Polyphonic Press - Classic Album Reviews · Jeremy Boyd & Jon VanDyk

That’s the Way of the World by Earth, Wind & Fire: Soul-Funk & Spiritual Unity

·30 min·1 clip

They argue the 1980s shifted radio into corporate monopolies and changed how bands were nurtured.

1. Polyphonic Press reviews Earth, Wind & Fire's That's the Way of the World, a 1975 album that the hosts pick with the Random Album Generator. 2. Jeremy Boyd and John Van Dyke host the show, and their roles matter because they choose the record, contextualize it, and react track by track. 3. The episode asks whether That's the Way of the World works as a soul-funk album, a pop record, and a soundtrack tied to the 1970 film of the same name. 4. Jeremy reads that the album blends soul, funk, jazz, and gospel, and says Maurice White wanted music that felt "uplifting, universal, and transcendent." 5. The hosts note the album was released on March 3, 1975, on Columbia Records, and they mention it has eight tracks split evenly across two sides. 6. They point out that "Shining Star" opens the album and that "All About Love" closes side one, which gives listeners a clean halfway break. 7. They describe "Shining Star" as the record's breakthrough hit and the song that brought Earth, Wind & Fire mainstream attention. 8. They also discuss "Happy Feeling," where they hear jazz elements and instrumental jamming in the middle of a pop-leaning arrangement. 9. John compares Earth, Wind & Fire to Parliament and Funkadelic, saying the band combines both pop accessibility and experimental edges without splitting into separate identities. 10. Jeremy brings in the album's film history, explaining that the record was originally created as the soundtrack to That's the Way of the World and that the movie flopped while the album succeeded. 11. The hosts name Harvey Keitel as part of the film and say Earth, Wind & Fire appear in it as "the band" or "the group." 12. Jeremy says the band had already released five earlier albums and that their first album came out in 1971, making this their sixth release. 13. They describe "Shining Star" as Earth, Wind & Fire's first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B charts. 14. Jeremy says the album earned the band's first Grammy when "Shining Star" won for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus in 1976. 15. The hosts also mention "Reasons" as a beloved slow jam and say Philip Bailey's falsetto stands out there. 16. Jeremy notes that the lyrics of "Reasons" are often mistaken for a love song, but the episode says they actually point to fleeting physical attraction. 17. In the second half, John highlights "See the Light" for its jazz-fusion feel and says it reminded him of Weather Report. 18. The conversation is relaxed and conversational, with both hosts trading references to 1970s record economics, radio consolidation, and the idea of authentic music. 19. Listeners who like classic soul, funk, and 1970s album history will likely enjoy this episode. 20. Listeners who want tight track-by-track criticism without industry digressions may skip it.

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