Earth, Wind & Fire – That's The Way Of The World (Impex Records)

That’s the Way of the World, released in March 1975, is Earth, Wind & Fire’s sixth studio album and serves as both a soundtrack and a summation of the band’s evolving identity. Co-produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney, the record fuses jazz, soul, funk, and spiritual sensibility into a coherent whole. Recorded at Caribou Ranch and various Los Angeles studios, it arrives at a moment when the band embraced orchestral depth and rhythmic breadth while maintaining their signature groove. Its dual role as a soundtrack for the film of the same name belies how firmly the album stands on its own musical foundations.

The LP opens powerfully with “Shining Star,” a chart-topping anthem that sets a radiant tone before giving way to the contemplative title track and soulful ballads like “Reasons” and “Happy Feelin’.” The ensemble’s horn arrangements, vocal harmonies, and rhythmic interplay coalesce in moments of uplift and introspection, striking a balance between pop accessibility and musical sophistication. Its success crowned Earth, Wind & Fire with their first No. 1 album on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul charts. Over time, *That’s the Way of the World* has come to be regarded as a spiritual soul masterpiece—an album that encapsulates both the power and tranquility at the heart of their ambition.

Reviews

"Earth, Wind & Fire has delivered more than its share of excellent albums, but if a person could own only one EWF release, the logical choice would be That's the Way of the World, which was the band's best album as well as its best-selling." – AllMusic

“Earth, Wind’s gorgeous album title track continues to resonate decades later, a cosmic meditation on life’s wisdom.” – The Absolute Sound

“One of the sleekest seventies funk albums … ‘That’s the Way of the World’ and ‘Shining Star’ stand out as prime examples of the band’s ambition and appeal.” – SuperSeventies