Heritage (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

Heritage is the fifteenth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in February 1990 on Columbia Records. The album reached No. 19 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No.18 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.[1][2][3]

Heritage
Studio album by
Earth, Wind & Fire
ReleasedFebruary 17, 1990
Recorded1988-1989
GenreR&B, funk, new jack swing, go-go, dance
Length51:16
LabelColumbia
ProducerMaurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2
(1988)		 Heritage
(1990)		 The Eternal Dance
(1992)
Singles from Heritage
  1. "Heritage"
    Released: February 1990
  2. "For the Love of You"
    Released: May 1990
  3. "Wanna Be The Man"
    Released: August 1990

Overview

Heritage was produced by Maurice White. The album features appearances by artists such as Wanda Vaughn and Jeanette Hawes of The Emotions, Sly Stone, MC Hammer and The Boys.[1][4]

Samples

Daydreamin' was sampled by Nas on the song "Pray" from his 1998 album I Am... and 4 Hero on the song "Journey from the Light".[5][6][7]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Spin(favourable)[9]
Rolling Stone[10]
People(favourable)[11]
LA Weekly(favourable)[12]
Boston Globe(favourable)[13]
Chicago Tribune[14]
Baltimore Sun(favourable)[15]
New York Daily News(favourable)[16]
USA Today(favourable)[17]

People described Heritage as an album "with a full dose of energy and creativity".[11] J.D. Considine of The Baltimore Sun declared "Earth, Wind & Fire has not only kept its sound current, but on Heritage actually seems invigorated by the process of change".[15] Don Palmer of Spin noted "EWF's newest kicks with some genuine enthusiasm".[9] John Milward of Rolling Stone called Heritage "an album that finds these soulful survivors proving that their old-fashioned strengths can still sound fresh in the most modern sense of the word".[10] Paul Robicheau of The Boston Globe also described the album as a "fresh and funky outing".[13]

As well Lynden Barber of The Sydney Morning Herald placed Heritage at No. 7 on his list of the top ten albums of 1990.[18]

Singles

The title track features The Boys and reached No. 5 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.[19] The single, "For the Love of You" featuring MC Hammer, peaked at No. 19 on the same chart.[20]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Interlude: Soweto"Maurice White0:36
2."Takin' Chances"Frankie Blue, Lestley R. Pierce3:30
3."Heritage (feat. The Boys)"Frankie Blue, Lestley R. Pierce, Maurice White4:05
4."Good Time (feat. Sly Stone)"Robert Brookins, Sly Stone, Maurice White4:05
5."Interlude: Body Wrap" 0:23
6."Anything You Want"Ian Prince4:46
7."Interlude: Bird"Gary Bias0:36
8."Wanna Be the Man (feat. MC Hammer)"MC Hammer, Patterson, Sheldon Reynolds, Maurice White, Verdine White4:20
9."Interlude: Close to Home"Lyle Mays1:35
10."Daydreamin'"Victor Hill, Bernard Spears, Maurice White, Billy Young4:02
11."King of Groove"Morris Stewart5:21
12."I'm in Love"Victor Hill, Bernard Spears, Billy Young4:02
13."For the Love of You (feat. MC Hammer)"Robert Brookins, MC Hammer, Stephanie Mills, Maurice White4:27
14."Gotta Find Out*"Victor Hill, Bernard Spears, Billy Young4:10
15."Motor"Frankie Blue, Lestley R. Pierce, Maurice White3:44
16."Interlude: Faith"Billy Young1:01
17."Welcome"Ralph Johnson, Maurice White, Billy Young4:03
18."Soweto (Reprise)"Ralph Johnson, Maurice White, Billy Young0:38

[1]

Personnel
  • Philip Bailey - lead and backing vocals
  • Gary Bias - tenor saxophone
  • Frankie Blue - guitar
  • The Boys
  • Oscar Brashear - trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Robert Brookins - synthesizer, keyboards
  • Ray Brown - trumpet
  • Sonny Emory - drums
  • Jeanette Hawes - background vocals
  • Charles L. Freeman - A&R Administration/Production Coordinator
  • Jerry Hey - trumpet
  • Josie James - background vocals
  • Ralph Johnson - percussion
  • MC Hammer - rap
  • Mike McKnight - synthesizer
  • Bill Meyers - synthesizer, keyboards
  • Les Pierce - synthesizer, drums, keyboards
  • Ian Prince - synthesizer, keyboards
  • Sheldon Reynolds - guitar, background vocals
  • Billy Savage - synthesizer, keyboards
  • Dick Smith - guitar
  • Michael "Patches" Stewart - trumpet
  • Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart - background vocals
  • Wanda Vaughn - background vocals
  • Maurice White - percussion, lead and backing vocals, kalimba
  • Verdine White - bass
  • Andrew Woolfolk - alto & tenor saxophones
  • Billy Young - synthesizer, keyboards
  • Reggie C. Young - trombone[1]

Charts
Chart (1990) Peak
position
German Albums (GfK Top 100)[21] 39
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[22] 31
UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums[3] 18
US Billboard 200 70
US Billboard Top R&B Albums[2] 19
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1990 "For the Love of You" Billboard Hot R&B Singles 19
"Heritage" 5
"Wanna Be the Man" 46

Accolades
Author Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Lynden Barber Sydney Morning Herald Australia Blue Hot Numbers 1990 7[18]

References
  1. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". 45worlds.com.
  2. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage (Hot R&B/Hip Hop Albums)". Billboard.com.
  3. "Top British Soul Albums". No. 557. Blues & Soul. March 27, 1990. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  4. Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage. Columbia Records. February 1990.
  5. "Earth, Wind & Fire". the-breaks.com.
  6. Nas: I Am. Columbia Records. 1998.
  7. 4 Hero: Journey from the Light. Reinforced Records. February 1993.
  8. Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  9. Palmer, Don (April 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire Heritage (Review)". Vol. 6 no. 1. Spin Magazine. p. 121. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  10. Milward, John (March 22, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
  11. "Picks and Pans Review: Heritage". People.com. People. February 19, 1990.
  12. George, Lynell (March 1, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". newspapers.com. LA Weekly. p. 79.
  13. Robicheau, Paul (February 15, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". newspapers.com. Boston Globe. p. 104.
  14. May, Mitchell (February 27, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune.
  15. Considine, J.D. (February 16, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". newspapers.com. Baltimore Sun. p. 105.
  16. Guzman, Pablo (February 18, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". newspapers.com. New York Daily News. p. 422.
  17. Jones, James T, IV. (January 18, 1990). "LISTEN UP!". proquest.com. USA Today. p. 4D.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Lynden Barber (December 21, 1990). "Blue Hot Numbers". newspapers.com. Sydney Morning Herald.
  19. "Earth, Wind & Fire – Heritage". Billboard.com.
  20. "Earth, Wind & Fire: For The Love Of You". Billboard.com.
  21. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage (GFK Top 100 Albums)". offiziellecharts.de.
  22. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
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