Earth, Wind and Fire...?

Juneau · #1 01-05-2006, 04:25 PM

Ok, so all the bands I really dig list these cats as an influence, and Im sorry to say I dont know any of their stuff (that I know of). Could you folks recomend me a good album to wet my appetite? Im looking for the funk influence here, so maybe that might help with record choice.

Thanks

(And no comments from the peanut gallery on how I should have this stuff already. I know, thats why Im asking hehe)

NJL · #2 01-05-2006, 04:29 PM

You should already have this stuff!!!!

Any "best of" is great....

Wrong Robot · #3 01-05-2006, 04:30 PM

My favorite EWF songs are:

After the Love has gone
Serpentine fire
Kalimba Story
September
Can't Hide love
Reasons

Also, the cut they did with raphael saadiq, "show me the way"

Alvaro Martín Gómez A. · #4 01-05-2006, 05:26 PM

I think that "September" is their anthem tune.

**Mark Wilson** · #5 01-05-2006, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

I think that "September" is their anthem tune.

+1

-Mark

JimK · #6 01-05-2006, 05:39 PM

First-
Stick to the pre-'85 albums(& pre-David Foster production...in spite of "After The Love Has Gone" & "Be Ever Wonderful").

When I was on the 'Buy the DEBUT album of bands I dig' trip...EW&F's debut had a little bit of a Sly & the Family Stone vibe.
The 1st couple albums also showcase some of their Chicago Free Jazz influences...long jams.

Eventually, EW&F leaned more towards a Pop/R&B/Funk vibe...
"Serpentine Fire" is very, very Funky.
Others: "Getaway", "Saturday Night", "Shining Star", "Yearnin' Learnin'"...
Some ballad-type stuff they excelled at include "That's The Way Of The World", "Can't Buy Love", etc.

Ya gotta check out their version of "Got To Get You Into My Life"!

JimK · #7 01-05-2006, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

I think that "September" is their anthem tune.

-1?

I hope not!

page · #8 01-05-2006, 08:43 PM

The song September names my birthday : " The 21st night of September" it earns coolness points just for that!

I saw them live a few years ago. Great band live. They didn't jam or anything, but they got funky. Verdine is a great bassist.

malthumb · #9 01-05-2006, 08:57 PM

Verdine White seems to think of "That's The Way Of The World" as sort of their theme song or legacy.

As NJL has said, get a best of collection. There's a 3 CD set called "The Eternal Dance". Not only does it have their earliest stuff, like "Mighty Mighty" and "Keep Your Head To The Sky", but it also has live and studio versions of a lot of their biggest hits and some alternate arrangements that had not previously been released. If you want to get original release collections, get "I Am" which includes "In The Stone", "After The Love Has Gone" and "All In All" which has a ton of their hits. One of my all time favorites is "Devotion". It's a slow tune but the bass work is wicked funky.

Peace,

James

ras1983 · #10 01-08-2006, 01:11 AM

i recommend you get their live at montreaux DVD. its from a 1997 performance and has a few songs from a 1998 performance. great band.

Juneau · #11 01-09-2006, 08:46 AM

I ended up getting "The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire" and am loving the crap out of this 2disc set. 34 songs, and I think only 2-3 of them arent my cup of tea.

Of course, I did end up knowing several of these songs, just never knew who did them. September being the blarring one. I really dug the following a lot:

Evil
Kalimba Story
Shining Star
Serpentine Fire

There are more, but Im not familiar enough with the track titles yet hehe.

Richard Lindsey · #12 01-09-2006, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juneau

I ended up getting "The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire" and am loving the crap out of this 2disc set. 34 songs, and I think only 2-3 of them arent my cup of tea.

Of course, I did end up knowing several of these songs, just never knew who did them. September being the blarring one. I really dug the following a lot:

Evil
Kalimba Story
Shining Star
Serpentine Fire

There are more, but Im not familiar enough with the track titles yet hehe.

+1. That's a great collection, and reasonably priced too. Lots of good stuff there. If I ever go to heaven, I want "In The Stone" to be playing on the chariot's sound system during the ride. (No offense to any believers meant.)

Commreman · #13 01-09-2006, 10:27 AM

EWF is great pop funk - Verdine White just grooves like crazy. Their take on "got to get you into my life" is REQUIRED listening and learning for funk! I love these guys!

d8g3jdh · #14 01-09-2006, 10:35 AM

it was the commodores who did brick house, not these guys right? ive heard both bands named for the artist to this song.

Commreman · #15 01-09-2006, 10:37 AM

The commodores did brick house.