PHILIP BAILEY - Percussion, Conga, Vocals
MAURICE WHITE - Drums, Vocals, Kalimba, Producer, Mixing, Original Recording Producer
DOROTHY ASHBY - Harp
ABE MOST - Flute
FRED JACKSON - Flute
PHIL AYLING - Flute
EDUARDO DEL BARRIO - Piano
BLANCHE BELNICK - Violin
ROGER BOBO - Tuba
GEORGE BOHANNON - Trombone
OSCAR BRASHEAR - Trumpet
GARNETT BROWN - Trombone
RONALD CLARK - Violin
RONALD COOPER - Cello
PAULINHO DA COSTA - Percussion
DAVID DUKE - French Horn
LARRY DUNN - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Oberheim
CHUCK FINDLEY - Trumpet
NORMAN FORREST - Viola
HARRIS GOLDMAN - Violin
JACK GOOTKIN - Violin
JANICE GOWER - Violin, Concert Master
JOHN GRAHAM - Guitar
TERRY HARRINGTON - Flute
MICHAEL HARRIS - Trumpet
RALPH JOHNSON - Percussion, Drums
RICHARD KLEIN - French Horn
CARL LAMAGNA - Violin
BETTY LAMAGNA - Violin
LINDA LIPSETT - Viola
STEVE MADAIO - Trumpet
AL MCKAY - Guitar, Percussion
DON MYRICK - Alto Baritone & Tenor Saxophone
ALAN ROBINSON - French Horn
GALE ROBINSON - French Horn
MARILYN ROBINSON - French Horn
MEYER RUBIN - Bass
RUTH HENRY - Violin
SHELDON SANOV - Violin
LOUIS SATTERFIELD - Trombone
SKIP SCARBOROUGH - Percussion, Piano
HAIM SHTRUM - Violin
LYA STERN - Violin
BARBARA THOMASON - Viola
MARCIA VANDYKE - Violin
FRED WHITE - Percussion, Drums
VERDINE WHITE - Bass, Vocals
ANDREW WOOLFOLK - Tenor Saxophone, Wind
JAN KELLY - Cello
JAMES M. MCGEE - French Horn
DANIEL SMITH - Cello
BARRY SOCHER - Violin
RENITA KOVEN - Viola
SUSAN RANNEY - Bass
MARY D. LINDQUIST - Violin
DAVID STOCKHAMMER - Violin
LEO SACKS - Producer, Reissue Producer, Mixing
PAUL KLINGBERG - Mixing
GEORGE MASSENBURG - Engineer
CAMERON MARCARELLI - Mixing Assistant, Assistant
MARK WILDER - Mastering
HOWARD FRITZSON - Art Direction
JOY GILBERT - Project Director, Project Coordinator
STEVE NEWMAN - Design
MICHAEL PUTLAND - Photography
SHUSEI NAGAOKA - Artwork
RICHARD SALVATO - Director
RON WYNN - Liner Notes
1999 CD Columbia 65738
1999 CD Columbia CK-34905
1978 LP Columbia 34905
1995 CD Columbia 982842 2
1995 CS Columbia PCT-34905
1993 CD Columbia 57189
1999 CS Columbia 65738
Earth, Wind & Fire's artistic and commercial winning streak
continued with its ninth album, All 'N All, the diverse jewel that gave
us major hits like "Serpentine Fire" and the dreamy "Fantasy." Whether
the visionary soul men are tearing into the hardest of funk on
"Jupiter" or the most sentimental of ballads on "I'll Write a Song for
You" (which boasts one of Philip Bailey's many soaring, five-star
performances), All 'N All was a highly rewarding addition to EWF's
catalogue. Because EWF had such a clean-cut image and fared so well
among pop audiences, some may have forgotten just how sweaty its funk
could be. But "Jupiter" — like "Mighty, Mighty," "Shining Star"
and "Getaway" — underscores the fact that EWF delivered some of
the most intense and gutsy funk of the 1970s. The 1999 CD reissue adds
three bonus tracks: "Would You Mind" (a demo version of "Love's
Holiday"), the "original Hollywood mix" of "Runnin'," and a live
version of "Brazilian Rhyme," recorded live in 1980.
Not exactly a concept album, All 'n All (1977) nevertheless was Earth,
Wind & Fire's biggest attempt yet at making a big statement. With
several interludes providing musical links--and cultural and spiritual
heavies such as Shakespeare and Buddha depicted on an inside-cover
spread--it had all the trappings of a major extravaganza, while keeping
the songs at radio-friendly lengths. That those songs included the
perfectly named "Serpentine Fire" and the Stevie Wonder-style
brotherhood anthem "Fantasy" helped make the record one of EW&F's
most popular: as of the mid '90s, 3 million copies had shipped. This
sparkling remaster includes three bonus demo, live, and alternate-mix
cuts.
