Ever watched a movie so bad it actually birthed one of the greatest albums in music history? It sounds like a fluke. But that’s exactly what happened with Earth, Wind & Fire in the movie That’s the Way of the World—often referred to by fans and crate-diggers as the "EWF in the Stone" era because of the iconic cover art and the "Shining Star" single.
Most people know the hits. They don't know the movie was a total flop.
The year was 1975. Maurice White, the visionary founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, wanted to bridge the gap between soul music and Hollywood. He wasn't just looking for a soundtrack gig. He wanted the band to be in the film. They played a fictionalized version of themselves called "The Group." It’s kinda meta when you think about it. The plot follows a record producer, played by Harvey Keitel, who struggles to balance his integrity with a corrupt music industry.
The movie disappeared. The music changed everything.
Why the That's the Way of the World Era Changed Everything
Before this project, Earth, Wind & Fire were successful, but they weren't Earth, Wind & Fire yet. You know? They had the funk, but they hadn't quite captured that universal, spiritual pop magic that would eventually fill stadiums.
Maurice White was a genius for a reason. He saw the film’s script—which was cynical and dark—and decided the music should be the exact opposite. While Harvey Keitel’s character was dealing with the "sleazy" side of the business, EWF was recording tracks that felt like pure sunlight.
The "Stone" Imagery and the Afrofuturist Aesthetic
If you look at the album cover, you see the band members' faces etched into a massive stone monument, almost like a funky Mount Rushmore. This wasn't just a cool design choice. It was a statement of permanence. In an era where "Black films" were often treated as disposable "blaxploitation" commodities, White wanted something that felt ancient and eternal.
The "stone" symbolizes the Earth element of their name. It represents a foundation. During the recording sessions at Caribou Ranch in Colorado, the band was isolated. They were literally in the mountains, surrounded by rock and sky. That environment bled into the tracks. You can hear the crispness of the air in the horn sections.
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People often get confused about the timeline. They think the movie came after the hits. Nope. The music was written to save the movie, and when the movie failed, the music stood on its own like a monolith.
The Harvey Keitel Connection You Didn't Expect
It is honestly wild to see Harvey Keitel—the guy from Reservoir Dogs and Taxi Driver—sharing scenes with Maurice White and Philip Bailey. Keitel plays Coleman Buckmaster. He’s a producer who is forced to work with a bubblegum pop act called "The Pages" while his heart is with "The Group" (EWF).
There's a specific scene where the band is recording in the studio. It’s one of the few moments where the film feels real. You see the band’s actual chemistry. They aren't just acting; they are working through arrangements.
The film's director, Sig Shore, had previously produced Super Fly. He knew how to market a soundtrack. But That’s the Way of the World lacked the gritty action of Super Fly. It was more of a drama about the industry. Audiences in '75 didn't want a lecture on record contracts; they wanted to dance.
So, the movie tanked. It opened in a few theaters and vanished.
But Maurice White had a hunch. He told the label to release the album before the movie came out. If he hadn't done that, the album might have gone down with the ship. Instead, "Shining Star" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. By the time people realized the movie was a dud, the album was already triple platinum.
Breaking Down the "Shining Star" Breakthrough
"Shining Star" is the heartbeat of this entire era.
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Interestingly, the song was inspired by the night sky at Caribou Ranch. Maurice was walking outside, looked up at the stars, and the concept of everyone being a "star" hit him. It sounds simple, maybe even a bit cheesy today, but in 1975, it was a revolutionary message of self-worth for the Black community.
The song structure is a masterclass:
- That opening guitar riff by Al McKay? Instant earworm.
- The bridge where the horns kick in? That’s the "Phoenix Horns" at their peak.
- The vocal interplay between Maurice’s baritone and Philip Bailey’s falsetto.
They were blending jazz, gospel, and funk into a commercial package that didn't lose its soul. It's rare. Usually, when a band goes for a movie deal, the music gets watered down. EWF did the opposite. They got weirder and more complex.
Misconceptions About the Movie's Content
A lot of people think That's the Way of the World is a concert film. It’s not.
If you go looking for it expecting The Last Waltz or Wattstax, you’ll be disappointed. It’s a scripted drama. The band has actual lines. They have to deal with the frustrations of a producer who is being pressured by "the man."
There’s a subtle irony there. In the movie, the band is struggling to get their "real" sound heard. In real life, while filming those scenes, they were creating the very sound that would make them icons.
The Lasting Legacy of the "Stone" Album
The "Stone" imagery from the album cover became a recurring theme for the band. It moved into the Egyptian iconography they’d use later on All 'N All.
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Musicians still study this record. Questlove has talked about the "pocket" of the drumming on this album. Fred White (Maurice’s brother) was playing with a precision that felt almost like a drum machine before drum machines existed.
And let’s talk about the title track, "That’s the Way of the World." It’s a ballad, but it has the weight of an anthem. It’s been covered by everyone from Chaka Khan to Mary J. Blige. It deals with the loss of innocence and the reality of growing up, which mirrored the movie’s cynical plot but added a layer of hope that the film lacked.
Facts Often Missed by Casual Fans
- The Label's Hesitation: Columbia Records didn't initially think "Shining Star" was a hit. They thought it was "too funky" for pop radio.
- The Soundtrack Status: Technically, the album is a soundtrack, but it’s rarely filed that way in record stores. It’s just seen as a core EWF studio album.
- The Script's Origin: The screenplay was written by Robert Litz and was originally much darker, focusing on the drug use in the industry. Most of that was toned down to keep the band's image clean.
How to Experience This Today
You can actually find the movie on various streaming platforms or boutique DVD labels now, but honestly? Watch it for the historical curiosity, not the plot.
The real magic is in the music.
If you want to understand why Earth, Wind & Fire in the "Stone" era matters, you have to listen to the album on vinyl or high-quality audio. There are layers in the production—kalimbas, subtle percussion, layers of vocal harmonies—that get lost in cheap speakers.
Actionable Insights for Music Collectors and Fans
- Look for the 1999 Reissue: The remastered version of the That's the Way of the World album includes sketches and instrumental versions that show how the songs were built from the ground up.
- Watch the Studio Scenes: If you find the film, skip to the scenes where they are in the recording booth. It’s a rare look at their actual 70s gear and recording techniques.
- Analyze the Lyrics: Move beyond the hooks. Maurice White was deeply influenced by the book The Kybalion and Hermetic philosophy. The lyrics in this era are filled with references to "as above, so below" and spiritual alignment.
The movie was a failure that paved the way for a masterpiece. It's a reminder that sometimes, the "side project" or the "failed experiment" is actually the thing that defines your career. Without the failure of the film, we might never have gotten the polished, stadium-ready version of Earth, Wind & Fire that changed the world.
Next time you hear that "Shining Star" riff, remember they were essentially playing a fictional version of themselves in a movie that nobody saw. They turned a Hollywood disaster into a musical monument. That’s the way of the world.