Just Give Gratitude

Three days ago a friend of mine and I were engaged in a serious debate. I made the following bold statement: “Earth Wind & Fire’s album ‘Gratitude’ is the finest live R&B album ever recorded.” Now, for me that’s a no-brainer but for him, that was a challenge. His reaction was to start hollarin’ about P-Funk Live from 1977, which in my opinion doesn’t even come close (and I LOVE Parliament Funkadelic).  We discussed Stevie Wonder’s “Natural Wonder”, “These Songs for You: Donny Hathaway Live” (both of which are phenomenal recordings); and the live recordings of Bill Withers and Tower of Power came up in the conversation too. I mentioned Frankie Beverly & Maze “Live in New Orleans” also a great record, he and I agreed, but none of these eclipse “Gratitude.” He eventually gave in, finally realizing that there really is no greater live R&B concert recording.

It is absolutely true. I am an Earth Wind & Fire devotee so for me, their worst album is probably gonna be pretty good but “Gratitude” is that rare jewel that never gets dull. It remains classic in every respect and will always stand the test of time. Play it today and it sounds just as solid and organic as it did right before Christmas 1975 (the season of giving, I might add) when it was released.

There are many reasons this album is extraordinary: five of them are the studio-recorded songs that were included (there were also two musical interludes). Of those, two were released as singles “Singasong” and “Can’t Hide Love” (I’ll write more about “Can’t Hide Love” later).  The other three were fantastic too, especially “Sunshine” which you’ll just have to hear for yourself if you don’t know it. But the real shining moments of this record are the all-time heartbreaking live version of “Reasons” (I’ve discussed my fixation with this record in an earlier post—“He plays so beautiful don’t you agree?”); the nine-minute “New World Symphony,” which I can’t even find the adjectives to describe; “Devotion” (the same live version of this record with the original “Head to the Sky” intro is part of the box set compilation “The Eternal Dance” released in 1992 and is so lively it’s mind numbing); and “Sun Goddess,” a tune that some of the members of the band originally recorded with jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis on his album of the same name.

For a short time back in the sixties, Maurice White had been the drummer with the Ramsey Lewis Trio but until 1974, by the time EW&F was formed and had already developed a pretty strong following of their own, Lewis hadn’t had a hit record since 1967. His collaboration with “The Elements” resulted in “Sun Goddess,” a song that to this day is one of the funkiest jazz recordings ever made. So by late ’75, when EW&F included it in their live shows and on “Gratitude,” hard core R&B fans found themselves grooving to a number that was decidedly jazz. In fact, the live version is almost better than what they recorded in the studio. In every way it establishes the members as bonafide, thoroughly trained jazz musicians. The vocal melody is unforgettable; the saxophone solo in both the live & studio recordings are virtuosic; and the guitar riffs, bass, keyboard, percussion, drums, rhythm, everything about this record is timeless. It’s impossible for me to imagine a summer without it.

So, here are some instructions: Stop whatever you’re doing and find “Gratitude." At the very least, download and listen to “Sun Goddess” right now! If you don’t begin bobbin’ your head, snappin’ your fingers, and/or tappin’ your feet, we might need to check whether you have a pulse. 

Sun Goddess - Earth, Wind & Fire