I Am (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

I Am is the ninth studio album by the R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire released in June 1979 on ARC/Columbia Records.[1] The LP rose to Nos. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.[2][3] I Am has been certified Double Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA, Platinum in the UK by the BPI and Platinum in Canada by Music Canada.[4][5][6]

I Am
Studio album by
Earth, Wind & Fire
ReleasedJune 9, 1979
RecordedSeptember 4–16, 1978
StudioHollywood Sound Recorders
Sunset Sound Studio
Davlen Studio
(Los Angeles, California)
GenreR&B, soul, disco, funk
Length37:36
LabelARC/Columbia
ProducerMaurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
(1978)		 I Am
(1979)		 Faces
(1980)
Singles from I Am
  1. "Boogie Wonderland"
    Released: May 6, 1979
  2. "After the Love Has Gone"
    Released: July 12, 1979
  3. "In the Stone"
    Released: October 14, 1979
  4. "Star"
    Released: December 6, 1979
  5. "Can't Let Go"
    Released: December 30, 1979

Overview

I Am was produced by Maurice White. Artists such as The Emotions and Toto's Steve Lukather also made guest appearances on the album.[1]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
New York Times(favorable)[8]
MusicHound[9]
Village VoiceB[10]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[11]
Los Angeles Times(favourable)[12]
Creem Magazine(favourable)[13]
Baltimore Sun(favourable)[14]
Stereo Review(favourable)[15][16]
New York Daily News(favourable)[17]

Eric Sieger of the Baltimore Sun described I Am as "faultlessly produced".[14] John Rockwell of The New York Times stated "this flashily theatrical, musically imaginative creation of Maurice White can almost always be counted on for interesting records, and the new “I Am” album is no exception.".[8] Connie Johnson of The Los Angeles Times proclaimed that I Am was "freshly innovative for EW&F".[12] Creem Magazine described the LP as "a rhythmic utopia".[13] Ace Adams of the New York Daily News said "the group's impressive vocals make this album a must".[17]

Bandleader Maurice White was also Grammy nominated in the category of Producer of the Year Non-Classical.[18]

Singles

The song, "After the Love Has Gone", reached No. 2 on both theBillboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Songs charts.[19][20] After The Love Has Gone also reached No. 3 on both the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs and UK Pop Singles charts.[21][22] The ballad was Grammy nominated in the category of Record of the Year. After the Love Has Gone also won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.[23]

Another single, "Boogie Wonderland" featuring The Emotions, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[24][25] Boogie Wonderland was also Grammy nominated in the categories of Best Disco Recording and Best R&B Instrumental Performance.[23]

Track listing

Original release
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."In the Stone"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster4:48
2."Can't Let Go"Billy Meyers, Maurice White, Allee Willis3:28
3."After the Love Has Gone"David Foster, Jay Graydon, Bill Champlin4:26
4."Let Your Feelings Show"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster5:24
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Boogie Wonderland" (featuring The Emotions)Jon Lind, A. Willis4:48
6."Star"Eddie del Barrio, Maurice White, Allee Willis4:23
7."Wait"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster3:39
8."Rock That!"Maurice White, David Foster3:07
9."You and I"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster3:34

[26]

2004 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Diana"Maurice White, David Foster4:08
11."Dirty (Interlude)" (featuring Junior Wells)Maurice White0:52
12."Dirty (Junior's Juke)" (featuring Junior Wells)Maurice White, Alexander Dutkewych3:44

[27]

Note
  • The Emotions are Jeanette Hawes, Sheila Hutchinson-Whitt & Wanda Hutchinson-Vaughn

Uses in other media
  • "Let Your Feelings Show" was featured in an episode of the TV series Fame called "Heritage".[28] This song was later sampled in Kid Ink's song "The Movement", from his 2014 album My Own Lane.

