In 1975, When That’s the Way of the World arrived in theaters, the music-industry drama struggled to leave much of a lasting impression with audiences.
But the film’s soundtrack became something entirely different.
Earth, Wind & Fire’sThat’s the Way of the World soundtrack was recently ranked No. 11 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 101 Greatest Movie Soundtracks of All Time, with the magazine praising the album as a “three-times-platinum, soul-funk masterwork” that helped launch the band into its most creatively successful era.
Produced and directed by Super Fly producer Sig Shore, the film starred Harvey Keitel as record producer Coleman “the Golden Ear” Buckmaster and followed the cutthroat world of the music industry. Earth, Wind & Fire also appeared in the movie as a fictionalized version of themselves known simply as “the Group.”
Over time, however, the movie itself faded into relative obscurity while the soundtrack evolved into one of the defining albums of the 1970s.
The album featured some of Earth, Wind & Fire’s biggest and most enduring songs, including “Shining Star,” “Reasons” and the title track “That’s the Way of the World.”
“Shining Star” became the group’s first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped propel the soundtrack to massive commercial success.
Rolling Stone noted that while the film itself has not aged especially well, the soundtrack remains “joyous, lush, introspective, innovative, and deeply, deeply funky,” highlighting Maurice White’s signature kalimba playing and the group’s soaring harmonies.
The magazine also pointed out that although Earth, Wind & Fire’s screen time in the film may not be widely remembered today, fans are “still playing ‘Shining Star,’ ‘That’s the Way of the World,’ and ‘Reasons’ nearly 40 years later.”
According to White’s article about the 45th anniversary, the soundtrack represented a major turning point for the band creatively and sonically. White explained that he intentionally avoided creating “a soundtrack in the traditional sense.”
“I made sure that the EW&F concept would be reflected in the score, which meant no departures from our established themes,” White wrote.
White also described the album as the beginning of Earth, Wind & Fire’s larger orchestral sound.
“That’s the Way of the World was the beginning of our big horn-section sound,” he wrote. “We also began to use a full string section from this album forward.”
The recording sessions pushed the group creatively.
“That’s the Way of the World was a tough record for us to cut,” White recalled. “Everybody had to play with more discipline, restraint, and focus.”
White also revealed that one of the album’s biggest songs emerged unexpectedly during the sessions in Colorado.
“The song ‘Shining Star’ was born out of a hook Larry Dunn was working on,” he explained. “The title and theme came out of a walk Philip and I had in the Colorado woods late one nite.”
Another fan favorite, “Reasons,” developed a reputation that White later found amusing.
“For all our good intentions ‘Reasons’ was completely misunderstood,” he wrote. “People would use the song at weddings as a musical expression of endless, undying love, when in fact it’s a cautionary tune expressing the opposite.”
More than four decades later, That’s the Way of the World remains one of Earth, Wind & Fire’s most celebrated albums and one of the rare soundtracks to completely outshine the film that inspired it.
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