EARTH, WIND & FIRE .....favorite 5 ??

[Jazz Vinyl]

I know top 5 rankings can get a tad tiresome, but I'm dying to know some board members take on this.

After considerable anguish, here's my favorite 5 Earth, Wind & Fire songs, in no order:

Mighty Mighty

Love's Holiday

Evil

Africano

Happy Feelin'

http://stores.ebay.com/wattsjazz?refid=store

[Sundog]

It changes, but right now...

Sun Goddess

That's The Way Of The World

Serpentine Fire

Can't Hide Love

Got To Get You Into My Life (One of the best Beatles covers ever IMO)

[mjzee]

I recently ordered this from an Amazon reseller (great price):

EW&F

[Dave James]

I saw these guys years ago. Just went by myself as none of my friends were much into that kind of music. Man, the crowd was dressed to the nines. I felt like an intruder. Anyhow, my favorite EW&F tune is That's The Way Of The World, followed closely by After The Love Is Gone and Keep Your Head To The Sky . After those three, there are a bunch of good songs that all run together.

[Nate Dorward]

I guess I like "Reasons" just because of its use at a key moment in Killer of Sheep....

[JSngry]

Always:

Reasons (live or studio, they each have their own power)

That's The Way Of The World (song and album!)

Can't Hide Love

Pick Two:

Keep Your Head To The Sky

Serpentine Fire

See The Light (the intro alone is surely one of the most audacious creations in 20th century pop music!)

After The Love Is Gone (starts out like cheesy 70s ballad, then goes all left in the changes...don't try to cover this unless you got some skilled musicians aboard, either that or folks who don't mind sucking...)

Lots of interesting album cuts too...

Edited March 11, 2010 by JSngry

[Alexander]

What's wrong with you people?! "September"!

[Jazzdude]

I agree! "September," Also, "Africano," "Imagination," "Zanzibar," and "Sun Goddess".

Edited March 14, 2010 by Jazzdude

[Jazz Vinyl]

Great picks all! Thanks for chiming in, especially JSngry...who I thought would have picked some Warner Bros stuff (are you ready for a Heatwave top 5?)

At the top of their game, best overall record - All N All, right?

Thanks

http://stores.ebay.com/wattsjazz?refid=store

[JSngry]

Can't say that the WB gets to me in any buy an "interesting", embryonic way. To me, Charles Stepney's input was the final "piece of the puzzle", and to that end, best overall album for me = That's The Way Of The World or Gratitude.

But that's just me.

[Jazz Vinyl]

That's The Way, Gratitude...hard to argue with either of those choices. How sweet were those early gatefold covers with band photo centerfold, collages, picture inner sleeves Yup, those 2 records is where my love affair began.

And I always thought Gratitude was the best live record....or was it The Spinners Live or Al Jarreau Look To The Raindow?

Edited October 18, 2010 by Jazz Vinyl

[JSngry]

No, it's Gratitude.

[danasgoodstuff]

I kinda like the little sub-minute interlude with Jr. Wells that's on their box.

[Noj]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJoBYMrLt_8

[Peter Johnson]

Let's try it one time...

[Kari S]

- "In The Stone" (one of the best intros in popular music, ever - and probably my favorite EWF track of them all.)

- "Can't Hide Love" (I dig those chord progressions. Kenny Dope did a nice nu-jazz remix of it on some compilation...it was actually pretty inevitable, it suits itself for that purpose very well.)

- "Runnin" (Killer jazz funk, and again, sweet chord harmonies here as well.)

- "Fall In Love With Me" from Powerlight

- I love the bridge in "Jupiter", but if I'm only allowed to pick five, I'll throw in a curve ball: "Evolution Orange" from Raise!. "September" is definitely another favorite as well, despite how overplayed it may be. Just beautiful.

...

(As a side note, the name of my jazz sextet is an homage to that EWF tune, despite having nothing to do with their music. Link below. )

Edited November 1, 2010 by Kari S

[bigtiny]

'See the Light' - I'm surprised nobody cited this one yet -- 7/4 with an Oscar Brashear trumpet solo....into great EWandF signature sound...

'Yearnin' and Learnin'

'Reasons'

'After the Love is Gone'

bigtiny

[Dave James]

Let's try it one time...

Great video. Thanks for posting it. One pet peeve. If I never saw another audience sing-along, it would be way too soon. I've never understood what drives performers to solicit assistance from those who are least able to provide it. There's a reason you're on stage and they're not. Deal with it!

[imeanyou]

EWF were the first artists I really got into as a teenager. 'I Am' was the first vinyl album I ever bought. A few months later I bought a box set containing 'All 'n All', 'Spirit' and 'That's The Way Of The World' back when I was 16 and those 3 albums absolutely mesmerised me. Picking a top five is nigh on impossible, a top 25 would be more like it.

In no order of preference, ask me tomorrow I'd choose a different 5.

1. Can't Hide Love- incredible vocal arrangement.

2. Magic Mind- the brass kicks ass!

3. Sun Goddess- Andrew Woolfolk's Coltrane homage sax solo.

4. Boogie Wonderland- so much happening in a mere 'disco' tune. Wonderful vocal performances and listen carefully to the string arrangements, Ellingtonian in concept.

5. Runnin'-real musicians at work.

On a side note, whenever I hear 'Departure' from the 'Spirit' album I think 'Mingus'. Anybody else get that feeling?