Touch the World

Touch the World
Studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Released October 13, 1987
Recorded 1987
Genre R&B
Length 42:34
Label Columbia
Producer Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology
The Collection
(1986)The Collection1986		 Touch the World
(1987)		 The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2
(1988)The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 21988
Singles from Touch the World
  1. "System of Survival"
    Released: September 22, 1987
  2. "You and I"
    Released: December 1, 1987
  3. "Thinking of You"
    Released: January 5, 1988
  4. "Evil Roy"
    Released: March 22, 1988
  5. "Touch The World"
    Released: May 17, 1988
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert Christgau(B+)[2]
Warr.org[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]

Touch the World is the fourteenth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, produced by the band's leader Maurice White for Kalimba Productions, and released in 1987 on Columbia Records. The album got to Nos. 3 & 33 upon the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Billboard 200 charts. Touch the World has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.[1][6][7][8]

Overview

Touch The World also marked the debut of former Commodores guitarist Sheldon Reynolds to the lineup. The album ended a four-year hiatus for the band, with Maurice White reforming the group, bringing back longtime members Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfolk and Ralph Johnson. As well Sonny Emory filled the drum chair vacated by Fred White.[1]

Reception

Touch the World was nominated for a Soul Train Award in the category of Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year.[9]

Off the album came a song written by an unknown composer by the name of Skylark entitled "System of Survival". When issued as a single, the song became a hit, going to number one on the Billboard R&B charts and Dance charts. System of Survival was also nominated for a Soul Train Award within the category of Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo.[1][10][11][9] Another single titled "Thinking Of You" got to Nos. 1 & 3 upon the Billboard Dance Club Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts respectively.[1][12][13]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."System of Survival"Skylark4:59
2."Evil Roy"Philip Bailey, Attala Zane Giles, Allee Willis4:51
3."Thinking of You"Wayne Vaughn, Wanda Vaughn, Maurice White4:41
4."You and I"Mark Mueller, Robbie Nevil4:03
5."Musical Interlude: New Horizons"Bill Meyers2:01
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Money Tight"Danny Sembello, Maurice White, Allee Willis4:36
7."Every Now and Then"Jon Lind, Brock Walsh4:21
8."Touch the World"Rev. Oliver W. Wells5:15
9."Here Today and Gone Tomorrow"Philip Bailey, Marti Sharron, Glen Ballard3:59
10."Victim of the Modern Heart"Ian Prince3:48

[14][15]

Covers and Samples

The album's title track was covered by Whitney Houston feat. Cissy Houston upon the 1994 live album Whitney: The Concert for a New South Africa. As well System of Survival was sampled by hip hop group Slum Village on their 2005 track Hear This.[16][17]

Charts

Album – Billboard
Year Chart[6] Position
1987 The Billboard 200 33
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 3
Singles – Billboard
Year Single Chart Position
1987 "System of Survival" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1
Hot R&B Singles 1
The Billboard Hot 100 60
"Evil Roy" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 38
Hot R&B Singles 22
"Thinking of You" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1
Hot R&B Singles 3
The Billboard Hot 100 67
"You & I" Hot R&B Singles 29
"Touch the World" Top R&B/Gospel Singles 19

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World". Allmusic.com.
  2. ↑ Robert Christgau review
  3. ↑ Warr.org review
  4. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  5. ↑ "Unsilent Nights. . . : Four Stars Being Best, a Guide to the Top 40". latimes.com.
  6. 1 2 "Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.com.
  7. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World (Billboard 200)". Billboard.com.
  8. ↑ "RIAA Certification for Earth, Wind & Fire". RIAA.com.
  9. 1 2 "Soul Train Music Awards 1988 Winners & Nominees". Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  10. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: System of Survival (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com.
  11. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: System of Survival (Dance Club Play Songs)". Billboard.com.
  12. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Thinking Of You (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com.
  13. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Thinking Of You (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com.
  14. ↑ "Allmusic". allmusic.com.
  15. ↑ "Touch the World on discogs.com". discogs.com.
  16. ↑ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World". Whosampled.com.
  17. ↑ "Whitney Houston: Concert for South Africa". Allmusic.com.
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