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"Heritage" is a song by American band Earth, Wind & Fire featuring Suns of Light (as the Boys), released in February 1990 by Columbia Records[1] as the first single from their fifteenth studio album, Heritage (1990). It reached No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 5 on the Cash Box Top R&B Singles chart.[2][3]

"Heritage"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album Heritage
B-side	"Gotta Find Out"
Released	February 1990
Genre	R&B new jack swing funk EDM
Length	4:05
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Maurice White, Lestley Pierce and Frankie Blue
Producer(s)	Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"Turn on (The Beat Box)" (1988) "Heritage" (1990) "For the Love of You" (1990)
Music video
"Heritage" on YouTube

Overview

"Heritage" was produced by Maurice White and written by White, Lestley Pierce and Frankie Blue. With a duration of four minutes and five seconds the song has a prestissimo tempo of 207 beats per minute.[1][4]

The single's B-side was a song called "Gotta Find Out". Both "Heritage" and "Gotta Find Out" came upon EWF's 1990 studio album Heritage.[1]

A music video was also issued in 1990 to accompany the single.[5]

Critical reception

May Mitchell of The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that "guest appearances are made by the Boys who lend a nice choral touch to the funky title track".[6] Billboard called "Heritage" "a solid funky jam strong on complex harmonies and prideful lyrics" with "youthful zest".[7] Peter Kinghorn of the Newcastle Chronicle found a "Throbbing dance beat with the Boys helping out on harmonies."[8] John Milward of Rolling Stone declared that the "prideful title tune even throws in the kind of admonition — “This is a party, y’all,” courtesy of the Boys — favored by Earth, Wind and Fire's more radical old rivals in Parliament-Funkadelic".[9] Pablo Guzman of the New York Daily News also exclaimed that EWF "jumps into radioactive with Takin' Chances and Heritage, the latter featuring the Boys. The union is a kicking one".[10]

Credits

• Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Woolfolk, Gary Bias
• Arranged By – Les Pierce
• Arranged By [Horns] – Bill Meyers
• Backing Vocals – Philip Bailey
• Bass – Verdine White

Featuring [Backing Vocals] – The Boys

• Guitar – Frankie Blue
• Guitar, Backing Vocals – Sheldon Reynolds
• Keyboards, Programmed By [Synthesizer], Drum Programming – Les Pierce
• Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Maurice White
• Trombone – Reggie Young
• Trumpet – Jerry Hey, Oscar Brashear
• Written-By – Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, Maurice White[1]

Charts

Chart (1990)[2]	Peak position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11]	23
US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard)	5
US Top R&B Singles (Cash Box)	5

References

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