Earth, Wind & Fire, Keep Your Head to the Sky | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 178th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Keep Your Head to the Sky” by Earth, Wind & Fire.   

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 178^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Keep Your Head to the Sky” performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.

“Keep your head to the sky / So the clouds / Keep your head to the sky / So they can tell you why, Lord.” Earth, Wind & Fire are one of the greatest, most iconic bands ever.  The R&B/soul/funk collective have hits upon hits upon hits.  One of their surefire classics is “Keep Your Head to the Sky” the second track from their 1973 album, Head To The Sky. Surprisingly, “Keep Your Head to the Sky” only achieved moderate pop success. It peaked at no. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Bummer! It fared better on the R&B charts, reaching no. 23. Still, by chart performance alone, “Keep Your Head to the Sky” is underrated.  It was written by the late, great Maurice White (1941 – 2016), and produced by Joe Wissert.

To be fair, faith-based songs don’t perform as well on the mainstream charts. Faith is a key component of “Keep Your Head to the Sky” where Earth, Wind & Fire aren’t shy to reference G-O-D.  “As I grew, and with strength / Master kept me as I repent,” they sing in the first verse, with the Master being God.  In the second, the pronouns are He and His, capitalized to represent the one and only: “He gave me the will to be free / Purpose to live His reality.” The songwriting is thoughtful.  The falsetto by the high-flying Philip Bailey is angelic. Beyond Bailey, vocals are provided by Maurice White, Verdine White, and Jessica Cleaves. The closing vocals (harmonized) are chilling. Beyond the lyrics, themes, and vocals, the musical accompaniment is EVERYTHING – a tight rhythm section including ample percussion, and winds. “Keep Your Head to the Sky” is nothing short of sensational.  It has been sampled many times.

Earth, Wind & Fire // Head To The Sky // Columbia // 1973

Earth, Wind & Fire, Keep Your Head to the Sky: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 178 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; OpenClipart-Vectors, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]