1973 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Head to the Sky |
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Studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire |
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Released | May 1973 |
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Recorded | 1973 |
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Studio | Clover Recorders, Hollywood, California |
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Genre | Progressive soul[1] |
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Length | 36:51 |
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Label | Columbia |
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Producer | Joseph Wissert |
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Earth, Wind & Fire chronology |
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Singles from Open Your Eyes |
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Head to the Sky is the fourth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in May 1973 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. Head to the Sky has also been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.[2][3][4][5]
Overview
Head to the Sky was produced by Joe Wissert with bandleader Maurice White serving as a musical director on the album. The LP was also recorded at Clover Recorders Studios, Hollywood, California.[2]
Singles
"Evil" peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.[6][7] "Keep Your Head to the Sky" also reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.[8]
Critical reception
Vince Aletti of Rolling Stone declared "Been having a lot of music dreams lately but this one’s not too surprising since I’ve been playing the Earth, Wind & Fire album pretty constantly for the past week, certainly beyond all expectations. With a cover like this one — the eight men in the group shirtless, the one woman all in white, surrounded by a starburst arrangement of cut flowers, repeated with slight variations in the centerfold — I’m surprised I even broke the shrinkwrap. And this group started in Chicago?".[10] Billboard noted that the band "does everything well" on the LP.[12] Tony Palermo of the Pittsburgh Press noted "Folks like to compare this bunch with War, but the first difference that hits you with E,W&F's brand of jazz-rhythm and blues is the smoothness of Jessica Cleaves' vocal work. Then, the extra slug of R&B in their style".[14] Robert Christgau of the Village Voice gave a B− grade saying "Most of the first side keeps up the good work..But the mood jazz excursion on side two exposes White's essential fatuousness. "Zanzibar," it's called, as befits a travelogue; its saxophone solo (by Ronnie Laws's replacement, Andrew Woolfolk) could make Alice Coltrane blush."[11] Alex Henderson of Allmusic called Head to the Sky an "excellent" album.[9] Variety also described the record as "a movin' new package.[13]
Issac Hayes called Head to the Sky one of Earth, Wind & Fire's five essential recordings.[15]
Erykah Badu paid tribute to the album in the music video of her 2008 single "Honey".[16][17]
Track listing
Side twoNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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5. | "Clover" | Larry Dunn, Maurice White | 5:27 |
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6. | "Zanzibar" | Edu Lobo | 13:09 |
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Personnel
- Verdine White – vocals, bass, percussion
- Philip Bailey – vocals, congas, percussion
- Maurice White – vocals, drums, kalimba, leader
- Jessica Cleaves – vocals
- Johnny Graham – guitar, percussion
- Al McKay – guitar, sitar, percussion
- Larry Dunn – clarinet, piano, organ
- Ralph Johnson – drums, percussion
- Andrew Woolfolk – soprano saxophone, flute
- Oscar Braschear – guest trumpet on "Zanzibar"
Charts and Certifications
Weekly charts | Year-end charts Chart (1973) | Position | US Billboard 200[20] | 71 | US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[21] | 24 | |
Certifications
References
- ^ Himes, Geoffrey (May 16, 1990). "Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky". 45worlds.com.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky (Billboard 200)". billboard.com.
- ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky". riaa.com. RIAA.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil (Adult Contemporary Songs)". billboard.com.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Keep Your Head to the Sky (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com.
- ^ a b Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
- ^ a b Aletti,Vince (August 17, 1973). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Head To The Sky". robertchristgau.com. Village Voice.
- ^ a b "Top Album Picks". Vol. 85, no. 21. Billboard Magazine. May 26, 1973. p. 52.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires |magazine=
(help) - ^ a b "Record Review: Nilsson, 'Superstar', Womack, Kirk, Lobo, Savoy, 'Good Times', Cody, Roberts, founders Top New LP's". Variety. Vol. 271, no. 6. 20 June 1973. p. 50. ProQuest 963287955.
- ^ a b Palermo, Tony (July 29, 1973). "E,W&F Shows War-Like Imagination". newspapers.com. Pittsburgh Press. p. 111.
- ^ Hayes, Issac (July 7, 1995). Essentials: Issac Hayes on Earth, Wind & Fire. p. 39.
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ignored (help) - ^ "NEW VIDEO: ERYKAH BADU, 'HONEY'". mtv.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018.
- ^ "Erykah Badu: Honey". youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1973". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1973". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
Notable members | |
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Studio albums | |
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Soundtrack albums | - Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
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Live albums | - Gratitude
- Greatest Hits Live
- That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75
- Live in Rio
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Videos | |
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Compilations | |
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Singles | |
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Collaborations | |
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Related articles | |
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Lists | |
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- Category
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Authority control databases | - MusicBrainz release group
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