The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 | ||||
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![]() Cover art by Shusei Nagaoka | ||||
Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | November 23, 1978 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:22 | |||
Label | ARC/Columbia Legacy (1999 reissue) | |||
Producer | ||||
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology | ||||
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Singles from Vol. 1 | ||||
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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. [1] The album reached Nos. 3 and 6 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums and Top LPs charts, respectively. [2] [3] The album has been certified Quintuple Platinum in the US by the RIAA, [4] as well as Platinum in the UK and Canada, by the BPI and Music Canada, respectively. [5]
The album produced three new songs and two singles. The LP's first single, "Got to Get You into My Life", preceded the album by a few months and was first included on the 1978 soundtrack Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band from the feature film with the same title. The single reached Nos. 1 & 9 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively. [6] [7] "Got to Get You into My Life" was Grammy nominated in the category of Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus. The song went on to win a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). [8] [9]
The second single, "September" peaked at Nos. 1 and 8 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively. [10] [11] "September" reached No. 3 on the UK Pop Singles chart. [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | A− [16] |
The Los Angeles Times called the album "An excellent package with no extraneous or weak tracks". [14] Steve Huey of AllMusic retrospectively said "But even if it's an incomplete hits collection, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 still ranks as a strong encapsulation of EWF the funk innovators. The singles gathered here constitute some of the richest, most sophisticated music the funk movement ever produced; when the absolute cream of the group's catalog is heard in such a concentrated fashion, the effect is dazzling." Huey added "1998's Greatest Hits now stands as the definitive single-disc EWF overview, but for the budget-minded and the disco-phobic, this still makes for an excellent listen." [13] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice found "Despite some annoying omissions, notably "Serpentine Fire," this sums them up--ten exquisitely crafted pop tunes in which all the passion and resonance of black music tradition are blended into a concoction slicker and more sumptuous than any white counterpart since Glenn Miller". [16] The New York Daily News also claimed "Since its beginning, Earth Wind and Fire have been one of the slickest soul aggregations around, and this record is a well-paced showcase. Sometimes it's hard to believe that the combination of influences, ranging from Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder to the decidedly Chicagoesque horn arrangements, doesn't overcome the group, but its high spirits continually take it over the top." [17] Crispin Cioe of High Fidelity wrote "For pop/r&b mavens, this one's a must." [18]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Got to Get You into My Life" (From Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band , 1978) | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 4:03 |
2. | "Fantasy" (From All 'n All , 1977) | Eduardo Del Barrio, Maurice White, Verdine White | 3:46 |
3. | "Can't Hide Love" (From Gratitude , 1975) | Skip Scarborough | 4:10 |
4. | "Love Music" (Previously unreleased) | Skip Scarborough | 3:55 |
5. | "Getaway" (From Spirit , 1976) | Peter Cor, Bernard “Beloyd” Taylor | 3:46 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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6. | "That's the Way of the World" (From That's the Way of the World , 1975) | Charles Stepney, Maurice White, Verdine White | 5:46 |
7. | "September" (Previously unreleased) | Al McKay, Allee Willis, Maurice White | 3:36 |
8. | "Shining Star" (From That's the Way of the World, 1975) | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White | 2:50 |
9. | "Reasons" (From That's the Way of the World, 1975) | Philip Bailey, Charles Stepney, Maurice White | 4:59 |
10. | "Sing a Song" (From Gratitude, 1975) | Al McKay, Maurice White | 3:23 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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11. | "MegaMix 2000" | Wayne Vaughn, Al McKay, Maurice White, Allee Willis | 7:38 |
12. | "MegaMix" (radio edit) | Al McKay, Maurice White | 3:23 |
Chart (1979) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [19] | 7 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen albumlista) [20] | 7 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [21] | 19 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [22] | 28 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [23] | 12 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [24] | 3 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [25] | 13 |
UK Albums (OCC) [12] | 6 |
US Billboard 200 [26] | 6 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [27] | 3 |
Chart (1979) | Position |
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New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [28] | 18 |
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1978 | "Got to Get You into My Life" | Billboard Top Soul Singles | 1 |
Billboard Hot 100 | 9 | ||
UK Singles [12] | 33 | ||
Dutch Single Top 100 [29] | 33 | ||
1979 | "September" | Billboard Top Soul Singles | 1 |
Billboard Hot 100 | 8 | ||
UK Singles [12] | 3 | ||
Swedish Singles (Sverigetopplistan) [25] | 13 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada) [30] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Japan | — | 161,810 [31] |
Netherlands (NVPI) [32] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [33] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [34] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
All 'n All is the eighth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. All 'n All has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in Canada by Music Canada and Silver in the UK by the BPI.
Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving 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 3, 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.
Raise! is the eleventh studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on November 14, 1981, by ARC/Columbia Records. The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B albums chart and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Raise! has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in the UK by the BPI and Gold in Canada by Music Canada.
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.
"After the Love Has Gone" is a song by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1979 as the second single from their ninth studio album I Am on ARC/Columbia Records. The song reached No. 2 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, No. 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. "After the Love Has Gone" was certified gold in the US by the RIAA and silver in the UK by the BPI.
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. Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Open Our Eyes is the fifth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1974 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 15 on the Top Pop Albums chart. Open Our Eyes has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Faces is the tenth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire released on October 14, 1980, on ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached number 10 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, number 2 on the Billboard Top Soul albums chart and number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. Faces was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Illumination is the nineteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in September 2005 on Sanctuary Records. The album rose to No. 8 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 32 on the Billboard 200 chart. Illumination was also Grammy nominated within the category of Best R&B Album. It is the last Earth, Wind & Fire album to feature their founder and co-lead vocalist Maurice White.
I Am is the ninth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in June 1979 by ARC/Columbia Records. The LP rose to number one on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart, and number three on the Billboard 200 chart. I Am has been certified Double Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA, Platinum in the UK by the BPI, and Platinum in Canada by Music Canada.
"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.
Powerlight is the twelfth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in February 1983 by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 4 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. Powerlight was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American musical group. Their style and sound span over various music genres such as jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
Millennium is the sixteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire released in September 1993 on Warner Bros. Records. The album reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, No. 39 on the US Billboard 200, No. 18 on the Japanese Pop Albums chart and No. 29 on the Dutch Album Top 100. Millennium has also been certified Gold in Japan by the RIAJ.
Electric Universe is the thirteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1983 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 8 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 40 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Electric Universe also reached No. 17 on the Swedish Pop Albums chart, No. 18 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart, No. 20 on the Japanese Pop Albums chart and No. 22 on both the Dutch Pop Albums and Swiss Pop Albums charts.
Heritage is the fifteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in February 1990 on Columbia Records, and was their final release of new music for the label. The album reached No. 19 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No.18 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart. Heritage also got to No. 31 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart and No. 39 on both the Finland Suomen virallinen albumilista and the German Pop Albums chart.
"Wanna Be with You" is a song by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in December 1981 by ARC/Columbia Records. The single rose to No. 15 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, No. 7 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles chart and No. 40 on the RPM Canadian Pop Singles Chart.
"Magnetic" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1983 on Columbia Records as the first single from their thirteenth studio album, Electric Universe (1983). It reached No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, No. 36 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart and No. 23 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles chart. "Magnetic" also reached No. 16 on the Belgian Pop Singles chart and No. 18 on the Dutch Pop Singles chart.