Ignored Obscured Restored
Last Sunday, HBO premiered a new documentary, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World), directed and produced by Questlove. The excellent film is as much a biography of Earth, Wind & Fire founder and guiding force Maurice White as it is the story of the band itself.
Of course, most of us know the group’s greatest hits: “Shining Star,” “Serpentine Fire,” “Fantasy,” “Reasons,” their spirited Beatles cover “Got to Get You Into My Life,” and the wedding-reception staple “September.” But this is the SotW, where we prefer to dig a little deeper. For this outing, let’s revisit “Moment of Truth,” a superb track from the band’s 1971 self-titled debut album on Warner Bros. Records.
Musically, the song is a perfect illustration of White’s vision for pushing soul and funk into new territory. The influences are easy to spot — James Brown’s relentless groove, Sly & the Family Stone’s energy and punchy horns, and the jazz-funk experimentation of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew era. The result is raw, tense, gritty, street-level funk that crackles with urgency.
Lyrically, “Moment of Truth” is a socially conscious call for accountability, chastising those who ignore society’s problems while pursuing cheap thrills and material distractions.
“We’re goin’ ’round / Tryin’ to get higher / Better come down / There’s gonna be a fire.”
“The moment of truth is near, oh-yeah / And my body trembles with fear / Just like you, I’m a guilty one / Thinkin’ ’bout nothin’, but havin’ me some fun.”
It’s a warning as relevant today as it was more than five decades ago.
Earth, Wind & Fire received little commercial recognition for their first two albums on Warner Bros. It wasn’t until White relocated from Chicago to Los Angeles, revamped the lineup, and signed with Columbia Records that he fully realized both his musical vision and his commercial ambitions. The extraordinary success that followed would make Earth, Wind & Fire one of the defining acts of the 1970s.
Questlove’s documentary tells that story with insight, affection, and remarkable depth. Check it out — you’ll come away with a renewed appreciation for Maurice White’s genius and the band’s remarkable rise to stardom.
Enjoy… until next week.