz paid such heartfelt tribute to the title track in his “It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over,” released in 1991, that someone on YouTube combined the two songs flawlessly.

“First time I heard his tune,” says a grinning Verdine White, “I said, ‘OK, Lenny.’”

The song “Shining Star” has been used by many hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and the Roots in their work, while in 2004, the Recording Academy honored “That’s the Way of the World” by placing it in the Grammy Hall of Fame. This summer, you can expect to hear various tracks from the album during EWF’s performance at the Hollywood Bowl for the July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular across three nights.

In Kravitz’s own words, the acclaim they received doesn’t fully acknowledge the significant impact Earth, Wind & Fire had on him, a group that he considers instrumental in his education since their performance five decades ago at the Forum. “To me,” he says, “they are like the Beatles. There will never be another Earth, Wind & Fire – nothing even remotely similar.

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2025-03-27 13:31

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