"Sing a Song" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire | ||||
from the album Gratitude | ||||
B-side | "Sing a Song (Instrumental)" | |||
Released | November 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | R&B, soul, funk, disco | |||
Length | 3:26 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Maurice White, Al McKay | |||
Producer(s) | Maurice White, Charles Stepney | |||
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Sing a Song" on YouTube |
"Sing a Song" is a song recorded by R&B/funk band, Earth, Wind & Fire, which was issued as a single in November 1975 on Columbia Records. [1] The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. [2] [3]
"Sing a Song" spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart. [2] The song was composed by Maurice White with Al McKay and produced by White and Charles Stepney. An instrumental version of Sing a Song was the b-side of the single. Sing a Song also came off the band's 1975 album, Gratitude . [1]
Record World said that "With vocal parlays reminiscent of early Sly & the Family Stone and a horn section that is as tight as Chicago's, the group should soon be back on top.'" [4]
"Sing a Song" was covered by the gospel group Point of Grace on their 1996 album, Life Love & Other Mysteries and jazz guitarist Richard Smith on his 2003 album SOuLIDIFIED. Take 6 also covered the song on their 1996 album, Brothers . [5] [6] [7]
"Sing a Song" was sampled by Beyoncé on the track "Hey Goldmember" from the soundtrack to the 2002 feature film Austin Powers in Goldmember . [7]
"Sing a Song" appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 feature film The Color of Friendship . [8] The song was also featured on the soundtrack to the 2003 feature film Something's Gotta Give . [9]
Chart (1975–1976) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles [2] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [3] | 5 |
Belgian Singles (Ultratop 50 Singles) [10] | 24 |
Canada RPM Top Singles | 13 |
Dutch Singles (Dutch Single Top 100) [11] | 19 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [12] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Anthony Neal, Mark. "Earth, Wind & Fire: The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire". popmatters.com. PopMatters.
The Emotions are an American soul/R&B vocal group from Chicago. The group started out in gospel music but transitioned into R&B and disco music. The Emotions were named by VH1 as one of the 18 most influential girl groups of all time.
Maurice White was an American singer, band leader, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter, and producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and served as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
That's the Way of the World is the sixth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on March 15, 1975, by Columbia Records. It was also the soundtrack for a 1975 motion picture of the same name. The album rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. That's the Way of the World has also been certified Triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA. In 2002, the band released live version of the album, recorded in 1975 – That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75.
Philip James Bailey is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.
Gratitude is a double live album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, issued in November 1975 by Columbia Records. The album spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and three weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Gratitude has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
"Shining Star" is a song by Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in January 1975 on Columbia Records. The song rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart, becoming their first single to top both charts. It has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
"Fantasy" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, which was issued as a single in 1978 by Columbia Records.
"Getaway" is a single by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire released in 1976 on Columbia Records. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Getaway" also peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Dance Singles charts. A remixed version also appears on the soundtrack for Gran Turismo 4.
"Serpentine Fire" is a single by Earth, Wind & Fire which was issued in October 1977 by Columbia Records. The single rose to numbers 1 and 13 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively.
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 is the first greatest hits album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire issued in 1978 by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 3 & 6 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums and Billboard 200 charts respectively. The album has been certified Quintuple Platinum in the US by the RIAA, as well as Platinum in the UK and Canada, by the BPI and Music Canada, respectively.
"That's the Way of the World" is a song recorded by the band Earth, Wind & Fire, released as a single in June 1975 on Columbia Records. The song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"You Can't Hide Love" is a single by soul group Creative Source released in 1973 on Sussex Records. The song reached No. 48 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
"Saturday Nite" is a song by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire which was issued as a single in 1976 by Columbia Records. The song reached numbers 4 and 21 on Billboard Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively. "Saturday Nite" also rose to No. 17 on the UK Singles chart - their first hit in the United Kingdom.
"System of Survival" is a song by the band Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in October 1987 on Columbia Records. The single reached number one on both the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart and Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. "System of Survival" also reached No. 9 on the New Zealand Pop Singles chart, No. 14 on the Dutch Pop Singles chart and No. 25 on the Belgian Pop Singles chart.
"Devotion" is a single by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire released in 1974 on Columbia Records. "Devotion" peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Sun Goddess" is a smooth soul song by jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis featuring the band Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in 1975 on Columbia Records. The song rose to No. 20 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.
"Turn On (The Beat Box)" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1988 by Columbia Records as a single from their second greatest hits compilation, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2 (1988). It rose to No. 26 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and No. 30 on the Dutch Pop Singles chart. It was written by Maurice White, Rhett Lawrence and Martin Page, and was also heard in the soundtrack of the feature film Caddyshack II (1988).
"Heritage" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire featuring Suns of Light, released in February 1990 by Columbia Records as the first single from their fifteenth studio album. It reached No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 5 on the Cash Box Top R&B Singles chart.
"Side by Side" is a song by the band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in April 1983 on Columbia Records. The song reached No. 15 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.