LP Review: That's the Way of the World
Released: 1975
LP Charts: #1 R&B (5 weeks), #1 pop (3 weeks)
Did you know this album was actually the soundtrack to a movie? I didn’t either till years after I first listened to it.
Anyways, the movie is long forgotten but the album That’s the Way of the World placed Earth, Wind & Fire into the upper echelons of pop music. They stayed up there for quite awhile. The band’s lineup remained unchanged from Open Our Eyes (B+) except the addition of Fred White as a drummer since his brother Maurice White stepped fully into the role of producer along with Charles Stepney. (Farewell Joe Wissert. Your production is no longer needed on EWF LPs.)
The album’s opening track and EWF’s first major pop hit was “Shining Star” (#1 R&B, #1 pop). The funk-rock of this catchy single is essentially an updated take on Sly & the Family Stone’s late ‘60s euphoria.
That smash abruptly ends and the heavenly smooth “That’s the Way of the World” (#5 R&B, #12 pop) immediately commences. This song has a hokey EWF message that nonetheless pierces straight through to your soul (Child is born / With a heart of gold / Way of the world / Makes his heart so cold); a fantastically understated guitar solo; supple bass work; and lush orchestration that subtly plies its work in the background. In fact, this is the first real incorporation of strings into EWF’s music.
Although the rest of the album doesn’t touch the highs of those two opening songs, we still got some really good stuff, y’all.
“Happy Feelin’” is rumbles along nicely with Verdine White’s bass and Maurice’s kalimba. “Yearnin’ Learnin’” is another funk track, but its pace is a bit more thumping and deliberate. “Africano” continues the band’s tradition of providing a pretty good instrumental on (almost) every album.
We get further orchestration on “All About Love” and “Reasons”. “All About Love” would have been much better without Maurice’s “rap” where he takes himself and his message way too seriously. The song itself is a 6/10 to me, but the rap portion (which is quite lengthy) is like a 4/10. “Reasons” is much better as the band records their first lustful song. They’d done a couple romantic love songs before, but this is the first where sex is on the mind. See, more growth from Earth, Wind & Fire!
The album ends on the slight samba-soul of “See The Light”.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
That’s the Way of the World ultimately went triple platinum and had the biggest hit (“Shining Star”) of Earth, Wind & Fire’s career. (Although other songs have arguably surpassed it in cultural influence as time goes on).
This album does rely a bit too much on its heavy hitters. For example Open Our Eyes was much more even, but this is still not an album pass up in the least. I don’t just be givin’ out B+ grades like candy on Halloween.
Song Scores
Shining Star: 8.5/10
That’s the Way of the World: 10/10
Happy Feelin’: 7.5/10
All About Love: 5/10
Yearnin’ Learnin’: 7.5/10
Reasons: 7.5/10
Africano: 7/10
See the Light: 6/10