Personnel

Production
  • Design by Roger Carpenter
  • Illustration by Shusei Nagaoka
  • Mastered by Michael Reese
  • Producer - Maurice White (Original, Reissue), Leo Sacks (Reissue), Paul Klingberg (additional on 10, 12)
  • Engineer - Tom Perry, George Massenburg
  • Assistant Engineers - Craig Widby, Ross Pallone
  • Mixing - Mark Wilder (11), George Massenburg
  • Concertmaster - Janice Gower
  • Horn Arrangements - Jerry Hey (1, 3, 7-8, 10-12), Tom Tom 84 (2, 4, 6-7, 9), Benjamin F. Wright (5)
  • String Arrangements - David Foster (1, 3, 8, 10), Tom Tom 84 (2, 4, 6-7, 9), Benjamin F. Wright (5)

[27]

Charts and certifications

Charts

Albums
Album
Year Chart Position
1979 US Billboard 200 3
US Billboard Top Soul Albums 1
UK Pop Albums 5

Singles
Year Single Chart
US Hot 100 US R&B US Dance UK Pop Singles[22]
1979 "Boogie Wonderland" (featuring The Emotions) 6 2 14 4
"After the Love Has Gone" 2 2 - 4
"In the Stone" 58 23 - 53
"Star" 64 47 - 16
"Can't Let Go" - - - 46

Certifications
Country Award
US (RIAA) Double Platinum[5]
CA (Music Canada) Platinum
UK (BPI) Platinum
NZ (RIANZ) Gold

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to I Am is adapted from Acclaimed Music and NME[29][30]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Mojo 1000, the Ultimate CD Buyers Guide U.K 100 Soul Albums Everyone Should Own 2001 33
Melody Maker U.K Albums of the Year 1979 8
NME U.K Albums of the Year 1979 16

See also
  • List of number-one R&B albums of 1979 (U.S.)

References
  1. Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am. ARC Records/Columbia Records. June 1979.
  2. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  3. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  4. Music Canada certification for I Am Archived 2012-09-05 at Archive.today
  5. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am". riaa.com. RIAA.
  6. British Phonographic Industry Certification for I AM Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  8. Rockwell, John (June 8, 1979). "The Pop Life". nytimes.com. New York Times.
  10. Christgau, Robert. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am". robertchristgau.com. Village Voice.
  11. Marsh, Dave (August 29, 1979). "I Am". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
  12. Johnson, Connie (July 1, 1979). "EWF: The Sweetest Muzak". Los Angeles Times. p. 367.
  13. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am". Vol. 11. Creem Magazine. September 1, 1979. p. 52. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  14. Sieger, Eric (September 23, 1979). Six major groups in area this week. newspapers.com. The Baltimore Sun. p. 134.
  15. Garland, Phyl (October 1979). "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 43 no. 4. Stereo Review. p. 100.
  16. Garland, Phyl (October 1979). "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 43 no. 4. Stereo Review. p. 102.
  17. Adams, Ace (June 22, 1979). "Mini Reviews". newspapers.com. New York Daily News. p. 321.
  18. "Maurice White". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  19. "Earth, Wind & Fire: After the Love Has Gone (Hot 100)". billboard.com.
  20. "Earth, Wind & Fire: After the Love Has Gone (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com.
  21. "Earth, Wind & Fire: After The Love Has Gone (Adult Contemporary Songs)". billboard.com.
  22. "Earth, Wind & Fire". officialcharts.com.
  23. "Earth, Wind & Fire". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  24. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Boogie Wonderland (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  25. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Boogie Wonderland (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  26. Earth, Wind & Fire. “I Am”. ARC / Columbia. 1979.
  27. Earth, Wind & Fire. “I Am” (Expanded Edition). ARC / Columbia-Legacy. 2004.
  28. "Fame: Heritage". IMDb.
  29. "Earth, Wind & Fire: I Am". acclaimedmusic.net.
  30. "Albums And Tracks Of The Year: (1979)". nme.com. NME.
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