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

"Kalimba Story"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album Open Our Eyes
B-side"Tee Nine Chee Bit"
ReleasedJuly 1974[1]
Recorded1973
GenreFunk, R&B
Length4:03 (album version)
2:58 (single version)
LabelColumbia
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)

Overview

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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

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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

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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

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

References

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  1. ^ "Great Rock Discography". p. 254.
  2. ^ a b 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.