Faces (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

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Faces is the tenth studio album, a double-LP by R&B artists Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1980 on ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached number 2 and number 10 on the Billboard Black and Pop albums charts.

It has been certified gold in the US by the RIAA. In a 2007 interview when asked which EWF album is his favorite Earth, Wind & Fire leader Maurice White replied "Probably Faces because we were really in tune, playing together and it gave us the opportunity to explore new areas".

The lead-off single was "Let Me Talk". The songs "You", and "Sparkle" followed as single releases. Unlike previous Earth, Wind and Fire albums, there was no U.S. tour in support of the album. This was also the last Earth Wind and Fire recording with guitarist Al McKay, who left the group the next year. This album is noted for featuring Steve Lukather, guitarist for EWF's label mate Toto, on the songs "Back on the Road" and "You Went Away".

Track Edits

2 extra interludes have been included as part of the album since the release of the Columbia Master's collection in 2011. The track "Oriental" (this interlude is actually on the original album at the very end of "In Time") comes directly before "Faces" while "Pipe Organ" (This interlude was like wise originally part of the song Faces at its conclusion) follows it. Also tracks "You" & "Take it to the Sky" feature significantly longer edits though in the case of "Take it to the Sky" the content comes from the end of "Sail Away".

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Let Me Talk"	Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Maurice White, Verdine White	4:09
2.	"Turn It Into Something Good"	Valerie Carter, James Newton Howard, Maurice White	4:10
3.	"Pride"	Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Freddie White, Maurice White, Verdine White	4:11
4.	"You"	David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White	5:10

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Sparkle"	Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Maurice White	3:50
6.	"Back on the Road"	Al McKay, Maurice White	3:33
7.	"Song in My Heart"	Garry Glenn, Brenda Russell, Maurice White	4:17
8.	"You Went Away"	Philip Bailey, Ross Vannelli	4:24

Side three

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
9.	"And Love Goes On"	Larry Dunn, David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White, Verdine White	4:05
10.	"Sailaway"	Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Roxanne Seeman, Maurice White	4:37
11.	"Take It to the Sky"	Larry Dunn, Garry Glenn, Maurice White	3:50
12.	"Win or Lose"	Jean Hancock, Jerry Peters	3:53

Side four

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"Share Your Love"	Garry Glenn, Maurice White	3:17
14.	"In Time"	Arlene Matza, Howard McCrary, Maurice White	4:13
15.	"Faces"	Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White, Verdine White	8:02

UK Singles Released

"You" was released as a 7" Single in November 1980 in the UK as an edited version (3:55). The B-side contained the full album version of "Pride". UK Cat No: CBS A1204. UK Jazz Funk and Soul DJs, led by Robbie Vincent and Chris Hill, flipped the single and preferred to play "Pride" on their radio shows and at clubs/venues. "Pride" was and is still considered the stronger track, being a retro throwback to the Earth Wind & Fire sound associated with early hits such as Saturday Nite and Mighty Mighty. The 7" version of "You" was added to the album with a number of other bonus tracks when the album was remastered and updated to CD in 2010.

Charts

Album – Billboard

Year	Chart	Position
1980	Black Albums	2
	Pop Albums	10

Year	Chart	Position
1980	United Kingdom	10

Singles – Billboard

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1980	"Let Me Talk"	Black Singles	8
		Club Play Singles	85
		Pop Singles	44
	"You"	Pop Singles	48
		Black Singles	10
1981	"And Love Goes On"	Black Singles	15
		Club Play Singles	57
		Pop Singles	59

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to Faces is adapted from SoulTracks.com.

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Soultracks	U.S.	The Greatest Soul albums of the 1980s	2009	29