Heritage (Earth, Wind & Fire song)
"Heritage" is a single by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Boys issued in February 1990 by Columbia Records.[1] The single reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 5 on the Cashbox Top R&B Singles chart.[2][3]
| "Heritage" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Earth, Wind & Fire | ||||
| from the album Heritage | ||||
| B-side | "Gotta Find Out" | |||
| Released | February 1990 | |||
| Genre | R&B, New jack swing, Funk, Dance | |||
| Length | 4:05 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Maurice White, Lestley Pierce and Frankie Blue | |||
| Producer(s) | Maurice White | |||
| Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Heritage" on YouTube | ||||
Overview
"Heritage" was produced by Maurice White and written by White, Lestley Pierce and Frankie Blue. With a duration of four minutes and five seconds the song has a prestissimo tempo of 207 beats per minute.[1][4]
The single's B-side was a song called "Gotta Find Out". Both "Heritage" and "Gotta Find Out" came upon EWF's 1990 studio album Heritage.[1]
A music video was also issued in 1990 to accompany the single.[5]
Critical reception
May Mitchell of The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that "guest appearances are made by The Boys who lend a nice choral touch to the funky title track".[6] Billboard called "Heritage" "a solid funky jam strong on complex harmonies and prideful lyrics" with "youthful zest".[7] Peter Kinghorn of the Newcastle Chronicle found a "Throbbing dance beat with the Boys helping out on harmonies."[8] John Milward of Rolling Stone declared that the "prideful title tune even throws in the kind of admonition — “This is a party, y’all,” courtesy of the Boys — favored by Earth, Wind and Fire’s more radical old rivals in Parliament-Funkadelic".[9] Pablo Guzman of the New York Daily News also exclaimed that EWF "jumps into radioactive with Takin' Chances and Heritage, the latter featuring The Boys. The union is a kicking one".[10]
Credits
- Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Woolfolk, Gary Bias
- Arranged By – Les Pierce
- Arranged By [Horns] – Bill Meyers
- Backing Vocals – Philip Bailey
- Bass – Verdine White
Featuring [Backing Vocals] – The Boys
- Guitar – Frankie Blue
- Guitar, Backing Vocals – Sheldon Reynolds
- Keyboards, Programmed By [Synthesizer], Drum Programming – Les Pierce
- Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Maurice White
- Trombone – Reggie Young
- Trumpet – Jerry Hey, Oscar Brashear
- Written-By – Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, Maurice White[1]
Chart positions
| Chart (1990)[2] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 5 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top R&B Singles | 5 |
References
- Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage. Columbia Records. February 1990.
- "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- "CASH BOX Top R&B Singles". cashboxmagazine.com. Cashbox. March 17, 1990.
- "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". chords.tv.
- "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". imdb.com.
- Mitchell, May (February 22, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune.
- Single Reviews. 102. Billboard. February 3, 1990. p. 85.
- Kinghorn, Peter (February 20, 1983). Singles. britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk. Newcastle Chronicle. p. 23.
- Milward, John (March 22, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". Rolling Stone.com. Rolling Stone.
- Guzman, Pablo (February 18, 1990). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Heritage". newspapers.com. New York Daily News. p. 422.
