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Spirit (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

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Spirit
Studio album by
Earth, Wind & Fire
ReleasedSeptember 28, 1976
Recorded1976
Studio
Genre
Length36:32
LabelColumbia
ProducerMaurice White, Charles Stepney
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology
Gratitude
(1975)		 Spirit
(1976)		 All 'n All
(1977)
Singles from Spirit
  1. "Getaway"
    Released: July 7, 1976
  2. "Saturday Nite"
    Released: November 13, 1976
  3. "On Your Face"
    Released: April 6, 1977

Spirit is the seventh studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 28, 1976, by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts.[1][2][3] Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA.[4]

The band's long time collaborator Charles Stepney died in the midst of its recording sessions; Maurice White went on to mostly arrange and produce the album. The LP was entitled Spirit in dedication to Stepney.[5]

Singles

"Getaway" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.[6] The single also rose to No. 12 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Disco Action Top 30 charts.[7][8] "Saturday Nite" peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[9][10] The song also reached No. 12 on Billboard's Disco Action Top 30 chart and No. 17 on the UK Pop Singles chart.[11][12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[13]
The New York Times(favorable)[14]
PopMatters(favorable)[15]
Music Week(favorable)[16]
Village Voice(B)[17]
Blues & Soul(favorable)[18]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[19]
VibeStarStarStarStarHalf star[20]
Variety(favorable)[21]
The Record(favorable)[22]

John Abbey of Blues & Soul called Spirit "a mighty, mighty album...(displaying) the power of the nine-piece Earth Wind & Fire conglomeration."[18] Billboard found that the album's "arrangements, songs, sweet floating vocal harmonies and punching instrumental phrases are all best described as impeccable".[23] Joe McEwen of Rolling Stone exclaimed "Though most of Spirit maintains a high level of artistic competence, I find the new album to be like a bean-sprout salad — undeniably nutritious, but hardly filling."[19] Craig Werner of Vibe in a 4.5/5 review, called Spirit "one of the group's defining moments" and "gospel soul for the ages".[20] Within a 4.5/5 stars review Alex Henderson of AllMusic declared, "With That's the Way of the World having enjoyed multi-platinum success, Earth, Wind & Fire had a lot to live up to when the time came for another studio project. And the soul powerhouse didn't let anyone down (either commercially or creatively) on the outstanding Spirit."[13] Joel Vance of Stereo Review dismissed the album opining "Maybe the members of the band are sincere in their beliefs, but they come across here as a sappy group with hackneyed arrangements, fey vocals, and songs loaded with the usual hey -baby -let's -get -it -on -in -the -cosmos twaddle."[24] Robert Christgau of the The Village Voice in B-grade review remarked, "EW&F are the real black MOR...because the post-Sly and harmony-group usages they've had to master are so rich and resilient. Most of these songs are fun to listen to."[17]

Music Week proclaimed "With a more spiritual, ethereal feel than the six albums they had already cut to that point, it really marks a turning point in their career and is crammed with excellent tunes."[16] Simon Warner of PopMatters noted the album's "ear-catching repertoire...(to) confirm EW&F as a world talent, yet its shiny production and its impeccable vocal layering lacks the surprises that Open Our Eyes provides."[15] Rick Atkinson of The Record wrote "Any album that can hit the album charts, the single charts, and discos all at once is a guaranteed success.[22] John Rockwell of The New York Times declared "What is most interesting about Maurice White and his musicians... is their refusal to be locked into any stylistic format. Mr. White's record will be labeled 'disco' in some quarters, and indeed parts of if, would not sound out of place in a disco. But, generally, Earth, Wind and Fire is closer to jazz, or to jazz rock, than to the thumping formulas of disco. And yet the group isn't afraid to slip in a ballad, either."[14] Variety also found "Another solid rhythm and blues session with one of the slickest acts of the genre, Earth, Wind & Fire, which always keeps it together...A couple of instrumentals break up a lot of smooth, polished vocal instrumental trips."[21]

Isaac Hayes called Spirit one of Earth, Wind & Fire's five essential recordings.[25] Rick Atkinson of The Record placed Spirit at number 5 on his list of the top 15 albums of 1976.[22] Spirit was also nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album.[26] A song from the album called Earth, Wind and Fire was also Grammy nominated in the category of Best Instrumental Composition.[27]

Track listing

Original release

Side one[1]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Getaway"
  • Peter Cor
  • Bernard "Beloyd" Taylor
3:47
2."On Your Face"
4:34
3."Imagination"
  • Stepney
  • White
  • Bailey
5:15
4."Spirit"
3:12
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Saturday Nite"
4:03
6."Earth, Wind & Fire"
4:40
7."Departure"
  • Dunn
  • White
0:27
8."Biyo"
  • White
  • McKay
3:37
9."Burnin' Bush"Jerry Peters6:46

2001 reissue

Legacy CK 65739[5]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Getaway"
  • Cor
  • Taylor
3:47
2."On Your Face"
  • Stepney
  • White
  • Bailey
4:34
3."Imagination"
  • Stepney
  • White
  • Bailey
5:15
4."Spirit"
  • Dunn
  • White
3:12
5."Saturday Nite"
  • McKay
  • White
  • Bailey
4:03
6."Earth, Wind and Fire"
  • Scarborough
  • White
4:40
7."Departure"
  • Dunn
  • White
0:27
8."Biyo"
  • White
  • McKay
3:37
9."Burnin' Bush"Jerry Peters6:46
10."Saturday Nite (Alternate Mix)"
  • White
  • McKay
  • Bailey
4:55
11."Seraphim"
  • White
  • McKay
  • Bailey
  • Dunn
2:06
12."Imagination (Angels Mix)"
  • Stepney
  • White
  • Bailey
1:02
13."Departure (The Traveler)"
  • Dunn
  • White
3:37
14."African Symphony"
  • Dunn
  • White
1:52

