Maps of Music

Open Our Eyes (1974)

Where the lyrics of Open Our Eyes take you, and where it was really made.

This Earth, Wind & Fire album was recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado, and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

Key places

Recorded at Caribou Ranch (1974)

Recording site Caribou Ranch — The album was produced by Maurice White and Joe Wissert and recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado. The studio is credited as the recording place on the release. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Open Our Eyes is the fifth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire
• Released March 25, 1974 on Columbia Records
• Produced by Maurice White and Joe Wissert
• Recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado, US
• Recording location credited on the Discogs release page as Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado

Background

• Released on Columbia Records during the band's run of hit albums in the mid-1970s
• Core lineup credited on the album: Philip Bailey on vocals, congas and percussion
• Larry Dunn on Moog synthesizer, piano and organ
• Johnny Graham on guitar and percussion
• Ralph Johnson on drums and percussion
• Al McKay on vocals, guitar and percussion
• Maurice White on vocals, drums and kalimba
• Verdine White on vocals, bass and percussion
• Andrew Woolfolk on soprano saxophone and flute
• Charles Stepney credited as associate producer and arranger on the original recording

Recording

• Original recording produced by Maurice White and Joe Wissert
• Recording engineer Bruce Botnick
• Musical arrangements credited to Earth, Wind & Fire
• Remix work done at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Maurice White, originating out of the Salty Peppers.
• Known for a kalimba sound, a dynamic horn section, elaborate stage shows, and the contrast between Philip Bailey's falsetto and Maurice White's tenor.
• Music spans jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop.

Members

• Prominent members include Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds and Andrew Woolfolk.
• Maurice White, the founder, died on February 4, 2016.

Career

• Among the best-selling bands ever, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
• Won six Grammy Awards out of 17 nominations and four American Music Awards out of 12 nominations.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.
• Received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019, becoming the first Black group to be inducted.
• Had a hiatus from mid-1984 to mid-1987.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone described the album as a pleasant miscellany of Africana, Latin rhythms, well-mannered funk, smooth jazz, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder and the Fifth Dimension
• Dale Anderson of the Buffalo News wrote that the album is worthy of the attention of progressive music fans everywhere
• Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called Side 1 a very pleasant surprise and described Side 2 as a complete tour de force
• A writer for Record World described the album as a delight for gourmets of these powerfully progressive R&B musicians with a tasty jazz flavor

Records

• Billboard Top Soul Albums chart: No. 1
• Billboard Top Pop Albums chart: No. 15
• United States (RIAA): Platinum

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Music journalist Vince Aletti named Open Our Eyes on his ballot for The Village Voice's 1974 Pazz & Jop critics poll.
• Mighty Mighty peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• Kalimba Story reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.
• Devotion, another single from the album, peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• Maurice White played drums and kalimba on the album and co-produced it with Joe Wissert.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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