Kalimba Story

1974 song by Earth, Wind, & Fire
"Kalimba Story"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album Open Our Eyes
B-side"Tee Nine Chee Bit"
ReleasedJune 14, 1974
Recorded1973
GenreFunk, R&B
Length2:58 (single version) 4:03 (album version)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Maurice White, Verdine White
Producer(s)Joe Wissert, Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"Mighty Mighty"
(1974)
"Kalimba Story"
(1974)
"Devotion"
(1974)

"Kalimba Story" is a song by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in 1974 on Columbia Records.[1]

Overview

Kalimba Story was produced by Maurice White and Joe Wissert and composed by Maurice and Verdine White. The song also came off EWF's 1974 album Open Our Eyes[1]

Critical reception

Record World said that "What Stevie Wonder has done for the clavinet, this group does for the African thumb piano, the 'kalimba.'"[2]

Alex Henderson of Allmusic called "Kalimba Story" a "treasure".[3]

Chart performance

The single reached number six on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart,[4] and number fifty-five on the Hot 100.[5] In Canada the song reached number 63.[6]

Samples

"Kalimba Story" was sampled by hip hop duo Gang Starr on their 1990 track Jazz Thing (Movie Mix).[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Earth, Wind & Fire: Kalimba Story. Columbia Records. 1974.
  2. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 22, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  3. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Open Our Eyes". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  4. ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Kalimba Story (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard.com.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 264.
  6. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 17, 1974" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Gangstarr: Jazz Thing". the-breaks.com.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Notable members
Current
Former
Studio albums
Soundtrack albums
  • Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Live albums
  • Gratitude
  • Greatest Hits Live
  • That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75
  • Live in Rio
Videos
Compilations
Singles
Collaborations
Related articlesLists
  • Category


Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz work


Stub icon

This 1970s R&B/soul music song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e