Maps of Music

Touch the World (1987)

Where the lyrics of Touch the World take you, and where it was really made.

The lead single System of Survival came from a demo a songwriter handed to White while sitting in his Cadillac in the Studio D parking lot.

Key places

Studio Ultimo, recording location (1987)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Discogs lists Studio Ultimo as a recording location for Touch the World. The point uses Los Angeles city-center coordinates, not the studio building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Studio D, Sausalito (1987)

Recording site Plant Recording (Sausalito) — Discogs lists Studio D in Sausalito, California as a recording location. Wikipedia places the Skylark demo handover in the Studio D parking lot. The point uses Sausalito city-center coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Different Fur Studios, San Francisco (1987)

Recording site Soapbox West — Discogs lists Different Fur Studios as a recording location for Touch the World. The point uses San Francisco city-center coordinates, not the studio building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Touch the World: 14th studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire
• Released 30 October 1987 through Columbia Records
• Reached No. 3 on Billboard Top R&B Albums and No. 33 on Billboard Top Pop Albums
• Certified Gold in the US by the RIAA
• Produced by group leader Maurice White

Background

• Ended the band's four-year hiatus
• Maurice White reformed the group by bringing back longtime members Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfolk and Ralph Johnson
• Former Commodores guitarist Sheldon Reynolds made his debut with the band on this album
• Sonny Emory took over the drum chair
• Guests included George Duke, Marc Russo and Ricky Lawson of Yellowjackets, Jeff Porcaro of Toto, and Edwin Hawkins, Walter Hawkins and Lynette Hawkins Stephens with the Hawkins Family

Recording

• Discogs lists Studio Ultimo, Studio D in Sausalito, California, and Different Fur Studios as recording locations
• Mixing was done at Larrabee Sound Studios and Lighthouse Recorders
• Tom Lord-Alge is credited as engineer and mixer on most tracks
• Jeff Porcaro, Nathan East and Paul Jackson Jr. are credited on the rhythm tracks of several songs

Cover

• Photography by Max Aguilera Hellweg
• Art direction by Tony Lane and Nancy Donald

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.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

• The Boston Globe: David Emerson called the album one of the group's toughest and most convincing records ever
• Los Angeles Times: Connie Johnson gave 3 out of 4 stars and said the album, while not great, was good enough to further secure the group's niche in pop/funk history
• Chicago Tribune: Chris Heim wrote that the sweet ballads and distinctive vocals of Maurice White and Philip Bailey remained group hallmarks, with a tougher and sadder atmosphere
• Rolling Stone: Roe Hoeburger gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote that Bailey's falsetto needed White's low counterpunch
• The New York Times: Jon Pareles said the album aimed for hits by grafting old trademarks onto up-to-date arrangements
• The Philadelphia Inquirer: Ken Tucker gave 3 out of 4 stars and called it the best album by the vocal group since That's the Way of the World
• High Fidelity: Pamela Bloom described the album as contemporary, with a message of stop, step back and turn up your light

Records

• Billboard Top R&B Albums: No. 3
• Billboard Top Pop Albums: No. 33
• United States (RIAA): Gold
• USA Today: Robert K. Oermann ranked the album No. 6 on his list of 1987's top 50 R&B albums
• Soul Train Award nomination for Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The lead single System of Survival was written by a songwriter known as Skylark, who handed a demo tape to White while sitting in his Cadillac in the Studio D parking lot.
• System of Survival reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs and Dance Club Songs charts and was nominated for a Soul Train Award.
• Thinking of You reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.
• Verdine White is pictured in the group photo but does not play on the album.
• Sheldon Reynolds, formerly of the Commodores, made his debut with the band on this album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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