Earth, Wind & Fire - The Message/Conscious Songs Playlist

Written By Kensedeobong Okosun

Earth, Wind & Fire solidified their reputation as a message-driven, soul conscious and spiritual music band. They sang about love as the unifier of all people. This music tapestry unwittingly positioned them as a threat to the power structure because of its propensity to awaken and empower the populace, when they were required to be stupid, unconscious and docile. This happens to be my favourite part of their rich catalogue because music is supposed to inspire and lift you higher (shout out to Lauryn Hill!). Let these songs inspire and uplift you, today! Make them a part of your day!

  1. “Love Is Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-xA3q022Qo‍ ‍Earth, Wind & Fire (1971).

  2. “Help Somebody” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmblvwEJvC8‍ ‍Earth, Wind & Fire (1971).

  3. “This World Today” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmHapuVIxk‍ ‍Earth, Wind & Fire (1971).

  4. “Fan the Fire” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IpZ0y54zZc‍ ‍Earth, Wind & Fire (1971).

  5. “Beauty” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDSrxMuQiscThe Need of Love (1971).

  6. “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lbP2uC6Lro‍ ‍Last Days and Time (1972).

  7. “Evil” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSTU1KjhW10 Head to the Sky (1973).

  8. “The World’s a Masquerade” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uy3uLIGRnA‍ ‍Head to the Sky (1973).

  9. “Mighty Mighty” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKljHXYTRy0‍ ‍Open Our Eyes (1974).

  10. “Devotion” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13heVfqIRBE‍ Open Our Eyes (1974).

  11. “Shining Star” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu9a29UR2dU‍ ‍That’s The Way of the World (1975).

  12. “That’s the Way of the World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhW3P7_jvWY‍ ‍That’s the Way of the World (1975).

  13. “All About Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ukl2A9YiLg‍ ‍That’s the Way of the World (1975).

  14. “Yearnin’ Learnin” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAsoF18YUlg‍ ‍That’s the Way of the World (1975).

  15. “On Your Face” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IbTNgdxrpc‍ ‍Spirit (1976).

  16. “Earth, Wind and Fire” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGPsGkGm-y8‍ ‍Spirit (1976).

  17. “Burnin’ Bush” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_MoSWfTxHU‍ ‍Spirit (1976).

  18. “Fantasy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r58GQYFZeLE‍ ‍All’ n All (1977).

  19. “Turn It Into Something Good” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwksHC98CqcFaces (1980).

  20. “Pride” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLNRmpq-wQ‍ ‍Faces (1980).

  21. “Sparkle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrgx-NpMnUo‍ ‍Faces (1980).

  22. “Take It To The Sky” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQE18DiASgFaces (1980).

  23. “Touch the World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-PRSjvOWFY‍ ‍Touch the World (1987).

  24. “Heritage” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFxVUi6X-uw‍ ‍Heritage (1990).

  25. “Revolution (Just Evolution)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZtqu6mwhF8‍ ‍In the Name of Love (1997).

  26. “Pure Gold” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6KUwob9hSM‍ ‍Illumination (2005).

  27. “Work It Out” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYVDJqWjVc‍ ‍Illumination (2005).

  28. “Elevated” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIswVyWfGa0‍ ‍Illumination (2005).

  29. “Love Together” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inr0qDQ2v5o‍ ‍Illumination (2005).

  30. “Sign On” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6hl-od3FaA‍ ‍Now, Then & Forever (2013).

  31. “Love Is Law” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J02kbNUhuxo Now, Then & Forever (2013).

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 Millennium Playlist