(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
Earth, Wind & Fire - "Shining Star"
Hit Number 1: May 24, 1975
Stay at Number 1: 1 Week
Try to wrap your head around this: Earth, Wind & Fire only had one #1 hit. One of the greatest funk/disco acts of the '70s only got to the summit one time, and it was with a song that came before disco really exploded. But, if you recognize the background on what Earth, Wind & Fire were all about, I'm not sure if there was a better song that represented the band than "Shining Star." Earth, Wind & Fire formed in 1969, and since then, there was always one thing that the band prioritized: positivity. The band wanted to make their songs meaningful to everyone, instead of all the mindless disco songs where their sole purpose was only to bring people to the dancefloor. And "Shining Star" is as meaningful and positive as it gets. It's a song about how everyone has the potential to be awesome.
Though the band had been formed for a few years, Earth, Wind & Fire hadn't seen much success in the first half of the '70s, but they really didn't care. The band's leader, Maurice White, would say later on that of course it was nice finally getting some recognition, but that the band's main goal was just to enlighten others. He felt that the band always carried themselves with a positive mindset, and they were known for their exuberant live shows despite not having a great amount of hits. (Before "Shining Star," their highest-peaking song on the Hot 100 was "Mighty Mighty." It made it to #29 in 1974 and it's an 8) Part of the reason why Earth, Wind & Fire maybe didn't become superstars just yet is because they were strictly more funk than anything else. They would've been competing with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Sly & the Family Stone, artists that clearly had already been superstars. But, Earth, Wind & Fire were one of the first ones to dive into the developing disco sound. "Shining Star" hit #1 in 1975, and in 1975 disco wasn't quite the force that it would soon be. And along with the clear positive vibes that the song gives off, as well as the rest of Earth, Wind & Fire's catalogue, they took off. That's my theory anyway.
When you look at the song's content, "Shining Star" isn't all that different from Earth, Wind & Fire's first songs. Maurice White got the idea for the song when he was out walking one night in Colorado. The band was in the process of recording for their album That's the Way of the World, the album that "Shining Star" would eventually be on. The band recorded the album at Caribou Ranch in Colorado, and if anyone has ever been in the Colorado countryside at night, you'll know that the night skies just look different there. (While I've never actually been in the Colorado countryside at night, I've been in Wyoming's countryside at night, which has to be pretty similar) White was drawn to the many stars in the sky, and he got the idea of "shining stars." Everyone has potential to be awesome, or everyone has the potential to be a shining star, no matter who they are. It was a piece of cake for White and company at that point; they had their template in place.
A song about bringing people's spirits up is a great place to start, but it doesn't mean a whole lot if the groove isn't there. Well, the groove on "Shining Star" is a massive, gut-punching hook that draws you in immediately. That bassline is smooth as freaking silk, and the horns make a grand entrance which makes it impossible to ignore the song. One thing that I love about Earth, Wind & Fire is their changing from Maurice White's lead tenor and Philip Bailey's wild falsetto, similar to something you'd hear from Eddie Kendricks. It's clear to me that those two have some of the best chemistry together, and that contrast between their vocals is drastic, but also a very smooth transition. They made that stuff work. So in the end, "Shining Star" sounded like a clean, fresh funk record that was easy for everyone to love. The phrase "You're a shining star/no matter who you are/ shining bright to see who you can truly be" is so simple, but White and Bailey bring it with such a swagger that makes the song cool. Nobody could fuse funk and disco better together than Earth, Wind & Fire. I'll stand by that.
But "Shining Star" is only the tip of the iceberg, and that's why it makes me so upset that these guys only appear in here once. And get this, "Shining Star" isn't even their best song! As awesome as "Shining Star" is, songs like "September" and "Let's Groove" are two of the most awesome disco songs to ever exist, but neither of them hit #1. ("September" peaked at an absurdly low #8 in 1978, and it's a 10. "Let's Groove" peaked at #3 in 1981, and it's a 9) They could even release the silly, happy-go-lucky disco songs occasionally if they wanted to, and that's evident on the song "Boogie Wonderland," which is also a truly awesome song. There, I said it. ("Boogie Wonderland" peaked at #6 in 1979, and it's an 8) Even after Earth, Wind & Fire's popularity died down, Philip Bailey would almost make it to #1 in the Phil Collins collab "Easy Lover," which made it to #2 in 1985, but couldn't get past a particular Foreigner ballad to get to #1. (It's an 8. This is also the part that I say we will still hear plenty from Phil Collins in this blog)
Anyway, as you can see, there's a whole lot to say about Earth, Wind & Fire that I can't fit in just one post, but rest assured, they at least were able to get to #1. And "Shining Star" is still a hell of a good way of getting there. God almighty that bass line is sick.
GRADE: 9/10
IN POP CULTURE:
Though the song only appears for a few seconds, I had to include this scene from Seinfeld where Elaine "attempts" to dance to "Shining Star." Here's that scene:
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