Kalimba Story

"Kalimba Story"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album Open Our Eyes
B-side	"Tee Nine Chee Bit"
Released	July 1974[1]
Recorded	1973
Genre	Funk, R&B
Length	4:03 (album version) 2:58 (single version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Maurice White, Verdine White
Producer(s)	Joe Wissert, Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"Mighty Mighty" (1974) "Kalimba Story" (1974) "Devotion" (1974)

"Kalimba Story" is a song by R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in 1974 on Columbia Records.^[2]

Overview

Kalimba Story was produced by Maurice White and Joe Wissert and composed by Maurice and Verdine White. The song also came off EWF's 1974 album Open Our Eyes^[2]

Critical reception

Record World said that "What Stevie Wonder has done for the clavinet, this group does for the African thumb piano, the 'kalimba.'"^[3]

Alex Henderson of Allmusic called "Kalimba Story" a "treasure".^[4]

Chart performance

The single reached number six on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart,^[5] and number fifty-five on the Hot 100.^[6] In Canada the song reached number 63.^[7]

Samples

"Kalimba Story" was sampled by hip hop duo Gang Starr on their 1990 track Jazz Thing (Movie Mix).^[8]

References

1. "Great Rock Discography". p. 254.
2. Earth, Wind & Fire: Kalimba Story. Columbia Records. 1974.
3. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 22, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
4. Henderson, Alex. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Open Our Eyes". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
5. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Kalimba Story (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard.com.
6. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 264.
7. "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 17, 1974" (PDF).
8. "Gangstarr: Jazz Thing". the-breaks.com.