Personnel

  • Maurice White – vocals, kalimba, timbales, drums, producer (original recording), audio mixing (10–14)
  • Philip Bailey – vocals, congas, percussion
  • Verdine White – vocals, bass, percussion
  • Larry Dunn – piano, keyboards, organ, Moog synthesizer
  • Jerry Peters – piano, keyboards, arranger (8–9)
  • Al McKay – guitar, percussion
  • Johnny Graham – guitar
  • Fred White – drums, percussion
  • Ralph Johnson – drums, percussion
  • Andrew Woolfolk – saxophone, percussion
  • Harvey Mason – percussion
  • Don Myrick – saxophone
  • George Bohanon – trombone, brass
  • Louis Satterfield – trombone, brass
  • Charles Loper – trombone, brass
  • Lew McCreary – bass trombone, brass
  • Oscar Brashear – trumpet, brass
  • Charles Findley – trumpet, brass
  • Michael Harris – trumpet, brass
  • Steve Madaio – trumpet, brass
  • David Duke – French horn, brass
  • Arthur Maebe – French horn, brass
  • Sidney Muldrow – French horn, brass
  • Marilyn Robinson – French horn, brass
  • Tommy Johnson – tuba, brass
  • Charles Veal – concertmaster
  • Dorothy Ashby – harp
  • Ronald Cooper – cello, strings
  • Marie Fera – cello, strings
  • Dennis Karmazyn – cello, strings
  • Harry Shlutz – cello, strings
  • Marilyn Baker – viola, strings
  • David Campbell – viola, strings
  • Denyse Buffum – viola, strings
  • Rollice Dale – viola, strings
  • James Dunham – viola, strings
  • Paul Polivnick – viola, strings
  • Lynn Subotnick – viola, strings
  • Barbara Thomason – viola, strings
  • Asa Drori – violin, strings
  • Winterton Garvey – violin, strings
  • Harris Goldman – violin, strings
  • Carl LaMagna – violin, strings
  • Joy Lyle – violin, strings
  • Sandy Seemore – violin, strings
  • Haim Shtrum – violin, strings
  • Ken Yerke – violin, strings
  • Charles Stepney – producer (original recording), arranger (1–3, 5–7)
  • Leo Sacks – producer (reissue), audio mixing (10–14)
  • Tom Tom 84 – arranger (4)
  • George Massenburg – engineer, remix
  • Paul Klingberg – audio mixing (10–14)[5]

Charts and certifications

Charts

Album
Year Chart Position
1976 US Billboard Top Soul Albums 2
US Billboard 200 2
UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums 2[28]
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ) 33[29]
Japanese Albums (Oricon) 59[30]

Year-end charts

Chart (1977) Position
U.S. Billboard Top Soul Albums[31] 11

Singles

Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1976 "Getaway/Saturday Nite" Billboard Dance Club Songs 9
"Getaway" Billboard Hot Soul Songs 1
Billboard Hot 100 12
"On Your Face" Billboard Hot Soul Songs 26
"Saturday Nite" Billboard Hot Soul Songs 4
Billboard Hot 100 21
UK Singles Chart 17
Official New Zealand Music Chart 34

Certifications

Country Award
US (RIAA) Double Platinum[4]

References

  1. Earth, Wind & Fire (1976). Spirit (album). Columbia Records.
  2. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit (Top Pop Albums)". billboard.com.
  3. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com.
  4. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". riaa.com. RIAA.
  5. Earth, Wind & Fire (2001). Spirit (Media notes) (Remastered ed.). Columbia / Legacy. CK 65739.
  6. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Getaway (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com.
  7. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Getaway (Hot 100)". billboard.com.
  8. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Getaway (Dance Club Songs)". billboard.com.
  9. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Saturday Nite (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com.
  10. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Saturday Nite (Hot 100)". billboard.com.
  11. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Saturday Nite (Dance Club Songs)". billboard.com.
  12. "Earth Wind & Fire – Full Official Chart History". officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company.
  13. Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  14. Rockwell, John (October 22, 1976). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  15. Warner, Simon (April 9, 2001). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Open Our Eyes/Spirit". PopMatters. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  16. "Product Reissues". Music Week. September 26, 2014. p. 53. ProQuest 1693679438.
  17. Christgau, Robert. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". robertchristgau.com. The Village Voice. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  18. Abbey, John (December 14, 1976). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". Blues & Soul.
  19. McEwen, Joe (December 16, 1976). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  20. Werner, Craig (March 2001). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". Vibe. Vol. 9, no. 3. p. 200.
  21. "Music Records: Harrison, EW&F, Purple, Ash, Engelbert, Foghat, Lee, Bishop, Kooper, Cliff, Kinky Top LPs". Variety. Vol. 285, no. 4. December 1976. p. 58. ProQuest 1401298805.
  22. Atkinson, Rick (December 26, 1976). "Charting the stars of '76". The Record. p. 56. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  23. Billboard's Top Picks. Vol. 88. Billboard Magazine. October 9, 1976. ISSN 0006-2510.
  24. Vance, Joel (February 1977). Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit (PDF). Vol. 38. Stereo Review. p. 94. Retrieved August 15, 2023 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  25. Hayes, Issac (July 7, 1995). Essentials: Issac Hayes on Earth, Wind & Fire. The Guardian. p. 39.
  26. "earthwindandfire.com/bio_awards". Archived from the original on March 7, 2009.
  27. "Maurice White". The Recording Academy. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  28. Top British Soul Albums. Blues & Soul. December 14, 1976.
  29. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Spirit". charts.nz. RIANZ.
  30. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  31. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2021.