The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire

Greatest hits album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Released

July 30, 2002

Recorded

1973-1983

Genre

R&B

Label

Columbia/Legacy

Producer

Maurice White, Al McKay, Charles Stepney, Joseph Wissert, Leo Sacks

Earth, Wind & Fire chronology

The Ultimate Collection
(1999)

The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire
(2002)

That's the Way of the World: Alive in 75
(2002)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Blender	^[2]
PopMatters	(favourable)^[3]

The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire is a compilation album of American R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire. It contains several songs recorded between 1973 and 1983, and all the tracks were digitally remastered. It was released on July 30, 2002 by Columbia/Legacy as a double-disc set, part of The Essential series. On September 27, 2005, it was re-released with a DVD. The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire has been certified gold in the US by the RIAA.^[4]

Track listing

Disc One
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mighty Mighty"	Maurice White, Verdine White	3:02
2.	"Evil"	M. White	4:56
3.	"Devotion"	Philip Bailey, M. White	4:49
4.	"Keep Your Head to the Sky"	M. White	5:09
5.	"Kalimba Story"	M. White, V. White	4:01
6.	"Shining Star"	Bailey, Larry Dunn, M. White	2:50
7.	"That's the Way of the World"	Charles Stepney, M. White, V. White	5:45
8.	"Yearnin' Learnin'"	Bailey, Stepney, M. White	3:39
9.	"All About Love"	Dunn, M. White	5:30
10.	"Reasons"	Bailey, Stepney, M. White	4:58
11.	"Sing a Song"	Al McKay, M. White	3:23
12.	"Can't Hide Love"	Skip Scarborough	4:09
13.	"Getaway"	Peter Cor, Beloyd Taylor	3:45
14.	"Saturday Nite"	Bailey, McKay, M. White	4:02
15.	"Ponta de Areia (Brazilian Rhyme)/Be Ever Wonderful"	Dunn, Milton Nascimento, M. White	6:00
16.	"Open Our Eyes"	Leon Lumkins	5:03
17.	"Got to Get You into My Life"	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	4:03

Disc Two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"September"	McKay, M. White, Allee Willis	3:35
2.	"Serpentine Fire"	Sonny Burke, M. White, V. White	3:50
3.	"Fantasy"	Eduardo DelBarrio, M. White, V. White	4:36
4.	"I'll Write a Song for You"	Bailey, Steve Beckmeier, McKay	5:22
5.	"Drum Song"	M. White	5:09
6.	"In the Stone"	Billy Myers, M. White, Willis	4:25
7.	"Can't Let Go"	Myers, M. White, Willis	3:28
8.	"After the Love Has Gone"	Bill Champlin, David Foster, Jay Graydon	4:25
9.	"Wait"	Foster, M. White, Willis	3:39
10.	"You and I"	Foster, M. White, Willis	3:31
11.	"Let Me Talk"	Bailey, Dunn, Ralph Johnson, McKay, M. White, V. White	4:08
12.	"And Love Goes On"	Dunn, Foster, Brenda Russell, M. White, V. White	4:04
13.	"You"	Foster, Russell, M. White	5:30
14.	"Let's Groove"	Wayne Vaughn, M. White	5:32
15.	"Fall In Love With Me"	Wanda Vaughn, Wayne Vaughn, M. White	5:49
16.	"Side by Side"	Wayne Vaughn, M. White	5:31
17.	"Boogie Wonderland"	Jon Lind, Willis	4:48

^[5]

Credits

Maurice White – vocals, kalimba, timbales, drums, producer, compilation producer
Verdine White – vocals, bass, percussion
Philip Bailey – vocals, congas, percussion
Larry Dunn – piano, organ, synthesizer, programming
Ken Yerke – violin
Harris Goldman – violin
Rollice Dale – viola
Dennis Karmazyn – cello
Harry Schultz – cello
Fred Jackson, Jr. – saxophone
Herman Riley – saxophone
Jerome Richardson – saxophone
Tommy Johnson – tuba
Harvey Mason – percussion
Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
Beloyd Taylor – background vocals
Joe Wissert – producer
Charles Stepney – producer
Al McKay – producer
Leo Sacks – compilation producer^[5]

Accolades

The following accolades attributed to The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire is adapted from Blender.com.^[6]

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Blender	U.S.	500 CDs You Must Own: Rhythm & Blues	2003	Alphabetical order

References

↑ Allmusic review
↑ Blender review
↑ PopMatters review
↑ "The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire". riaa.com.
↑ 5.0 5.1 "The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire - Overview". allmusic.com. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
↑ "500 CDs You Must Own: Rhythm & Blues". blender.com. 2003-03-15. Retrieved 2009-04-04.

Earth, Wind & Fire

Maurice White Philip Bailey Verdine White Ralph Johnson

Studio albums	Earth, Wind & Fire The Need of Love Last Days and Time Head to the Sky Open Our Eyes That's the Way of the World Spirit All 'n All I Am Faces Raise! Powerlight Electric Universe Touch the World Heritage Millennium In the Name of Love The Promise Illumination Now, Then & Forever

Compilations and live albums	Another Time Gratitude The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 The Collection The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2 The Eternal Dance Elements of Love: Ballads Greatest Hits Live Greatest Hits The Ultimate Collection The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire That's the Way of the World: Alive in 75 Live in Rio Love Songs Ultimate Collection

Singles	"Evil" "Keep Your Head to the Sky" "Mighty Mighty" "Devotion" "Shining Star" "That's the Way of the World" "Reasons" "Sing a Song" "Can't Hide Love" "Getaway" "Saturday Nite" "Serpentine Fire" "Fantasy" "Got to Get You into My Life" "September" "Boogie Wonderland" "After the Love Has Gone" "Let Me Talk" "And Love Goes On" "Let's Groove" "Wanna Be with You" "I've Had Enough" "Fall in Love with Me" "System of Survival" "Thinking of You" "Sunday Morning" "All in the Way" "Pure Gold"

Other albums	Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

Videos	Earth, Wind & Fire: In Concert The Eternal Vision Earth, Wind & Fire: Live Earth, Wind & Fire: Live By Request

Related articles	Ramsey Lewis The Pharaohs Charles Stepney The Phenix Horns The Emotions Devoted Spirits: A Tribute to Earth Wind and Fire Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire

Lists	Discography Awards and nominations Tribute albums Current and former members

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