Earth, Wind & Fire - The Experimental Years

Written By Kensedeobong Okosun

In the 1970s, the FBI considered EWF subversive and anti-status quo placing them on their COINTELPRO surveillance list. The band had made a cross-cultural impact through their message songs and positive lyricism which promoted black pride, ancestry, spiritual liberation and cultural awakening. Their music paraphernalia as depicted through African symbolism was viewed as a threat and challenge to the government of the day. EWF’s objective of cultural and spiritual upliftment coincided with the era of black power and black consciousness which was perceived as black resistance. Songs promoting justice, freedom, self-acceptance, positivity, righteousness, truth and all-round awareness were unpalatable to the suppressive structure which sought to silence the voices of the people.

To sanitize the power of music, a Harvard report was launched by CBS Records under Clive Davis to survey, analyse and report on black music. The aftermath of that report led to the infiltration and trajectorial misdirection of black music in the 80s. Many bands lost their appeal as the instrumentals and background singing was erased. EWF was severely affected by this invasion, as they would come under the umbrella of Columbia records which allowed them artistic freedom from 1972 till 1983 when the devious plans of the music moguls were enacted. Their music changes in 1983, undergoes a hiatus thereafter. The return in 1987 was weak and unimpressive and a struggle until 1993 when they left Columbia and released Millennium under Warner Records where they began their journey in 1971.

  1. “Fall In Love With Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm7d50z-sjs‍ ‍Powerlight (1983). *****

  2. “Spread Your Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OONOkVJqhXE‍ ‍Powerlight (1983).

  3. “The Speed of Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeEVy6bQpKs‍ ‍Powerlight (1983).*****

  4. “Hearts to Heart” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA6CE4GRxeM‍ ‍Powerlight (1983).*****

  5. “Touch” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX64kI8iWJQ‍ ‍Electric Universe (1983).

  6. “Moonwalk” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trBgC648Uw0Electric Universe (1983).

  7. “Spirit of a New World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMV5Gfu7ETE‍ ‍ Electric Universe (1983).

  8. “We’re Living In Our Own Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k_C0FdCntk‍ ‍Electric Universe (1983).

  9. “System of Survival” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XCPVjJjjhQ‍ ‍Touch the World (1987).

  10. “Thinking of You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mtlfvtc0Aw‍ ‍Touch the World (1987).

  11. “Every Now and Then” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHps9gbKFq4Touch the World (1983).

  12. “Here Today and Gone Tomorrow” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y33_n43-NE‍ ‍Touch the World (1983).

  13. “Victim of the Modern Heart” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOHzvrWqlbw‍ ‍Touch the World (1983).*****

  14. “Anything You Want” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_-JYY_DIY‍ ‍Heritage (1990).

  15. “Daydreamin’” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOOaub6qf6oHeritage (1990).*****

  16. “I’m In Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpku7JKBgd4‍ ‍Heritage (1990).*****

  17. “Welcome” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAbVds6qwHE‍ ‍Heritage (1990).*****

  18. “Sunday Morning” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KicFtBcSPv8Millennium (1993).*****

  19. “Blood Brothers” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RgZn7LF20UMillennium (1993).

  20. “Spend the Night” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9YLiwg0jys‍ ‍Millennium (1993).

  21. “Two Hearts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpEwv7QMAUc‍ ‍Millennium (1993).*****

  22. “Honor the Magic” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h50L_uPVJZY‍ ‍Millennium (1993).*****

  23. “Love Is the Greatest Story” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNdFui0tPbA‍ ‍Millennium (1993).*****

  24. “Just Another Lonely Night” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhbZd9pSddk‍ ‍Millennium (1993).

  25. “Wouldn’t Change a Thing About You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps2fbJfA8P4‍ ‍Millennium (1993).*****

  26. “Love across the Wire” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW8wkST2nTA‍ ‍Millennium (1993).*****

  27. “Right Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWHhBYOlWJA‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).

  28. “Cruising” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyIm2rWrGZQ‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).

  29. “Round and Round” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNAaMK69PaYIn the Name of Love (1997). *****

  30. “Change your Mind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYZRO6Rp7mU‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).

  31. “Love is Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t-98hAACr0‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).*****

  32. “In the Name of Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSRw1o8PGaw In the Name of Love (1997).

  33. “Take You to Heaven” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfehzso5MQU‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).

  34. “When Love Goes Wrong” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhFAYiN5JywIn the Name of Love (1997).

Kensedeobong Okosun

Kensedeobong Okosun is a music enthusiast, music researcher, music journalist with expertise in music selection & planning, vocalist and an author. Her academic article “Sisterhood and Soul Music as expressions of Black Power” is featured in the edited volume, Black Power in Hemispheric Perspective (Raussert & Steinitz, eds, 2022). She has reviewed Dorothea Gail’s Weird American Music for the Forum for Interamerican Research (fiar, 2019). Her work has appeared on Nigeria’s Sun News Online and The Nigerian Observer.

Kensedeobong’s blog highlights music’s interconnectivity with society and comprises personal music experiences, researched information, concept playlists for multiple themes, etc.

A hard-core 90s R&B fan, she utilises the vehicle of memory, to position long forgotten music of yesteryears on the front-burner.

She is persuaded that music is a core conduit of collective harmony, equanimity, vitality and healing. And as such requires criticality in the filtration process, in order to disseminate meaning. Her blog promotes music equality and diversity.

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Earth, Wind & Fire : The Glory Years Playlist