Rickey Wright, Amazon.com essential recording
All 'n All (1977) war zwar nicht wirklich ein Konzeptalbum, aber es war
Earth, Wind & Fires bis dahin ernsthaftester Versuch einer
großen Geste. Mit diversen Zwischenspielen in Form musikalischer
Querverweise -- und kulturellen und spirituellen Schwergewichten wie
Shakespeare und Buddha auf dem inneren Cover -- zeigte es alle
Insignien größerer Extravaganz, hielt jedoch die Songs auf
radiofreundlicher Länge. Die Tatsache, daß unter den Songs
das perfekt betitelte "Serpentine Fire" und die Stevie-Wonder-artige
Bruderschafts-Hymne "Fantasy" waren, halfen diese Platte zu einer von
EW&F's beliebtesten zu machen: bis Mitte der Neunziger waren 3
Millionen Stück verkauft worden. Diese glänzende
Neuproduktion enthält drei zusätzliche Demo-, Live- und
Remix-Stücke.
Rickey Wright, Amazon.de
At their worst, Earth, Wind and Fire indulge in some of the most
pretentious excesses in current black music. As on past Earth, Wind and
Fire records, All 'n All is filled with leaded brotherhood platitudes,
Star Trek sci-fi and stiffly poetic love songs. This sounds overwrought
and depressing (and maybe it is). But there's a catch: I like the
record, for like much current black music, All 'n All elicits a
schizophrenic response. If the album represents some of the worst in
black music, it also has more than its share of the best. Earth, Wind
and Fire's prime mover, Maurice White, is a former Chess Records
session drummer, and his rhythmic sense is one of the group's redeeming
features. The rhythm tracks on All 'n All are often enough to salvage
the most convoluted and awkward lyrics. "Serpentine Fire," a song about
the spinal life-center philosophy of many Eastern religions, is a
simple tango spiced by a subtle funk base and the incessant clanging of
a cowbell. Other songs incorporate snatches of supple James Brown bass
lines, delicate Latin beats and hard, insistent funk vamps. White's
production virtues don't end there, though. The lyrics of "Fantasy"
("Come to see, victory, in the land called fantasy") may be hard to
swallow, but the music is as close to elegance as any funk song has
come. Voices and a light touch of strings suddenly appear over a
choppy, propulsive track, swell and swoop, only to disappear at the
snap of a finger and pop up moments later for an exciting, powerful
finale. White also utilizes an odd instrumental mix that gives equal
emphasis to percussion (except the bass drum, which is usually played
down), bass, rhythm guitars and stabbing, staccato horn bursts. The
result is light but substantial, and it's become a model for many other
bands. Escapism and fantasy are prominent in the lyrics of many
soft-soul groups, but usually (intentionally or otherwise) they're used
humorously, or at least with tongue in cheek. At times, Earth, Wind and
Fire is also capable of such fluffy warmth; in fact, torchy love
ballads sung by Verdine White, Maurice's brother, have become a recent
trademark. Verdine often sounds like a straining Eddie Kendricks and
here, on "I'll Write a Song for You," which is distressingly close to
MOR, he has the type of lush romantic vehicle that one wishes Kendricks
still employed. But that warmth isn't always felt, and despite the
musical gloss, much of Earth, Wind and Fire's escapism seems
unintentionally obsessive and desperate. It's easy to be seduced by the
artfulness and grace of Earth, Wind and Fire's music and accept it for
its craftsmanship and listenability. On that level, the group is
challenging and fun. It's also easy to be cynical about a line like,
"Jupiter, come from the galaxy/I want to meet you, to make you free,"
which seems as potentially dishonest and escapist as shooting dope.
There's a strange contrast to be drawn between All 'n All and Sly
Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On. Riot was druggy, down and honest.
All'n All is flashy, bright and fanciful. Sly saw what he didn't want
to see. The Earth, Wind and Fire album is like looking at yourself in
the mirror and finding that nothing is there. Maybe that's what makes
All 'n All so compelling—and scary.
When I see you're face like the mornin sun you spark me to shine
Tell all the world, my need is fulfilled and that's a new design
As long as you're near, there is no fear of a victory
But when I'm away, influences stray my mind to disagree
I wanna see your face in the morning sun ignite my energy
The cause and effect of you has brought new meaning in my life to me
Gonna tell a story morning glory all about the serpentine fire
Gonna tell a story morning glory all about the serpentine fire
oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah, oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
I need to see your face like the morning sun ignite my energy
The cause and effect of you has brought new meaning in my life to me
The moments I find when I'm inclined to do my best
Negative wins when I give in and then I lose the test (not many times)
Gonna tell a story morning glory all about the serpentine fire
Surely as life begun, you will as one battle with the serpentine fire
oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah, oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah
Surely as life begun, you will as one battle with the serpentine fire
Surely as life begun, you will as one battle with the serpentine fire
Gonna tell a story morning glory all about the serpentine fire
FANTASY
Every man has a place, in his heart there's a space,
and the world can't erase his fantasies
Take a ride in the sky, on our ship fantasii
all your dreams will come true, right away
And we will live together, until the twelfth of never
our voices will ring forever, as one
Every thought is a dream, rushing by in a stream,
bringing life to our kingdom of doing
Take a ride in the sky, on our ship fantasii
all your dreams will come true, miles away
Our voices will ring together until the twelfth of never,
we all, will live forever, as one
Come see victory, in the land called fantasy
loving life, a new decree,
bring your mind to everlasting liberty
Our minds will explore together, old worlds, we conquer, forever
we then, will expand love together, as one
Come to see, victory in a land called fantasy,
loving life, for you and me, to behold, to your soul is ecstasy
You will find, other kind, that has been in search for you,
many lives has brought you to
recognize it's your life, now in review
and as you stay for the play, fantasy, has in store for you,
a glowing light will see you through
It's your day, shining day, all your dreams come true
As you glide, in your stride with the wind, as you fly away
give a smile, from your lips, and say
I am free, yes I'm free, now I'm on my way
IN THE MARKETPLACE
(Sorry, this lyrics is not available yet, please help us and send the missing lyrics!)
