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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Earth Wind & Fire

  • Morning Tunes

    Morning Tunes

    Here in Germany, it’s cold and dark in the morning until after 8:00am during the winter months. Sometimes morning tunes are the only way to get my eyes to open.

    So what are my favorite morning tunes? I’d say it depends on my mood. Some mornings, I prefer something energetic and loud. For instance, this morning I’ve got Earth, Wind, & Fire’s classic 1981 album Raise! playing on my computer. There’s something about Philip Bailey’s soaring falsetto and heavy electric guitars that was on my mind this morning. So the first song I decided to play was “Evolution Orange”, which is a song that is kind of special to me. Back in the mid 90s, I was still somewhat interested in trying to be fit and used to jog to this album. “Evolution Orange” is a great song for running. Sadly, I can’t find a video for it on YouTube. Just so you know, finding videos in Germany is harder than it is in the United States because Germany is a lot stricter about content sharing and copyright enforcement.


    I did, however, find a video of “Let’s Groove”, which is from the same album.

    Some mornings, I’m in a more low key mood and prefer something less energetic. I especially prefer these calmer songs when I’m working on something that requires intense thought. When that happens, there’s no telling what I’ll end up playing. A little Phil Coulter when I need to think is a good thing…


    Phil Coulter’s version of “Going Home”…

    When I worked as a technical writer in South Carolina, I used to listen to a lot of Eden’s Bridge in the morning. Eden’s Bridge is a Christian band from Ireland. I am not particularly religious; I just really like good music. Eden’s Bridge is comprised of very talented musicians and they play beautiful and often original Celtic style music. I found it easy to think and create when listening to them play, so I’d often wear a pair of headphones while writing passages about how certain chronic diseases were trending in the state of South Carolina.


    I probably would have chosen an original tune to post here, but again, it’s hard to do that in Germany! Besides, I do like Eden Bridge’s spiritual rendition of “Awesome God”. It’s not cheesy… it’s Celtic!

    If I’m feeling more secular and need something good for thinking, I might choose something by Zero 7 or Dead Can Dance. They’re also great choices for when I need “evening tunes”.


    Zero 7’s “In the Waiting Line”. This song is both sexy and sort of clinical. It’s great for thinking.


    Dead Can Dance never gets old, though “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” has been around since 1993.

    And then there are the mornings when I’m feeling both soulful and energetic. I may reach for Ray Charles… or Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint.


    I miss Ray Charles. He was just brilliant. At least I can listen to him sing “Oh What A Beautiful Morning”.

    Seriously… I wasn’t even thinking of Ray Charles before I started writing this post and watching the above video just put a big smile on my face. Ray Charles was just an amazing entertainer and musician.


    Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant are a winning pair, especially in the morning.

    And finally, there’s Lenny Kravitz and his Led Zeppelinesque “Are You Gonna Go My Way”…


    This song never fails to get the blood pumping.

    I think there’s definitely a good reason why morning news shows play rock songs during their broadcasts. They are a great way to get going in the morning. On a totally unrelated note, once again I’m realizing how eclectic my musical tastes are. You never know whats going to be playing at my house.

  • The Infatueighties Countdown: #103: “Easy Lover”

    I would imagine that back in the Seventies, if you’d have told the average rock music fan that the heavily falsetto-ed lead singer of Earth Wind & Fire would be recording music with the drummer from Genesis, you would get a ton of quizzical stares. By 1984, the idea of that happening didn’t seem so farfetched-especially since EWF’s Philip Bailey had already launched a solo career with 1983’s “Continuation” and Genesis’s Phil Collins had moved from behind the drum stool to become the band’s lead singer. Oh, and there’s also the fact that Collins borrowed EWF’s horn section for portions of his first solo record, 1981’s “Face Value”. In the vein of other ebony/ivory duets like “Say, Say, Say”, “Yah Mo B There” and…uh, “Ebony & Ivory” came “Easy Lover”, a song that trumps (almost) all of the aforementioned superstar pairings.

    The cover of Philip Bailey\'s \"Easy Lover\" 45 (featuring Phil Collins)

    Turns out Bailey’s voice is pretty well-suited for punchier, rock-etched tunes in addition to his band’s sumptuous ballads and slick funk jams. Some guys have all the luck. Collins-who was mere months away from becoming ubiquitous thanks to “No Jacket Required”-pulls out a legitimately soulful vocal here. Plus, that huge drum sound that marks just about everything Collins produces had yet to become boring yet.

    And you’ve gotta love the silly video. Makes you wonder why Collins never made it as an actor. Hey, if Bob Hoskins and Kevin Spacey can score roles…

    Lyrically, the song is just one bro looking out for another bro. “Dude, that chick is dangerous, watch out!”. I figure one Phil was just checking for the other Phil’s best interests. It’s doubtful that Bailey would want Collins for himself. Although, with that falsetto…

    The song peaked at #2 in early 1985, giving Bailey his last Top 10 hit either with his band or as a solo artist, while reaching #3 on the R&B charts, giving Collins the first of two Top 10 R&B hits (“Sussudio” peaked at #8 the following summer).