Shining Star (Earth, Wind & Fire song)

"Shining Star"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album That's the Way of the World
B-side "Yearnin' Learnin'"
Released January 21, 1975
Format 7", 45 RPM CD Single
Recorded Autumn 1974
Genre Funk
Length 2:51
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Maurice White, Larry Dunn, Philip Bailey
Producer(s) Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"Hot Dawgit"
(1974)
"Shining Star"
(1975)
"Sun Goddess"
(1975)

"Shining Star" is a 1975 song by Earth, Wind & Fire from their album That's the Way of the World. The song was written by Maurice White, Larry Dunn and Philip Bailey and produced by White. "Shining Star" was Earth, Wind & Fire's first major hit, hitting No. 1 on both the U.S. Hot 100 and R&B charts from 1975.[1]

Shining Star is considered a prime example of funk music that attained mainstream success.[1] The concept for the song came to White while strolling at night during the band's recording of "That's the Way of the World". He was inspired by looking up at the starry sky and took his ideas about the song to the other band members. The song is noted for the way the instruments drop out during the last repeated choruses with the group singing the final lines a cappella followed by the song's abrupt end.[2]

Reception

"Shining Star" won Earth, Wind & Fire a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[3] The single was successful commercially, selling over a million copies. It has been certified gold as up until the RIAA lowered the sales levels for certified singles in 1989, a Gold single equaled one million units sold.[4][5]

Earth, Wind & Fire performed Shining Star on the TV series The Midnight Special.[6]

Covers

Chart positions

Chart (1975-1976) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 1

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to "Shining Star" is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net and awards on Earthwindandfire.com.[9][10]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Pause & Play U.S. Songs Inducted into a Time Capsule, One Album per Week 2008 *
The Recording Academy U.S. Grammy Hall of Fame Albums and Songs 2007 *
Dave Marsh U.S. The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made 1989 433
Bruce Pollock U.S. The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000 2005 *

(*) designates lists that are unordered.

References

  1. 1 2 Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 289. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
  2. Flans, Robyn (December 1, 2004). "Classic Tracks: Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star"". Mixonline.com. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  3. "Rock Music, etc., Terms". Spider.georgetowncollege.edu. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  4. Earth, Wind & Fire Shining Star LIVE Midnight Special 1975 on YouTube
  5. "Yours Truly overview". Allmusic.com.
  6. "Rick Braun Yours Truly". SmoothViews.com.
  7. "Shining Star". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
Preceded by
"He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" by Tony Orlando and Dawn
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
May 24, 1975 (one week)
Succeeded by
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender
Preceded by
"Supernatural Thing" (Part 1) by Ben E. King
Billboard's Hot Soul Singles number one single
March 22–29, 1975 (two weeks)
Succeeded by
"Shoeshine Boy" by Eddie Kendricks
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