Boogie Wonderland

"Boogie Wonderland" is a single by Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions, released in April 1979 on Columbia Records.[1] The song peaked at number 14 on the dance chart, number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.[2][3] Boogie Wonderland was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA and Gold in the UK by the BPI.

"Boogie Wonderland"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
from the album I Am
B-side"Boogie Wonderland (Instrumental) (Vinyl)"
ReleasedMay 6, 1979
Genre
Length4:49 (LP/7") 9:21 (12")
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"September"
(1978)		 "Boogie Wonderland"
(1979)		 "After the Love Has Gone"
(1979)
Music video
"Boogie Wonderland" on YouTube

Overview

The song was composed by Allee Willis with Jon Lind[4] and produced by EWF leader Maurice White and Al McKay.[1] The song's tempo also subtly changes, where it finishes slightly faster than it started.

Critical reception

Rose Riggins of Gannett wrote "Boogie Wonderland is the hit. But it is more than just an average pop song. The song is an exploration is of times spent at house parties and at discos, when you wanted to be disco queen or king and the spotlight just wouldn't focus on you. You wonder why and look into the mirror and it says, Uh, Uh, baby it don't work you dance to shake the hurt. Like so many of EWFs hits, Boogie Wonderland, is bolstered by the blazing horns that have become the groups trademark. Teamed up with the talented vocal group the Emotions, EWF has created a song that will join the ranks of such past hits as Mighty Mighty, Getaway, Fantasy and September."[5] Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone said Maurice White "takes simple dance formulas like 'Boogie Wonderland' and finds fresh possibilities within them."[6] Matthew Greenwald of Allmusic stated "one of the few records that paired two full-fledged groups successfully, the combination of EWF and the Emotions worked wonders here and it remains a classic of the period."[7] Allen Weiner of Morning Call wrote "Boogie Wonderland is the LP's most commercial tune, a tribute to both jazz/soul and disco fans that is pulsating and pleasing."[8] Ace Adams of the New York Daily News also found that "The Emotions' Boogie Wonderland gets Earth, Wind & Fire off to a flying start on this album".[9]

"Boogie Wonderland" was Grammy nominated in the categories of Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Disco Recording.[10]

Covers
  • "Boogie Wonderland" was the basis for the dance song "I'm Alive" by Stretch & Vern Present "Maddog"; the song reached number 6 in the UK in September 1996.[11]

Appearances in other media

Chart performance

Personnel
  • Steve Poskitt - step in drummer for Boogie Wonderland recording

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[28]
digital 		Gold 45,000
Italy (FIMI)[29]
sales since 2009 		Gold 35,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]
physical 		Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[31]
physical 		Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to "Boogie Wonderland" is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.[32]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Gary Mulholland U.K. This Is Uncool: The 500 Best Singles Since Punk Rock 2002 *
Dave Marsh U.S. The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made 1989 737
Bruce Pollock U.S. The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000 2005 *
The Guardian UK 1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear 2009 *

(*) designates lists that are unordered.

References
  1. Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions: Boogie Wonderland. Columbia Records. April 1979.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 86.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 179.
  4. Willis, Allee (25 November 2018). "How I wrote 'Boogie Wonderland'" Songwritingmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  5. Riggins, Rose (August 25, 1979). "'Boogie Wonderland' more than just pop". The Californian. Gannett. p. 35 – via newspapers.com.
  6. Marsh, Dave (August 29, 1979). "I Am". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
  7. Greenwald, Matthew. "Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions: Boogie Wonderland". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  8. Weiner, Allen (June 23, 1979). "Earth,Wind & Fire: I Am". The Morning Call. p. 52 – via newspapers.com.
  9. Adams, Ace (June 22, 1979). "Mini Reviews". newspapers.com. New York Daily News. p. 321.
  10. "Earth, Wind & Fire". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  11. "The Official Charts Company Stretch 'N' Vern Presents 'Maddog' - I'm Alive".
  12. "American Idol: Not The Final Coundown!". TV.com. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  13. American Idol. Season 2. Episode 23. April 2, 2003. FOX.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Earth Wind and Fire – Boogie Wonderland" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. June 22, 1979. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Boogie Wonderland". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  17. "NL Top40 - Search Results Boogie Wonderland". Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  18. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. July 22, 1979. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  19. http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html
  20. "Top 100 1979-07-14". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  21. Steffen Hung. "Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions - Boogie Wonderland". Lescharts.com. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  22. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  23. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  24. "Top Selling Singles of 1979 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. December 31, 1979. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  25. "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. December 22, 1979. p. 27.
  26. "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  27. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1979". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  28. "Danish single certifications – Earth, Wind & Fire, The Emotions – Boogie Wonderland". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  29. "Italian single certifications – Earth, Wind & Fire – Boogie Wonderland" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved November 4, 2020. Select "2020" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Boogie Wonderland" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
  30. "British single certifications – Earth, Wind & Fire & Emotions – Boogie Wonderland". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  31. "American single certifications – Earth, Wind & Fire – Boogie Wonderland". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 4, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  32. "Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions: Boogie Wonderland". Acclaimed Music.
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