JUPITER
Searching in the sky one night while looking for the moon
I viewed a mighty light approaching in a zoom
Need was there to tell someone of my discovery
Fifteen seconds later, a light appeared in front of me
To my surprise there stood a man with age and mystery
His name was Jupiter, and he came to visit me
The name is Jupiter from the galaxy
I came to meet you, to make you free
Deliver to you a flower from
A distant planet from where I come
Keep your eye on Jupiter, such beauty in the sky
We will wait for your return in the by-and-by
Keep your eye on Jupiter, memories we shall fulfill
Just to view a brighter day and do a righteous will
Watching and considering my visual state of mind
The flower fragrance helped reveal to me the sign
The sign of love I had confessed to live and really know
The sign of love which I had failed my fellow man to show
The name is Jupiter from the galaxy
I came to meet you, to make you free
Deliver to you a flower from
A distant planet from where I come
(repeat)
LOVE'S HOLIDAY
Would you mind if I touched, if I kissed
If I held you tight in the morning light
Would you mind if I said how I felt tenderly tonight
Again 'cause
I never felt this way in my heart before
Love has found its way in my heart tonight
Would you mind if I looked in your eyes
'Til I'm hypnotized and I lose my pride
Would you mind if I made love to you 'til I'm satisfied
Once again 'cause
I never felt this way in heart before
Love has found its way in my heart tonight
Once again 'cause
I never felt this way in my heart before
Love has found its way in my heart tonight
Hey -- would -- you -- mind -- would -- you -- love
(ad lib to fade)
BRAZILIAN RHYME
(Sorry, this lyrics is not available yet, please help us and send the missing lyrics!)
I'LL WRITE A SONG FOR YOU
I thirst but never quench
I know the consequence feeling as I do
We're in a spinning top
Where tell me will it stop
And what am I to say
Open our music book that only few can look
And I'll write a song for you
Love is a symphony
Hearts in one melody
'Cause I'll write a song for you
Sounds never dissipate
They only re-create in another place
There's in your silent night
Joy of a song's delight
'Cause I'll write a song for you
You'll write a song for me
We'll write a song of Love
My magical mystique
Finding it all complete in your lovely face
Feelings we try to chase
Memories that won't erase stay forever new
We have a magic box
In which is never locked
'Cause I'll write a song for you
You'll write a song for me
We'll write a song of Love
We write a song of Love, my baby
Write a song of Love
We have a magic box, we write a song of Love
We write a song of Love
Sounds, they never dissipate
They only re-create to another place and time
(soaring falsetto ad lib to fade)
MAGIC MIND
Hey, we heard the news that someone's crying the blues
'Cause words still go unsaid as hungry minds are never fed
Take a chance as you dance in romance
In a trance to advance and expand
Got a dime and a rhyme brilliant mind
Still inclined in your prime to design
For man's great strength to meet another trembling heart's defeat
Is read between the lines when change of mind is hard to find
The blossoms that you reap from binding challenges complete
And wisdom's gentle rain imensely crowns your brain
Take a chance as you dance in romance
In a trance to advance and expand
Moving soon upper room
Paid your dues 'cause you're through feelin' blue
Take a chance as you dance in romance
In a trance to advance and expand
Got a dime and a rhyme brilliant mind
Still inclined in your prime to design
Moving soon upper room
Paid your dues 'cause you're through feelin' blue
RUNNIN’
(Sorry, this lyrics is not available yet, please help us and send the missing lyrics!)
BE EVER WONDERFUL
Be ever wondeful
Stay as you are
Time is right for you tonight
Find your place among the broad day light
Stay as you are
And be ever, be ever wonderful
Stay as you are
Gonna find a few (who'll) always walk with you
Many people claim (but) don't always view the same
As you live today, what I wanna say
Is be ever wonderful in your own sweet way
Be ever wondeful
Stay as you are
Time is right in your life tonight
Find your place in the broad day light
Stay as you are
'Cause what I wanna do
And what I'd like to tell you
May not be as you see
As you live today, what I wanna say
(Is) be ever wonderful in your own sweet way
Don't let the world change your mind
Don't let the world change your mind